University Undergraduate Advising Handbook

New Student Orientation (NSO) is Penn State's orientation to the undergraduate experience for first-year degree candidates and provisional students. NSO activities take place before students' first semester of classes and include online placement testing, individualized educational planning, and academic advising for the first semester's plan of study. Students' families are encouraged to participate in NSO.

Before registering for classes, all entering degree candidates and provisional students must complete online testing in mathematics. Testing in chemistry is necessary for students who might take chemistry courses or choose a major that requires chemistry. Students are notified of the deadline to complete the placement tests. Students who have not received placement test information or who have questions regarding the tests should contact the Office for Student Orientation and Transition Programs at 814-865-2578 or orientation@psu.edu.

A student's placement test results, high school average, and SAT scores comprise his/her individualized Academic Background & Placements. At the time of testing, additional information is collected from the Educational Planning Survey about a student's academic experiences, expectations, and goals. Academic consultants and advisers use these materials in the educational planning session and advising portion of NSO.

ORIENTATION VISIT

After a student completes placement testing, he/she is scheduled to attend NSO at his/her campus of admission. For University Park students, NSO is an overnight experience.

At NSO, students work on their academic plans in the educational planning session and academic consultations, developed with leadership from the Division of Undergraduate Studies.

• Educational Planning Session and Academic Consultation: Students will learn about Penn State's academic colleges, the General Education program, and graduation requirements and will speak to an academic adviser regarding their educational decisions. Students also will receive copies of their Academic Background & Placements and a general explanation of placement test results.
• Academic Advising: Students attend an academic advising session in their college to select courses and register for the first semester/session of classes. New Student Orientation also provides critical information for students and their families about the values, policies, and expectations of being a new member of the Penn State community. Students and families will also learn about resources in academic support, health and safety, financial aid, and student involvement.

At NSO, students receive their Penn State ID cards and activate their computer access accounts.

This page is part of the University Undergraduate Advising Handbook, which is maintained by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, DUS@psu.edu.

Last Update: March 2013