Orientation = Rediculous

<p>Ok so i want to go to Umich. I am in the honors program. I just got back from my final campus visit. I live in upstate NY so i will definately be flying out when i return for orientation...</p>

<p>Here are a few questions about that...
Why do they make kids do it in the beginning of summer?</p>

<p>Why am i going to be kicked out of the honors program if i dont go (i mean its not like its just an hour drive for me. Its probably $300 for plane tickects.)</p>

<p>Why does it cost $250? If its required they should factor it into tuition...or hell just pay for it themselves they didnt give me any money to go there.</p>

<p>Why am i taking placement exams? Are they hard? Does it matter how you do?
I mean hell, i can tell you right now i am going to take a language i cant speak a word of.</p>

<p>Do parents have to come? What do they do with the parents? Because its another 600$ plus room and board if my parents are "supposed" to come.</p>

<p>Sorry that was long...as you can see i am a little dumbfounded by this.</p>

<p>1) They dont, you can do it whenever you want during the summer
2) You have to go or else you can't schedule classes, meet with advisors, learn about campus, etc.
3) I really don't think you should be complaining about such a small price for a once-in-a-lifetime thing
4) They are not hard, and yes it matters how you do because it can place you out of required classes. Don't take them if you don't know a thing. Only if you think you can get out of some of the required semesters for language.
5) No. KB brainwashes them, that's about it. It's not necessary, but a lot of parents like to go.</p>

<p>Wow, that is pretty bad if they require you to do it and then charge you for it! As far as the placement tests go, I don't think they are for every class, just the basics like Math, English, Science classes, etc.</p>

<p>The math placement test is taken online prior to orientation. The only other placement tests are foriegn languages and chemistry. These are both optiional. There are no other english, science, etc placement tests, bigU.</p>

<p>You can just use an AP/IB test instead of placement, right?</p>

<p>Yes, but that's only if you get a 4 or 5 on an AP foreign language test, which is usually very hard for non-native speakers, especially since most suburban high schools have gringos teachin foreign lang classes.</p>

<p>Can you take placement tests after orientation? If I do an immersion program, it's after orientation.</p>

<p>hey ppl.. was jus wondering.. im an intl student for india... so what orientation can i attend.. i plan leaving from here by mid august.. and i think theres one orientation program for august 24th to 27th.. just before classes start on 5th september.. am i right? or do i haver to fly up in the coming months for the orientation??</p>

<p>Dont classed get filled up if you dont go to an early orientation though? So basically you get screwed if you cant get out for an early orientation. </p>

<p>And addressing a comment about the cost not being that much....i dont know about you but i am paying out of state tuition and every cent counts.</p>

<p>Whoa, I didn't even know about this orientation thing. I have several questions:
1) Can a high score on a foreign language SAT II also place me out?
2) What kind of activities go on at orientation?
3) Do they give you board?
I totally agree with Jazzman that every cent counts. UM is not a cheap place, and I'm looking at $600 plane tickets. Driving is like 22 hours nonstop.</p>

<p>well maguo...cant help on the last 2 questions...but this is what I found on the u of m site...</p>

<p>Question
Is the SAT II test required for admission?
Answer
The University of Michigan does not require SAT IIs for admission. We require either the SAT I or ACT for freshman consideration. If the SAT II is sent to our office, it will not factor into the admissions decision. If the student is admitted, however, it may be used to determine placement. If a student has been fully or partially home schooled, however, five SAT IIs will be required. </p>

<p>meh...not really much of an answer...but i hoped it helped a bit...
<a href="http://umich.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/umich.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=268&p_created=1056662501&p_sid=td4Nis5i&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NSZwX3Byb2RzPSZwX2NhdHM9MCZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PXNhdCBJSQ**&p_li=&p_topview=1%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://umich.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/umich.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=268&p_created=1056662501&p_sid=td4Nis5i&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NSZwX3Byb2RzPSZwX2NhdHM9MCZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PXNhdCBJSQ**&p_li=&p_topview=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Jazzman: If you're paying OOS tuition with no aid you probably have no trouble affording the pennies that orientation is in comparison. Again, you only have college orientation once. Get over it.
Maguo:no, SAT II can't place you out of foreign lang. only AP test and placement test. Orientation activities include tours and eating together, hanging out, scheduling classes, and tons of free time for whatever. You live in east quad.</p>

<p>enjoy registering for classes lol. I remember my orientation, I spent more than 6 hours in that east quad computing site.</p>

<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>

<p>Wow, did I just kb use a microeconomics cliche? <em>starts to tear up</em>.....I'm just so.....proud. NYao brings up a good poiint. It's probably in your best interest to research classes ahead of time or talk to me about classes (if you're in LSA, especially honors), so that you can enjoy having your fun at orientation because you already have your schedule figured out. Also, the honors advisors (and most other advisors) give terrible advice, so you'd probably rather talk to me. And kb, a drunken buffon? Look who's the drunkard now, haha.</p>

<p>lol...echo MOST of what chibears said...if you want to talk about language, polisci or org studies, talk to students not advisors...for the most part they tend to not have a clue.</p>

<p>And to you chibears, don't talk to me about drunkenness mr. root beer.</p>

<p>KB</p>

<p>Leave me to my happy root beer times. Also, know that concentration advisors are usually pretty good once you know what you want to major in, but you wont be using them til sophomore year probably unless you're very determined on a specific field of study. For frosh stuff, just talk to us CCers, we'll tell what's goinz downz.</p>

<p>Words unbecoming a Wolverine.</p>

<p>Wow, NYao, you seem to be really unhappy about UM.</p>

<p>LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>

<p>Wow....I'm ready for a rough-and-tumble career in politics, but I figured I'd get a little grace period. Already the hate starts!</p>

<p>haha</p>

<p>KB</p>