<p>We are not attending SOAR because we are from OOS. For those that do attend over the next couple of weeks, please share any tips or insights those of us who don’t attend could benefit from.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>My son and I just got home from SOAR and I am soooo tired! The drive at night is really hard for me. My son slept all the way home!</p>
<p>SOAR was a good experience and I will just share a little of the info. tonight.</p>
<p>*Go early to get your packet and stand in line for taking your Poly Card photo. The line moves slowly. If you don’t get it taken in the morning before the Welcome, you will have a chance later in the day. Don’t stress.
*Parents will get a nice tote bag with a notebook and several handouts. There are a few goodies too, but i won’t spoil the surprise!
*Students will get a copy of their schedule and a few handouts in a folder.
*The parent meetings are all about campus resources and helping your child with the transition. Some cute skits and testimony. Lots of redundancy. We heard a lot about underage drinking and other safety issues. Ways to deal with stress etc…
*My son had a chance to order his books through the bookstore. It was easy and the people were helpful. We left lunch a bit early and there was no line.
*My son liked talking with other students and hearing from current students.
*The students were given a chance to work on a computer with a small group to see how to register for next quarter.
*Go to lunch early or on time if you want the most choices of box lunches.
*Take some time to talk with other parents or students. They keep you busy, so it isn’t easy to do this.</p>
<p>It is always fun to go to San Luis Obispo and the Cal Poly campus! If you can’t make it to SOAR, you can learn a lot by watching the archived PolyLive videos and really exploring the portal and the school web site. It is a worthwhile program if you can go, but not a must do if you are too far away or have other commitments. It was sometimes boring for the kids and parents because of the repeated information, but there were useful bits as well.</p>
<p>Something I heard that I thought was important was about move-in day. They said that it will be CRAZY! We will get specific info. about how to get to campus that day and where to park, depending on your dorm location. They recommended being patient and remembering to smile and breathe! It will be crowded. Think about going later in the day (yeah right…we will not be able to wait!)</p>
<p>What a wonderful school! SOAR was a great day!</p>
<p>Just wanted to bump this up in case people didn’t read what I shared about SOAR</p>
<p>momofmv, when do we receive the information about move-in day logistics? Before we arrive…I hope.</p>
<p>I believe it will all be on-line on August 20th.</p>
<p>Hey, I haven’t posted much here, but I dropped my son off at SOAR on Monday, then walked around a little. The Housing Booth has 2010 Move-In Guides, but if you google "cal poly move in guide 2009) you can see last years. Pretty much the same with updated schedule for fall launch and WOW, and a bit about the new mini-refrig being provided this year. (my prev. posts were about this … being a parent I was closely following whether I needed to buy one!)</p>
<p>They also have On-campus Housing Move-In Maps. I made a pdf of the Housing Move-In Map, but my profile says I can’t attach it. If someone knows how to attach it, let me know.</p>
<p>Being a new poster–I wrote a long message summarizing the map and info on the back, then somehow got logged out and lost the whole thing! If you want the pdf, tell me how to post or send it to you.</p>
<p>All info is available on Aug. 20th when the housing assignments are posted on the portal.</p>
<p>Dining Booth: New info for me…Einstein’s Bagel will have an expanded menu this year, easier way to get there is the road behing the dorms, less hilly. Also more to come about Dining “Online Ordering”…this was intriguing. I hadn’t seen the Dining Complex before…The Avenue looked renovated from the website pic…menu boards on flat screen tv’s and a different layout.</p>
<p>Sierra Madre Info: internet two connection on wall opposite of the closet. (think a dad posted this already.) Microwave on each floor’s lounge area.</p>
<p>Wells Fargo still offers credit cards to students…beware.</p>
<p>SLO weather was beautiful during the day…cool at night & early am. My son and husband braved the Oceano Dunes on ATV, a very fun thing to do. The water was a little cold for kayaking for us–forgot to bring our wetsuits.</p>
<p>Very excited to be in SLO again…lots of freshman downtown and in our hotel. (Embassy Suites…got a great rate booking early…cocktail recept. in evening, full breakfast).</p>
<p>Son’s Soar Insights if you can’t be there</p>
<p>Advisor sessions and Peer Advisor sessions were the most informative part of SOAR.
Just call or email your advisor if you have any questions on your schedule.
