Emory Pre-Orientation Programs

Colleges & Universities Emory University
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Hi there - Does anyone know how to sign up today for a pre-orientation program for Emory? Do you recommend doing them and are there ones that are better than the others? My son is considering one of the SOAR ones. Thanks!

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The registration opened up last week and can be accessed at this link:

HIGHLY recommend doing pre-orientation! I loved my pre-orientation experience. It was a great way to meet people before the TRUE orientation starts. The programming is honestly less “orientation” and more just bonding through activities and getting to know your classmates. But it was a great way to help ease the transition while doing cool stuff around Emory!

Last year, about half the incoming freshman class participated in a pre-orientation program. All the detailed descriptions can be found on the attached link, but I’ll quickly explain my thoughts on each one.

  1. SOAR - Summer Outdoor Adventure Retreat. This one is for those who enjoy the outdoors - kayaking, hiking, backpacking, ziplining… The actual trips change each year, so read the descriptions of the offered trips each year. They are led by trip leaders who are trained upperclassmen, and they lead groups of ~30-50 I’d say. My roommate did SOAR - ziplining, and he always talked about what a great experience he had.
  2. Ignite offers similar tracks you can sign up for. I did the Sustainability track, but there are always a couple of others like Leadership, Innovation, or Creativity. The programming centers around the theme of your track, exploring Emory resources and the surrounding Atlanta community. So for Sustainability, we learned about the recycling programs, toured the WaterHub, and checked out the Oxford Farm.
  3. WISE - Welcoming Interfaith and Spiritual Exploration. This program explores various spiritual and religious communities both on campus and in Atlanta. From what I’ve heard, it’s a cool way to experience and discover new cultures and practices.

The others are ISW (International Students Welcome) and FirstSTEM, but these are invite-based programs specific to the student.