Orientation FAQ

Signing up

Is orientation required?

Yes. Every new student attends one in-person session before their first term. You leave with a registered first-semester schedule, a Porter Card and your financial questions answered (orientation 2027 sessions).

When are the 2027 sessions?

Twelve two-day sessions for first-year students run from Monday–Tuesday, June 14–15 through Monday–Tuesday, July 26–27, 2027. Every session covers the same content, so pick the dates that suit you.

When can I register?

Starting Monday, March 1, 2027, in MyPorter. Registration is open only to students who have confirmed their enrollment, and sessions fill first come, first served.

What do I need to do before I can register?

Confirm your enrollment with the $100 deposit, or a waiver, by May 1, 2027. Paying it (or having it waived) unlocks orientation registration, the Housing Gateway and the placement assessments (enrollment deposit and confirmation).

Are some sessions better for certain students?

The content is identical, but sessions 2, 5 and 8 have Health Sciences and Nursing advisers on site, session 3 is the Honors College session, and coaches are available for recruited student-athletes at session 7 (July 8–9). Session 1 fills first every year.

How do I change my date?

Switch sessions yourself in MyPorter up to seven days before. After that, call New Student & Family Programs at (715) 555–0135. Sessions 9 through 12 are the last to fill, so they are the usual fallback.

I was admitted late or missed my session. Now what?

Session 12, July 26–27, is held for late admits and anyone who missed theirs. If even that does not work, call the office rather than skipping orientation; you cannot register for classes without it.

Before you arrive

What is on the pre-orientation checklist?

Math placement, your immunization record, Porter account setup with multi-factor sign-in, and two required online modules on alcohol and drug awareness and sexual-misconduct prevention. Finish all of it at least seven days before your session; advisers build your schedule from what you submit (new student checklist).

How does math placement work?

It is an untimed online assessment taken over the summer. Do not guess through it: your first math course is set by the result. An ACT math score of 24 or higher, or SAT math of 580 or higher, waives it (placement testing guide).

Which immunizations do I need?

MMR, plus a meningitis vaccine or a signed waiver if you will live in university housing. Upload the record through the student health portal; an incomplete record puts a hold on your next registration (immunization requirements).

Should I send AP, IB or dual-enrollment scores first?

Yes, before your session. Credit that is on file can exempt you from a placement test or a whole course sequence, and your adviser can plan around it instead of guessing.

When is my final high school transcript due?

July 15, 2027, showing your graduation date. If you choose session 9 (July 15–16), note that the deadline falls on its first day.

I am transferring in. Is there anything extra?

Send transcripts from every college you attended by May 15, 2027, so your credit evaluation is ready to review at your session (transfer student orientation).

The two days

What happens on day one?

Day one runs 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.: placement follow-up, a meeting with an academic adviser in your college, and registration for your first semester. First-year students stay overnight in Millrace Hall.

And day two?

Day two runs 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and covers housing, dining, safety and technology, then a closing session with families (what actually happens at orientation).

Will my schedule be perfect?

Probably not. You choose from what is open to incoming students, so have a couple of alternates in mind. You can adjust it in the add/drop period at the start of the term (add, drop and withdrawal deadlines).

Do I get my laptop at orientation?

Yes. Every full-time undergraduate is issued a university-managed laptop at orientation, specced to their program; the cost is built into tuition and fees (laptop program).

What should I bring?

A device with your Porter sign-in already working, a list of any AP, IB or transfer credit you expect, your questions written down, and a photo ID for your Porter Card. Comfortable shoes help; the campus tour covers the buildings you will actually use.

How big is a session?

Each first-year session has room for 160 students, split into small groups led by orientation leaders.

Who are the orientation leaders?

Current Porter students, hired, paid and trained each spring. They lead small groups, model how to ask an adviser a question, and keep checking in through your first six weeks (orientation leaders).

Cost, families and other sessions

How much does orientation cost?

The orientation fee is $150, billed to your student account. It covers meals, the overnight stay and materials, and it is waived for anyone whose enrollment deposit was waived.

Can my family come?

Yes. The family and supporter track runs the same two days on its own schedule — FERPA and records access, billing, safety, health and what the first year is really like — and ends with families and students back together. Guests pay $30 each for meals (orientation for families).

Where should my family stay?

Families arrange their own lodging, and hotels in town fill quickly in June. Suggestions are on hosting visitors in Porter Falls.

Is there a session for transfer and adult students?

Yes, two one-day sessions: Wednesday, June 23 and Wednesday, July 21, 2027, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Your credit evaluation is reviewed with an adviser, and childcare is available at the July 21 session on request with two weeks’ notice.

What about international students?

International students attend a required on-campus orientation Wednesday through Friday, August 25–27, 2027, arriving by Tuesday, August 24, plus an online advising appointment in June (international orientation).

I start in spring 2027. When is my orientation?

Thursday, January 21, 2027, a one-day session for students who begin classes on January 25.

I need an accommodation during orientation. Who do I tell?

Mention it when you register and contact Disability & Accessibility Services at (715) 555–0238 as early as you can, so the overnight room, materials or interpreting are arranged before you arrive.

After orientation

When is move-in?

First-year move-in appointments are August 28–29, 2027, booked in the housing portal. Classes begin September 1, 2027 (move-in and move-out).

What is First Forge?

The tradition that comes right after move-in: every new student pours a small pewter disc stamped with their class year in the Founders Hall high bay, after a safety briefing nobody skips. Wear closed-toe leather shoes (traditions; the podcast episode).

What is Welcome Week?

The days between move-in and the first class: the involvement fair with 300-plus student organizations, college meetings, floor events and the convocation that formally starts your class (new student orientation).

Who do I call with questions after June?

New Student & Family Programs, Founders Union 245, (715) 555–0135, orientation@uwporterfalls.edu. Hours run late during the June and July sessions.

Does orientation end when the session does?

Not quite. Your orientation leader checks in through the first six weeks, and the first-year seminar in your first semester continues the transition work in a small group with a faculty member and a peer mentor.