I attended Top Scholars Weekend a few weeks ago, and have since committed to Tulane. Originally I didn’t plan on attending an orientation session because I have already registered for classes, but I’m having second thoughts because I don’t want to be behind when I get to campus (for example, I won’t have my student ID or anything, and I won’t have gotten to meet my roommate). Is it good to attend both? How is orientation structured/what kinds of things do they have students do? In essence, is it worth buying another plane ticket to NOLA to attend a two-day orientation session?
I am in the exact same boat! Right after TSW I was happy with my decision to skip orientation and save my money since I had already registered for classes, but now I am worried about missing out on all the extra things you do while you’re at orientation, such getting your student ID like you mentioned.
I can assure you both that you are overthinking it. You can get your ID during move-in in no time. IIRC, you just send them a picture as a JPEG or whatever and you pick it up at a station they have set up next to Bruff. Lots of people that were not invited to TSW also do not attend Orientation. Of those that don’t, some choose not to, most cannot because of work or some other barrier that cannot be overcome. They do just fine when they get to Tulane for move-in. Admittedly things are very different these days, but back when I attended there was no such thing as Orientation, and I never saw the campus at all until I got there to move in.
To my way of thinking, there are two reasons to attend Orientation if you have already been to TSW:
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Just to have fun for a couple days in NOLA
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The possibility you might meet a roommate.
The first is obviously just a matter of affordability, desire, etc. The second is nice, if somewhat speculative. People often choose a roommate through the Facebook site designed for that purpose, and/or through the program called Roommate Click, if Tulane is still using that. Or they just let housing assign them a random roommate.
Offhand I cannot think of any other reason to attend. Not that those are not good reasons, they just are not necessities or otherwise compelling.
@fallenchemist Thank you, as always, for your help and thoroughness. I have already found a roommate through the Facebook page, but even if I don’t get to meet her in person we can still connect over the summer. Thank you for easing my worries 
My pleasure. That is very cool that you have already found someone to room with. You are ahead of the game! :)) What dorm are you two hoping for?
I’m hoping to live in Wall, I’m working on the application and plan on submitting it this weekend!
I don’t think you will miss out on anything by not going to Orientation. I would suggest applying for the Explore NOLA program instead. You get to arrive on campus and move into your dorm a week earlier. You spend a week getting to know your classmates, the campus and the city of New Orleans. Reviews on this program are always very positive!
^^Brilliant!!
I absolutely agree that the Explore program is the way to go. The highlight of orientation is meeting with an advisor and setting up a schedule. You had the opportunity to do that during TSW. The Explore program gives you a chance to settle into your dorm room early and meet others in your dorm and many other freshman. My daughter met her best friends during the Explore program.