How to make the best year possible

L

Lahey

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Aug 23, 2015
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Hi,

I was wondering how I can make the "best year possible". This is what I mean. Last year at school, I was friends with many senior students, who are now freshman in universities. I have visited many of these universities on tours and visited these students in their dorms. The one thing they all told me was to get in an orientation date ASAP. This is so that I can get the 10 A.M classes, which are preferable to the students since they all like to wake up late, and also so that I can get the best professors for my classes. Since I am ROTC scholarship applicant, I probably will not hear back from everyone until like late in march. Im scared that I will miss these orientations and will not have a good year. Does anyone have any experience with this? How does it work?
 
You are correct in that some colleges have serial orientations for portions of the incoming freshmen where class schedules are established. So, freshmen who attend early orientations may have a better chance of not getting shut out of desired classes. These orientations usually occur in the late spring or early summer when everyone else has cleared out.

However, you may be worrying about things beyond your control. First, you haven't been admitted to any schools yet, have you? Second, what makes you think you will miss orientation? Are you saying you want the best professors? The best professors who teach 10 a.m. classes? The best professors who don't teach at 10 a.m.? Chances are as a freshman you will be required to take core courses, some of which may be directed to your major, if you have selected one. You may have limited room to choose elective courses. If that is so, will getting in or not getting in one elective course make a difference in having the best year possible?
 
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Many colleges actually enroll the freshman into their classes. Also, most do not even let you set up the orientation dates until after that May 1st universal deadline. Why? Because even if you have accepted and paid your deposit, you can still withdraw and get your money back until that date. Therefor, they really only want to set students up for orientation after that deadline.
 
Agree with above. I would add the following. If you're going to be in ROTC then you will already be up at 0'dark:30 so 9 AM and even 8AM classes would be no problem for you. Let those other suckers sleep and waste their day after partying all night the day before. You have better things to do!!!
 
Also, your schedule could be predicated on your major, which you will need to declare (should have declared by now?) to even be awarded your scholarship, should you be awarded one, in addition to your ROTC leadership classes and PT requirements. My DD is a college freshman and recipient of a 4-year NROTC scholarship. While many of her friends could be "creative" with their class schedules, i.e. finagling having an "off"day on Fridays, she ended up with 5 days of classes. One of those days, she's in class until about 7:00pm. It can be a challenge for college student advisors for sure.
 
soccmomer said:
Also, most do not even let you set up the orientation dates until after that May 1st universal deadline.
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That may be true for some colleges, but some like Texas A & M already have the dates out and my DD had to choose one within 30 days of her acceptance. We chose an orientation date in early August, just in case:)
 
To be honest your college experience will not be defined by 10 am classes or not. As an ROTC student you will be up early anyways for PT, so a class before 10 won't be a big deal. Up early means bed early if you want to be successful at ROTC. You will have to schedule around ROTC labs and PT and that along with your major will drive your schedule more than anything. Don't sweat what you can't control, it will drive insane in the military. Focus on getting in shape, finishing strong your senior year and enjoying it!
 
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