Even though nine days remain for incoming students to apply to Chico State, summer orientation season is already upon us.

Summer orientation dates for the fall 2023 semester are on select days from June 13 through July 27.

This time marks the beginning of a new chapter for many incoming students. However, it can be confusing or intimidating to figure out what to do.

Luckily Chico State’s summer orientation is an easily accessible way of making a soft, interesting introduction to the campus and culture, either in-person or via Zoom.

All incoming students must attend orientation before meeting with an academic advisor. Orientation registration is open and can be filled out at least 24-hours after submitting the intention to enroll form.

About 4,632 first-time and transfer students have submitted their intents-to-enroll as of the second full week of June, according to Serge Desir, the interim vice president for enrollment management.

Enrollment numbers are still ever changing, but Desir said the current number is “23% ahead point-in-time 2022,” and Chico State is optimistic that this year’s total number will align with last year’s.

In order to make things easier and maximize connections between new students, orientation dates are arranged by major. For those who are undeclared, in-person and virtual dates are on selected dates between June 13 and July 27, both in-person and virtually. To see all orientations for freshmen and transfer students, check session dates here.

In-person orientation sessions last from 8 a.m. to around 5 p.m., and virtual orientation sessions last from 8:30 a.m. to between 4 and 5 p.m.

Those enrolled in the Chico State Distance and Online Education program, are encouraged to attend the virtual orientation.

Both types of orientation begin with a check-in in the Bell Memorial Union Plaza, located at 500 W. Second St., and a welcome forum in the BMU Auditorium. From there, attendees will be split into smaller groups to learn more about academic success and how to transition to Chico State.

Parents, supporters and guardians, are also welcome to attend orientation, and even have sessions all of their own. Topics such as campus safety and financial pathways are part of the parent-supporter sessions available to parental figures.

New students will also be introduced to resources and opportunities through The WildCat Success Talk, self-selected WildCat Workshops and Campus Resource Fair. Introduced resources and opportunities include: financial aid, how to find your community and info regarding programs like the WellCat Counseling and Health Centers and the Accessibility Resource Center.

After this, students will be introduced to major requirements, opportunities and registration requirements before meeting with an academic advisor to build a class schedule for the upcoming semester. Orientation will then end with a conclusion and Q&A session.

To see a basic in-person orientation schedule, go here. For tentative virtual schedules, go here; Zoom links will be sent to individuals prior to orientation.   

Chico State’s Associated Students are having a summer orientation giveaway open to all incoming students. To earn a Chico State swag bag, one needs only to sign up for AS text notifications. The link can be found on their Instagram, or here.  The giveaway opened June 13, and closes July 27.

For those attending in-person and want a little more time on-campus, the overnight program is available. This experience provides incoming students with a dinner, group activity and a place to spend the night with other new students. All at the cost of $72, and nights offered are select days between June 15 and July 27. 

June 15 was the first overnight program in 20 years.

And for those attending via Zoom, virtual campus tours are available for new students who want to get a feel for the campus. 

For new students and parents that want to get to know Chico more before or after orientation, the nearby Downtown area is a great place to become acquainted with Chico culture. Other events such as the Thursday Night Market and Friday Night Concerts are other ways to explore local vendors and stores and meet new people.

After orientation incoming students should be prepared for upcoming deadlines. 

Final documents are due July 15, the registration and tuition fee payment deadline is July 26 and for those who didn’t go through class sign-ups during orientation, can between July 31 and Aug. 2.

The deadline to apply for Chico State was extended to July 1 to “Offer opportunities to students whose plans to attend other institutions have changed,” and to better represent the Chico State community, according to Desir.

If you have any questions regarding orientation, email the New Students Orientation and Transition Program team at [email protected], or call at 530-898-5715.

Ariana Powell can be reached at [email protected].