The unique needs of incoming freshman are something every parent worries about, and every college must address. Besides specialized labs for writing, computer, and math that are available at most colleges, two Oklahoma schools, Northeastern State University (NSU) and the University of Oklahoma (OU) have developed programs especially for incoming college students. Other colleges and universities also offer specialized programs, so students and parents should ask if they are available and what they entail.
While freshman orientation is a requirement for all colleges, at NSU students have historically earned a credit hour attending a weekly session by the First-Year Experience department that provides needed information and addresses first year needs. However, beginning this fall, students will arrive at NSU two days before classes start to attend an additional two-day session that not only gives an extra credit hour, but delivers information students need in the opening days and weeks.
“This will help students a lot,” explained Chris Adney, assistant director of First-Year Experience. “With only the weekly sessions, it might be the second week before students learned things they needed at the start of school. The two-day classes allow us to give them the information ahead of when they need it. Students are also allowed to move in for this early session.”
Until NSU students reach 45 credit hours, they can go to the First-Year Experience department and counselors will listen and aid with any problem they have, or provide referrals for help necessary outside the office, such as emotional or housing issues. Students unsure about their majors receive information on career and personality tests. New this year at NSU is Strength Quest, a service students can take for free that identifies their top five strengths.
“We are also the contact for students who may be in danger academically or due to low attendance,” Adney said. Often, students think they don’t have to attend college classes as long as they take the tests, but that is no longer the case, and NSU instructors contact First-Year Experience. Counselors then contact students by email, phone, or in-person. “And since we’re all young here,” Adney added, “students find it easy to come and talk to us about the kind of problems that come up that first year.”
OU has developed University College for first-year students coming directly from high school, regardless of major, and offers specialized and individual academic advising for freshmen. The Gateway to College Learning course for first-time freshmen gives new students necessary information on campus academic services and facilities, while also teaching important college “survival” skills, such as how to study, time and money management, and free tutoring in most freshman subject areas.
“Within the coming months, the new Wagner Academic Student Services Center will open that will centralize academic advising, tutoring and peer mentoring services on campus,” explained Craig Hayes, executive director of OU Recruitment Services. “Additionally, all of our faculty members keep regular office hours to provide assistance to students in their courses.”
Because these are the first college professionals students meet, freshmen often go to their academic advisers with any type of question – academic or not. However, Hayes said many students take advantage of relationships they have with the advisers in the residence halls and the faculty-in-residence in their housing unit. Plus, the professional staff at Goddard Health Center can address all student health concerns as well as offer help for emotional and adjustment issues.
For students who continue to explore their options for majors, in-depth career assessment resources are offered through OU’s Testing Services. OU also holds a free seminar series called Exploring Majors, and offers opportunities for freshmen to be paired up with upper-class student and faculty mentors.
Looking past the future is also an important phase of this OU department. Hayes added, “OU provides the Financial Education and Counseling Center for students, where we offer free information about managing finances and resources students will need to graduate with as little debt as possible.” |
GOLD_02.jpg){kind=small}
-3.jpg){kind=small}