By Patti Brugman

Now that you've had almost a month to adjust to the idea that you will actually be attending college next year (congratulations!), read all the mail that your college sends you. Coming soon will be a missive that asks you to sign up for your freshman orientation. Orientation may be right before school starts, or it may be ongoing through the summer.  The University of California campuses have already sent out a schedule of possible orientation dates.  Sign up for the earliest possible date that you can manage.  While most schools will have a system that guarantees that freshman will get their desired classes, going to an early orientation has lots of advantage.

A few years ago, one of our clients had a chance to attend the California orientation weekend for Oregon State University. Because that orientation was the second one of the season, he was able to sign up for the coveted Engineering Adventure, which was a three-day outdoor hiking, camping, and rafting trip with other incoming freshmen who intended to major in engineering. He made friends on the trip that he will have for all four years. That was an advantage he didn't even know about until he attended his orientation.

Orientation is your chance to sign up the classes and to make friends. Many students report meeting their roommates at freshmen orientation. If this doesn't happen, however, be assured that schools are becoming quite sophisticated in their roommate selection process.  

Another great perk of attending your future school’s orientation is that you'll have a chance to become familiar with all the secret back ways around campus. You'll be eating campus food and living in a dorm room.  Another student reported that just by living in the space for a weekend, she learned a lot about dorm life. She noted the size of the closet and made a mental note to bring just two suitcases of clothes.  She also noticed that the desk in her room had pull out “cutting board” type extender which made it seem much bigger.  Also, the laundry room was in the basement and, at her school, use of the washers and dryers was free! 

When you go to orientation, be sure to take your parents with you, if you possibly can.  I’m not kidding!  The “Parent Orientation” can be an advantage for you.  Parents will have a chance to share in your school pride and your school choice. And one school even gives the parents a refrigerator magnet that says: “Don’t Forget to Send Money!” Now that’s the kind of orientation you want your parents to have, right?

--All the best from Perfectfitcollege.Net  6/12