(available on Student Center Portal, enrollment, my weekly schedule)</p>
<p>Go on PASS (take tutorial on line, fun to be at SOAR, but not necessary for learning PASS)
PASS shows open classes, sample schedules, and books required.</p>
<p>Review Registration website:
[Registration</a> - Office of the Registrar - Cal Poly](<a href=“http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_records/registration/index.html]Registration”>http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_records/registration/index.html)</p>
<p>Learned about Credit/No Credit, but on the above website.</p>
<p>Lines were too long for Poly Card, but not necessary to have now, but will get during WOW.</p>
<p>Some of the other SOAR presentations on Campus Life & Respect, Responsibilities, Campus Involvement look like they will have similar components in WOW. My son also thought they were boring.</p>
<p>Fun to be together with new students, but like momofmv says the website also has great information and Poly Live.</p>
<p>My son only had one visit to Cal Poly, so he decided it would fun to go again and to see his schedule early, but with the schedules leaking out early the main benefit was the face to face with his advisor and peer advisor and meeting students from his department.</p>
<p>^^ How long did your son get to have a face to face session with his advisor?</p>
<p>I think there is enough time as you need bec. I believe he said there were only 15-20 students in his group and the others are exploring PASS while advising is going on. He is still on his “summer sleeping schedule” right now so I will check with him—got to wash sheets today–so he need to get up!!</p>
<p>Also, don’t forget to write down your password. He has a program that automatically puts it in when he is on his own computer.</p>
<p>Advisors stress to make your portal private–from your parents!! (funny) Which I don’t have any problems with, but he needs to remind me when to pay!! I hope he knows I don’t like to mendle just wanted to make sure as a younger teen, he was learning how to get into college–now it’s his responsibility to learn how to stay in college!!</p>
<p>Great posts San Diego2010. Thank you for sharing info with everyone. It sounds like your son liked his visit and learned some good info at SOAR. I love the Embassy Suites too. I went for a slightly cheaper room and a bit closer to campus, but ES is still the best I have stayed in. The happy hour and breakfast are excellent!</p>
<p>SanDiego2010, thanks for making the pdf available. I sent you a PM.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting insights, experienced SOAR parents and students. What time of day did it start, and did it last all day? We are OOS but are going anyway. I don’t think I can fly out till at least 8 PM the night before (PST; 2 hour flight, then long drive), so I want to plan ahead for getting up and out the door.</p>
<p>I believe it starts at 9AM, have no clue when it ends.</p>
<p>Thank you for info I’ve been reading for a few months…when acceptances were up, housing recommendations, and travel tips.</p>
<p>I did create a pdf of the 2010 Move-In Guide, Move-In Map, and Move-In Tips. </p>
<p>PM me if you want a copy.</p>
<p>Since I was dropping my son off, we arrived an 8:45a for 9 am because I didn’t need to park or go thru the Information Booth to get a parking pass. The first day was very busy so if you need to get a pass and park, I would give yourself some time.</p>
<p>Also, my son didn’t need to take the MAPE placement exam–that is at 8am. </p>
<p>Check in for folder and lunch tickets is in the University Union Plaza. Any time 7:30 to 10am.(did momofmv say this already?) Then walk over to the Performing Arts Center for the University Welcome for students and parents. I saw many students skipping the University Welcome. Schedule follows the website: [SOAR</a> - Schedule - Student Orientation, Advising, & Registration - Freshman Students - Student Life & Leadership - Cal Poly](<a href=“http://www.studentlife.calpoly.edu/orientation/soar/freshmen/f_schedule.asp]SOAR”>http://www.studentlife.calpoly.edu/orientation/soar/freshmen/f_schedule.asp)</p>
<p>The afternoon 1 -5:15pm rotates with your college. My son talked to other students during the rotations found that more interesting, then decided to leave early based on their recommendations. Oh, well.</p>
<p>Ok, here are some links to a free file hosting site with the pdf’s I made from the hand outs from Housing received at SOAR. These will also be available to all students on August 20th or maybe sooner.</p>
<p>[CP</a> 2010 Move In Guide.pdf](<a href=“http://www.mediafire.com/file/sq6oa9381wg59qg]CP”>http://www.mediafire.com/file/sq6oa9381wg59qg)
[CP</a> Move in MAP.pdf](<a href=“http://www.mediafire.com/file/0ns3px4s35k427n]CP”>http://www.mediafire.com/file/0ns3px4s35k427n)
[CP</a> Move in tips.pdf](<a href=“http://www.mediafire.com/file/den2qa9su1xdq99]CP”>http://www.mediafire.com/file/den2qa9su1xdq99)</p>
<p>What time did you and your end up leaving the campus?</p>
<p>Thank you for the links San Diego2010! </p>
<p>We went at 8:15 and the line for the ID was already long and we didn’t have time to look at many of the booths. The Welcome was very brief and they sent the students out to their groups and then the parents. </p>
<p>We left at 6:00 because we stopped in at the bookstore. The last parent presentation ended at 5:15.</p>
<p>Thanks SD2010. That was very helpful!</p>
<p>If you attend SOAR do you find out who your advisor is?</p>
<p>One more tip I learned at SOAR</p>
<p>You can load money to Campus Express with a credit card and there is no credit card fee.
(Info. came from the Dining Booth employee)</p>
<p><a href=“PolyCard Online”>PolyCard Online;