<p>NYao...that's probably just because you are slow (interpret as you will).</p>
<p>On cost; orientation cost extra because it is separate from the academic school year. You'll be living in EQ, eating food, and consuming academic resources; you have to pay for all that. I can imagine its a bit annoying that its not included in your tuition. But you have to understand that UM is one of the most de-centralized large institutions on the planet. When you pay money for some service or program, it doesn't go into some huge UM bank account, all these programs and services have different accounts. Most of your tutition money doesn't go to pay for DSA programs (Division of Student Affairs)...some but not all. Orientation is a cost, but DSA doesn't get money to put it on outside of what you are already paying...so they have to hit you with a one-time fee. Regardless of whether or not its a fee, or already included, you'll have to pay one way or another for orientation. There's never a free lunch in this world lol.</p>
<p>Don't freak out about placement exams...do your best, but don't freak out. You want to be placed into a course that will challenge you, but not be over your head. This isn't like high school where its a rush to get into the highest level class (unless you are a crazy math nerd like chibears). Just do your best.</p>
<p>Parents...I HIGHLY recommend that you bring one or both. I know its another expense, but the more information parents have about UM, the less they will be all up in your business during the fall (just trust me on this). As an orientation leader, we spend a lot of time w/ the parents teaching them how not to be huge pains-in-your-asses.</p>
<p>There is a special orientation for international students, and I'm pretty sure it is late enough so you don't have to fly all around the world more than once.</p>
<p>Do classes get filled up during orientation. Yes and no. Class openings for INTRO LEVEL classes are staggered throughout the year to ensure that even the latest orientees have a broad selection of classes available. So...lets say you have ap credit for Polsci 111 and 140, and you want to take 300 level polisci. You can, but I can tell you it probably won't be happening, since they don't expect 1st years to take those courses, and most of them were already filled before I even registered.</p>
<p>The reason you have to do it during the summer is because there are some 5K + freshmen, and it'd be impractical to do it all at once. Orientation is also designed to help get you accustomed to college life. Balancing things like fun (your nights are unsupervised, so you are free to do w/e) with things like academic work (you have to get up at like 7-8AM to go to advising and things like that) are a taste of what life is like at UM. </p>
<p>That being said, you HAVE to go to orienation because if you don't, you won't register for classes, making your 1st semester quite an unproductive one.</p>
<p>Look at the good news, if you behave well, I might just reveal my identity to you during your orientation. If you are bad (get drunk in the res halls etc.) I'll have to tell your parents that you are a drunken buffon who shouldn't be let out of the house (j/k).</p>
<p>mas preguntas?</p>
<p>KB</p>