<p>How important is new student orientation if you have attended honors weekend and have already registered for classes, stayed in a dorm and eaten in a dining hall? We live in Virginia and are wondering if this is really necessary</p>
<p>No, not really needed. You have it all pretty well covered already. They do go over some things that were not covered in Honors weekend, but they will be covered during move-in weekend. No real reason to spend the extra money and disrupt schedules.</p>
<p>FCDo you think it’s important to go to a new student orientation to register for classes? I did destination Tulane but not honors weekend. I’m trying to decide if it’s really necessary to register early because getting down there is almost 700 dollars in flights.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think you will be fine without going. However, since you are in the Honors Program you should be able to get your code and register now. Just because you couldn’t attend Honors Weekend shouldn’t mean you give up being able to register as if you had. Call either the Honors Program office or advising and see what can be done. I would start with the HP people. If they can give you your code, then they should also be able to get you a phone appointment with an advisor so you can go over what you need to/want to take. Let us know if that works.</p>
<p>maplevale, sorry for hijacking your thread. Maybe my questions will answer a few of yours.</p>
<p>FC thanks for the quick response. I actually wasn’t sure whether to join honors right off the bat or not. From what I understand if I feel the need I can join honors after freshman year if I have above a 3.6. So currently trying to decide whether honors is right for me or not. So if I don’t do honors, when would I register for classes?</p>
<p>Well, technically you are in the HP if you were told when you got your admission that you were. At least I think that is right, but maybe you do have to affirmatively tell them you accept the invitation. Frankly, there is absolutely no reason not to. There really are no requirements freshman year, unless they have changed the program since my D started 3 years ago. If you decide that you don’t want to do a senior thesis so as to graduate with Latin Honors, then you just don’t do it. Not really an issue. If they invited you, tell them yes. Easier to drop it later, for sure.</p>
<p>But to answer your question, I think you can start registering for classes July 1 or close to that date, if you don’t do June Orientation.</p>
<p>I live on the other side of the world so I can’t afford to go to destination tulane or honors weekend. How detrimental is it to miss the new student orientation? Will the move-in weekend suffice?</p>
<p>314jason - You will be fine. Tulane is attracting more students from overseas every year, so there have been others in your situation and will be again this year. I suggest, like the above, that you coordinate with the HP office to see if you can register now. If not, work with them or whomever they suggest to make sure you get as prepared as possible. As far as other orientation info like safety, facilities, clubs, etc. you will get all that at move-in time. Just be sure to ask about anything you want to know. People really do want to help, the vast majority of the time. Hopefully you will have a good RA in your dorm that will be a good resource for you.</p>
<p>I would disagree with Fallen C. Most of what is covered in the orientation session is NOT covered elsewhere including learning about Greek Life, campus programming, mental health services, student organizations, safety, housing selection for the Fall and sophomore year, student health center, meal plans, conduct, TIDES, and so forth. Also, you might meet you roommate during the orientation. Basically, they cover all the stuff you would need to know while you are not in class and then the academics. Is it the end of the world if you do not go? Probably not, because you could visit all of those departments on your own albeit that approach is time consuming, but since most of your life is outside of the classroom, you can learn a great deal at the orientation, and will be better prepared to access campus resources. Again, most of this was not covered during Destination Tulane or honors weekend, and will not be covered again in a formal program.</p>
<p>helped - If that is true then they have changed the program drastically, which I don’t think they have. Fall of 2009 they organized sessions for many of the topics you mentioned. Obviously some, like housing and meal plans, are moot by that point and are covered instead either through e-mails, online sites, or literature that is sent. And yes, of course one can meet a roommate at orientation, I have mentioned that as a plus many times, but most people find their roommate through either the Facebook site that is set up for that purpose or the Roommate Click program that Tulane runs. TIDES is covered during meetings with advisors, or could be if needed. Most students figure that out, and TIDES is hardly a big deal anyway. Student organizations have a full programmed presentation set up in the LBC sometime in the early part of the semester.</p>
<p>Anyway, bottom line is that of course going to June Orientation is preferable if possible. But for many, they cannot afford it monetarily and/or time-wise, and I have not heard any of them say they felt like it was a big disadvantage. BTW, my D did both Honors Weekend and June Orientation because she could, but she did not feel there was much new for her during the June Orientation, except staying in Butler where she was pretty sure she was going to be in the fall. I mean, she enjoyed it and had a nice time, but she had already registered and already had been informed about issues like safety and the like. As far as she can remember, there wasn’t really that much about clubs and organizations until she got there in the fall and they all had displays set up in the LBC.</p>
<p>I just have a different perspective. I think it is an important tool to enhance the chance of making the transition to college sucessfully. I only know about the most recent program. My guess is a lot may have changed since 2009 because of the leadership changes in this area at Tulane, and the importance Tulane adminstrators place upon summer orientation.</p>
<p>Orientation is a good place to make new friends and know a little about the school before you start. But I would say that honors weekend does just the same thing. The welcoming week is filled with activities and OC (Orientation Coordinators) and RAs will be able to catch you up with what you missed during the orientation, if anything at all. So I think you don’t need to come to the orientation is finance is an issue. P.S. I’m from VA as well</p>
<p>We attended both Honors Weekend and the New Student Orientation last year. I would have to say that as a parent, I learned a lot more at the new student orientation than I did at Honors Weekend. They really did go into detail in the parents sessions and I found it to be a valuable experience. They discussed much more that academics which naturally was the primary focus of Honors Weekend. I think both have value - although I have to say that there must have been some repetition in the student programming because my son had had enough before the end of orientation and begged me to let him cut out on the last couple of sessions. He met a lot of people while we were there for both orientation and Honors weekend, but very few of those people turned out to be his closest friends once he started school. As a parent, I learned more at orientation that was valuable to me as a parent as far as how things worked at Tulane - everything from Student affairs, records, student health, splash cards, meal plans, etc. My son would have been happy to skip orientation, but I was really glad we went.</p>
<p>helped/guhengshuo: I’m from the pacific NW so the south is going to be a big change for me; I want as much transition “help” as possible. Did either of you do the NOLA experience? I’m kinda leaning towards that over the orientation, with would cost me 700 in flights. My main concern is in meeting people rather than figuring out some of the schools logistics. What would you suggest?</p>
<p>NOLA experience is a great place to meet friends. My roommate did NOLA and the friends he made in it are still friends till this day. The orientation was short and sweet, the most benefit you would get from it is to register for classes early. Other than that I would say you won’t make as many good friends or have as good a bond with others as NOLA experience.</p>
<p>We couldn’t make an Honors weekend due to scheduling conflicts, going to Destination Tulane this weekend and my husband also wants to know how important it is to do the June orientation. Thanks for the replies on here.</p>