Some one mentioned to me attending the August Orientation. The one right before school? For me to attend Orientation in the summer it would cost about $500, flights/driving registration etc. I was wondering if anyone knows of anyone who attended the August Orientation? Its August 16th, 2 days before move in day. Am I at a complete disadvantage if I attend the orientation then? Will registering for classes be completely out of wack? Just looking into options, as $500 is a lot of money for a 1 day orientation.
Registering for classes will be a nightmare and I totally recommend going to the earliest possible registration, but if it's going to cost you that much money, then just wait and go in August.
...Also, you will probably need to get there at least one day early for placement testing.
And is there any other way you can come that's cheaper? (IE bus, flight to Charlotte, etc.?)
I'm still looking into things, but if I fly into Charlotte it may be cheaper but if I had to take a shuttle it eventually evens out to about the same. I'll figure things out. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any one who did the August one.
It's not ideal, but I do have a friend who did the August orientation. She was in another country and went to the last possible orientation. It was fine. Not great, by any means, but fine. You'll probably end up with classes at less than ideal times and maybe some classes that are unconventional for a first-semester freshman, but you'll register for something relevant. I've completely gutted my schedule and started from scratch in August. Trust me, it's doable. That said... if there's any way you can make it to an early orientation, I very, VERY highly recommend that instead.
Could some one explain to me exactly what orientation is? Like with the placement tests and everything? Is it all 1 day or do I need to get their a day earlier?
You do your math placement test online sometime before orientation. You do your foreign language placement test in person the day before orientation.
Some people don't do either before orientation. All that means is that you're not allowed to sign up for a foreign language class or math class until you have those test codes. If you do and you don't have the proper test score, then the system will kick you out of the class.
During orientation, you turn in some forms (immunizations and things), you meet with an advisor and sign up for classes, you learn a few things about the school, and you can see your housing.
To me, the big advantage about going to an earlier orientation, is signing up for classes. When I went in June, I was only at like the sixth or seventh session, and they had already completely run out of history classes. People in July really had trouble finding the specific classes that they were supposed to take and ended up having to settle for some really odd-ball classes.
Your school should allow you an excused absence to attend college orientation. There will be plenty of seniors going away to their orientations in May and June.
Having friends whose daughters go to USC, I have been told to go to orientation as early as possible.
ljv, if you attend a monday orientation I do believe that you would need to take your language test on Sunday. My son took his lanquage test on a Sunday.
You have to be proficient in a language or something like that. It depends on your major and what you get on the language placement test. You only need a 2 for the engineering department (and it's probably the same for other science majors). I got a 3, so I don't need to take any languages if I don't want to. If you don't get the required score for your department, you do have to take a language.
The College of Arts and Sciences requires at least a 4 on the placement test, which really means a 5, because you can't get a 4. That means completion of the language at the 122 level.
Every college has its own rules. I'm pretty sure that the CAS is the most stringent.
You can check your major's bulletin to find out what's required for you specifically though.
