California Orientation

Welcome to PennWest California!

NSO Better Together

Once you’ve submitted your enrollment deposit, you can register for orientation to get to know the campus and meet some of your incoming class peers. You will also have the opportunity to review your fall schedule, meet with faculty and staff, and get all of your financial aid and residence life questions answered.

Submit Your Deposit Register Now

New Student Orientation

Summer 2024

NSO is an important event, where students will review their Fall schedule, interact with faculty and staff, Q&A with financial aid, and meet other students.

Dates:

Thursday, June 20
Saturday, June 22
Thursday, July 18
Thursday, July 25
Friday, August 9

How to Register:

Accepted students must pay their deposit to be able to register for and attend NSO. Once you have made your deposit, you will be able to register.

Visit next steps for more information and to register.

Can’t make it to a New Student Orientation session in person? We have a virtual orientation option available to you! Register now for more information.

Schedule of Events:

Time	Event
8:15 - 8:45 am	Check-in and Registration – Natali Student Center Bookstore PSECU IT Services Admissions (including transfer) Continental Breakfast
8:45 - 9:00 am	Welcome, Overview and Dismissal of Students into Peer Groups – Natali Student Center Performance Center
9:15 - 10:00 am	Meet your fellow students and orientation leaders! Campus Scavenger Hunt – Outside, various campus locations (Rain location – Convocation Center)
10:00 - 10:10 am	Break
10:10 - 10:40 am	Student Success – Convocation Center, South Wing Peer Mentoring Health and Wellness Office of Residence Life and Housing
10:45 - 11:15 am	Student Leadership and Involvement – Convocation Center, South Wing Campus Clubs and Organizations Campus Recreation Welcome Weekend
11:20 am – 12:30 pm	Talk with academic representatives about testing and transfer credits, schedule questions, success coaching and more! – Natali Student Center Performance Center
12:30 – 1:30 pm	Lunch and Table Fair – Gold Rush Table Fair Visit with various campus resources to gain knowledge of the additional programs and services PennWest has to offer.
1:30 - 2:00 pm	Specialized Sessions TRiO – Natali 206/07 START – Natali 319 Athletics – Vulcan Theater Specialized Sessions – various locations Student Engagement: Natali 321 Placement Testing – Noss 216 Computer Lab Math placement test proctoring is available for students who have already taken the exam once but need to retake it in order to score into the math class needed for their major. The placement exam has up to 30 questions and generally takes 60-90 minutes to complete. If you have not completed your English placement exam, you will be provided information on taking the exam and provided space to complete it on site to ensure the most accurate course schedule. This takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. If you cannot complete the exam on site, a QR code for taking the placement after NSO will also be provided.
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm	Choose your own adventure! Visit offices to take care of last-minute business: Financial Aid – Dixon Hall Student Accounts – Dixon Hall Success Coaches – Noss Hall Parking – Building B Student Housing – Building B Bookstore – Natali Student Center IT Services – Noss Hall Health and Wellness Services (including Office for Students with Disabilities) – Carter Hall Admissions (including transfer) – Dixon Hall
2:00 – 3:00 pm	Tours – Leaving from Natali Student Center Residence Hall Only Campus (including commuter areas, food service locations, recreation centers, etc.)
3:00 - 3:30 pm	Evaluation and Checkout – Natali Student Center

For Parents and Supporters:

Are you the parent, family member or guardian of a future Vulcan? Email family-california@pennwest.edu to ask questions or to set up a phone call with our Office of Parent and Family Engagement.

When you attend New Student Orientation (NSO) with your student, you will have your own break-out session to interact with staff and meet other parents/guests.

The New Student Orientation Team is Available to Connect via:

Email: Orientation-california@pennwest.edu

Phone: 724-938-5868

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