New Student Orientation

1.  Log into your Admissions Portal

2.  Click the Summer Orientation button at the top of your status page

3.  Register for one of the available dates for your academic college

NOTE:  Since you are logging into your admissions portal to register, use the email address and password you used when you submitted your admissions application to WCU.

Before coming to orientation, be sure you have:

• Printed a copy of your fall schedule from myWCU to bring with you
• Uploaded an ID photo for your Ram Card. Only students who've uploaded a photo will be able to pick up their ID card at orientation.
• Reviewed the University's latest COVID-19 policies

All students and guests attending orientation programs are expected to comply with the University's current COVID-19 policies.

The Office of New Student Programs is committed to making sure that orientation is completely accessible to incoming students and guests. We will do our best to accommodate all accessibility needs. Please reach out to us at orientation@wcupa.edu or (610) 436-3305 to discuss your needs. Please note, the sooner we know about your accommodation, the more time we have to prepare. While we will make every effort to meet your needs, we may be unable to assist with accommodation requests received fewer than two weeks before your scheduled orientation program and will communicate any progress with you.

Light refreshments will be served for students and guests prior to the program. Students' lunch in the campus dining hall is included in the program. Guests can purchase a meal ticket to eat in the campus dining hall for $5.00 at orientation, or they are welcome to explore off-campus lunch options in the Borough of West Chester.

We know orientation is an exciting time for the entire family, but due to space limitations, each student is permitted to bring only one guest to orientation. We appreciate your cooperation with this policy in order to help ensure a safe and productive orientation day for everyone. Guests and students will attend separate orientation sessions for most of the day, including lunch. Guests are expected to follow the University's current Covid guidelines. Parents, guardians, and anyone who supports a Golden Ram are encouraged to sign up for Ram Fam Central to help them stay up to date on the latest news, information and happenings at WCU.

Check-in takes place at the Business & Public Management Center located on the corner of S. Church and Sharpless Streets.  Check in begins at 8:00 AM. Orientation begins promptly at 8:45 AM.

All new students are charged a one-time New Student Fee of $145 on their first semester bill. This fee covers all costs associated with summer orientation programming including staffing, mailings, materials and the cost of a student's first WCU ID. It also includes the costs associated with Welcome Week programs and transition programs held during the semester. All new students are charged the New Student Fee regardless of their level of participation in these programs. 

Each academic college has specific orientation dates for their majors. You will see only the dates for your academic college when you log into your admissions portal to register. If you are unable to make any of the dates for your academic college, please contact our office at (610) 436-3305 or orientation@wcupa.edu to discuss alternatives.

College of Arts & Humanities

• Wednesday, June 22
• Friday, July 1
• Thursday, July 14

College of Business & Public Management

• Thursday, June 23
• Wednesday, June 29
• Friday, July 15

College of Education & Social Work

• Thursday, June 23
• Wednesday, June 29
• Friday, July 15

College of Health Sciences

• Friday, June 24
• Thursday, June 30*
• Thursday, July 21**

*Sports Medicine majors should not register for this date at the request of their department

**Nursing majors should not register for this date at the request of their department

College of Sciences and Mathematics

• Wednesday, June 22
• Friday, July 1
• Thursday, July 14

University College (Exploratory Studies/Liberal Studies)

• Friday, June 24
• Thursday, June 30
• Thursday, July 21

Wells School of Music

• Wednesday, June 22
• Friday, July 1
• Thursday, July 14

Academic Success Program*

• Wednesday, June 22
• Thursday, June 23
• Friday, June 24
• Wednesday, June 29
• Thursday, June 30

*Students attending the summer Academic Success Program may register for any of the June dates regardless of their major

Orientation parking is located in the Sharpless Garage located directly across from the Business & Public Management Center. Parking in the garage will be free for the day.

PLEASE NOTE:  Faculty/Staff parking lots require a valid permit and are enforced 24/7 year round.  Street parking is controlled by the Borough of West Chester and is also strictly enforced. Please park only in the designated garage unless directed to an alternate parking location by the orientation staff upon arrival.

You can find the Sharpless Garage on our campus map.

Orientation check-in begins at 8:00 AM. Orientation begins promptly at 8:45 AM. Please see the complete student and guest schedules below.

2022 First-Year Student Orientation Schedule

2022 First-Year Family & Guest Orientation Schedule

During orientation, you’ll have plenty of time to get to know your orientation leaders and meet other new Rams, and you'll hear about the support services WCU offers to help all Golden Rams be successful. First-year students will also meet with an advisor from your academic department who will go over information about your schedule and program.* You’ll be touring campus too, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather!

*Please print a copy of your class schedule and bring it with you to orientation. You can find your class schedule in myWCU.