Students admitted for Fall Semester: When will I be attending New Student Orientation?
At the Behrend campus, our New Student Orientation days run from mid-June to mid-July on select dates with sessions available in the morning and again in the afternoon. The morning session generally runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and the afternoon session from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
New Student Orientation Educational Planning Survey and Placement Testing (Starting Late-March)
After you accept your offer from Penn State and pay your acceptance fee, you will receive instructions (via postcard or email) to complete your Educational Planning Survey and online placement tests. The Educational Planning Survey and placement tests take about 3 hours or less. Your Educational Planning Survey and online placement tests must be completed by the deadline on the postcard in order to have the results scored, printed, and ready for you when you attend your advising day. Please take the placement testing seriously and do your best as the results will be used to schedule your courses for the Fall Semester. Students use the months of March, April and May to take the placement tests. Watch for this postcard. It contains critical information about your personalized New Student Orientation timeline!
Online scheduling of the New Student Orientation Advising Date (Starting Mid-April)
After you complete your Educational Planning Survey and online placement tests, you will be mailed a letter inviting you to schedule your advising date. PLEASE CHOOSE YOUR DATE WITH GREAT CARE. Much time and preparation is required in order to match each student to an adviser for an individualized advising session associated with their chosen interest area. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. Dates fill up very quickly. We suggest making your final date selection only after checking all family calendars. Date changes are limited to emergency situations only. If you are unable to attend the date that you have reserved, individual advising and scheduling sessions will be available during Fall Welcome Week in August.
New Student Orientation Advising (Begins Mid-June)
Now that you have completed your on-line placement testing and have arranged your advising date, your test scores and educational planning material will be sent from University Park to the Academic and Career Planning Center at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. It is time to plan for your New Student Orientation visit to Behrend. New Student Orientation will give you and your parents the opportunity to learn about the Penn State system and how to plan for your educational goals. Many college offices will be represented to discuss your transition to college life. In addition, you will have an individual session with an academic adviser to create your fall semester schedule. You will also obtain your Penn State id+ Card and computer access account.