College orientation is emphasized more and even involves some parents
Universities are putting more emphasis on orientation than ever before, hoping it will boost student success and avert problems during the school year.
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO — A generation ago, college orientation was a perfunctory affair, lasting little more than a day. The focus was on registering for classes and buying textbooks. If parents were needed at all, it was primarily for their wallets.
Now, universities are putting more emphasis on this annual ritual than ever before, hoping that time and energy expended during the summer will boost student success and avert problems during the school year.
At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, for example, orientation lasts 2 ½ days and includes a separate program for parents, increased from one day to two in 2006. DePaul University also has beefed up its