August 2024: Pre-Orientation Programs

Monday, April 1, 2024

Bottom Line, Up Front

  • Introduction
  • Pre-Orientation Information
    • What students and families are saying
    • Overview presentation of 2024 Pre-Orientation Programs
    • Important Considerations for Pre-Orientation
  • Important Dates for August 2024
  • Follow Us On Social Media

Dear <<First Name>>,

We are so thrilled you will be joining us as a member of the Class of 2028! While the majority of our newsletters will be emailed to you over the summer, we wanted to bring a few items to your attention now.

The purpose of today’s message is to highlight information about our August 2024 Pre-Orientation programs. Wake Forest offers a variety of outstanding Pre-Orientation programs for our incoming students. Pre-Orientation programs provide small group interactions and will allow you to connect meaningfully with other new Deacs prior to Move-In for the Class of 2028. 

If you want to enter your first year with confidence and a sense of community, consider applying for a Pre-Orientation experience once the New Students website goes live on May 1! Don’t take our word for it; hear what other Deacs have to say about their experiences with Pre-Orientation.

Sometimes, we all need to see some numbers to convince us:

  • 92% of Pre-Orientation participants said they were satisfied with their program
  • 88% said their Pre-Orientation program helped them feel prepared for college
  • 95% said their Pre-Orientation program was a positive experience
  • 90% said they would recommend Pre-Orientation to future new Deacs

While there is so much that we could say about the experience, here is what some of our previous Pre-Orientation participants (or their families) have said:

  • “Overall, my Pre-Orientation program allowed me to connect with other first generation students that come from a multitude of backgrounds. Although I entered the program nervous and questionable for the remaining days, I was able to create friendships, learn about the support and services at Wake, and navigated myself around campus a lot better.”
  • “I overall am so appreciative of the Pre-Orientation program, because it allowed me to make friends earlier on. The friends I made during that week are some of my closest friends now.”
  • “Wonderful way for our son to meet friends – get comfortable with the campus layout and learn about WFU – the old and the new!”                   
  • “Our son came away with deep friendships and was so excited about Wake. He felt like he already had a bunch of great friends before the first day. It was wonderful.”

While the registration site for Pre-Orientation programs will not go live until May 1st, we wanted to be sure that you had the chance to see all the opportunities ahead. An overview of the August 2024 Pre-Orientation programs can be found on slides 6 – 23 in the following presentation. You should be using your WFU email account to access this presentation. 

Note: If you are having issues accessing the Pre-Orientation link above, it is possible that your browser cached your personal gmail account information and is trying to access the form with a non-WFU address. If you find that you are still receiving an error message after logging into your WFU gmail account, please contact the IT Help Desk at help@wfu.edu for further assistance.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR PRE-ORIENTATION PARTICIPATION: 

  • Accessibility: Each program requires varying levels of physical engagement for participation from sitting, walking, standing, hiking, running, climbing, etc. If you have any physical limitations, we ask that you identify that in the registration process to ensure that we are able to advise you specifically on programs that might support your engagement in an accessible fashion where possible. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at Orientation@wfu.edu.
  • Travel Plans: We ask that you delay finalizing your move-in travel plans until you have considered Pre-Orientation experiences and have final communication from Residence Life and Housing about your approved move-in date if you apply for a Pre-Orientation program. 

Reminder – Important August 2024 Dates:

  • August 16 or 17 – Pre-Orientation move-in. Students participating in optional Pre-Orientation programs will move in either August 16 or 17, depending on the program. Those students will receive move-in instructions directly from the Office of Residence Life and Housing later this summer.
    • A few important notes about HOUSING:
      • Pre-Orientation participants will move into their Academic Year assignments on their approved move-in date.
      • Incoming students do not select their own housing or roommate. Your housing assignments are made based on your answers in the Housing Application, which you will not be able to access until after the New Students website goes live in May.
      • If you want to learn about the new student housing process, visit the Residence Life and Housing website for official information. As you transition to the University, it is always best to go to official websites or offices for info rather than rely on word of mouth from other students, as processes sometimes change from year to year.
  • August 17 – international student arrival. The Center for Immigration Services & Support (ISS) will host a required new international student orientation. All new international students are required to attend Connect@Wake from Saturday, August 17, through Tuesday, August 20. Connect@Wake is the mandatory orientation for new undergraduate international students with F-1 or J-1 visa status who are attending Wake Forest University for the first time. International students must arrive on Saturday, August 17, between 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. EST. 
    • ISS will communicate details regarding visa status and the Connect@Wake schedule of activities to new international students through their WFU email account. Additional information will be added to the Connect@Wake website throughout the spring semester.  International students should reach out to ISS (iss@wfu.edu) regarding any questions, and please continue to monitor their ISSDeacs account for updates. For now, international students need to take action in the ISSDeacs system to request an I-20 or DS-2019. The ISS team looks forward to welcoming our new class of Demon Deacons to campus.
  • August 21 – Orientation for New and Transfer Students begins. Orientation for new and transfer students is mandatory. The mandatory information portion of Orientation for all incoming students will be completed online and will be made available to you prior to your arrival on campus. There will also be in-person Orientation events for students beginning on August 21st through the first day of classes on August 26. 
  • August 21-22: Orientation for Parents and Families. We will have some in-person Orientation activities for parents and families on the evening of Wednesday, August 21st through the evening of Thursday, August 22nd. Families should plan to depart late Thursday night or Friday morning, as students will be involved in their own Orientation programming. While parent and family Orientation sessions are not mandatory, we strongly encourage attendance if your family’s schedule allows. Information about all these sessions will be available closer to July.
  • August 26 – First Day of Classes. 
  • September 27-29 – Family Weekend. Family Weekend is planned and facilitated by the Division of Campus Life. The weekend is scheduled in conjunction with our football game against Louisiana; more information about Family Weekend will be available in early summer at https://familyweekend.wfu.edu/. Your family may wish to begin securing their lodging for Family Weekend now.

​We know that many of you have started connecting with us via social media. Be sure to follow @WFUOrientation on X (formerly Twitter). @WFUStudentAdvising on Instagram is another great resource; closer to June 1, members of the Student Advising Leadership Council will be sharing great advice and are happy to answer any questions you may have! 

If you have questions regarding Pre-Orientation, on-campus Orientation or after the New Students site goes live on May 1st, those questions can be directed to orientation@wfu.edu.  

We’re so excited to have you be a part of our community that we’re hoping you’ll opt to join us just a little sooner via the Pre-Orientation program experience.  


Best,

Cherise James, Ph.D.
​Director of Orientation, New Student and Transitions Programs

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