Orientation for First-Year Students

Get Started at BW

First-year students are those incoming students who will be starting their first semester of college in the fall of 2025.

Orientation is an important first step in your BW experience! It offers helpful information about college life, as well as the opportunity to meet other first-year students, faculty and staff.

Parents and family members have concurrent orientation programming that provides useful information and opportunity to learn about the parent and family role in a student’s experience.

Summer Orientation Session Dates

• Monday, July 14 
• Tuesday, July 15
• Thursday, July 17
• Tuesday, July 22
• Thursday, August 21

Orientation Day

Check-In

The one-day orientation session begins with check-in from 9:15-9:45 a.m. in the Knowlton Center. (See map for location.)

Note: Students on the football team need to arrive at 8:30 a.m. at the Packard Center for uniform fittings. (See map for location.)

Highlights for Students

• University welcome
• Small group sessions led by student orientation leaders
• Navigating technology on campus
• Inside the BW experience
• Academic overview and fall course schedule review
• Academic advising resources
• Financial aid assistance

Highlights for Parents and Families

• University welcome
• Small group sessions led by student orientation leaders
• Overview of financial aid and billing
• Panel of current BW students: "What we wish our family knew"
• Supporting your student's transition to college
• Academic overview
• Academic advising resources
• Financial aid assistance

Lunch and End of Day

• Lunch is provided mid-day for students and families
• Sessions end at 3:30 p.m.

Get to Know Your Campus

Before heading home, you are welcome to take an optional guided campus tour or venture out on a self-guided tour using the campus map.