Orientation for First-Year Students

Please bring the following with you to orientation:

• BW username and password.
• Sweatshirt or long-sleeved shirt for air-conditioned spaces.

In a separate bag, pack overnight necessities:

• Bed linens, blanket and pillow.
• Towel and toiletries.
• Change of clothes for day two.

Note: These items should be left in your vehicle until after check-in, after which you can take them to the residence hall.

Q: How do I register for orientation?

A: Orientation registration is part of the required onboarding forms through your admitted student portal. 

Q: What time does orientation start? Where do I check-in? What time does orientation end?

A: Orientation starts on day one with check-in at 8:45 a.m. in the Union (Strosacker Hall.) Orientation ends at 12 p.m. on day two. Note: If you are a student athlete or Conservatory student, there will be sessions specific for you, ending at approximately 1:30 p.m. on day two.

Q: Where do I park for orientation? Can I leave a car on campus overnight?

A: For orientation it is easiest to park in the parking lot near the Welcome Center and Union, though you may park in any BW lot during the day and overnight. No overnight street parking is permitted. You will risk getting a ticket from the City of Berea if you do so.

Q: Am I at a disadvantage for my schedule of classes if I come to a later orientation?

A: No. Scheduling is based on when the schedule preference form is received. A group of scheduling advisors make a schedule and hold spots for you in classes, so it does not matter which orientation session you attend.

Q: Is orientation mandatory?

A: Yes. Orientation is required for all new students.

Q: Are meals included in orientation?

A: Yes, for students. New students have breakfast, lunch and dinner on day one, and breakfast on day two. For parents and families, breakfast, lunch and family reception are included for two people. Breakfast on day two is optional for parents and families, payable by cash or credit at the dining hall entrance for $6 per person.

Q: I am a commuter student. Do I have to stay overnight?

A: Yes. All first-year students are required to stay overnight. Although you will not be living on campus in the fall, spending the night is a great way to meet other new students and have the full orientation experience since activities go late into the night, and begin early on day two.

Q: Can I attend orientation virtually online?

A: No. All new students are expected to attend an orientation session in person.

Q: I am traveling alone by plane for orientation, what should I do?

A: It is recommended you arrive the night prior to your orientation session, and depart after 4 p.m. on day two. If you email orientation@bw.edu to let them know of your arrangements, they can advise you to what is best suited to your situation.

Q: Who can I talk to about my financial aid package?

A: Financial aid staff will be available during the resource fair on day one as well as for individual assistance during office open house on day two.

Q: May I see my residence hall room during orientation?

A: Many of our rooms are used during the summer for conferences. Therefore, rooms are not available for viewing or measuring prior to fall move-in.

Q: How do I find out my fall roommate assignment?

A: Roommate information as well as room assignments will be posted on bw.erezlife.com in mid-June. Specific questions can be directed to the Office of Residence Life at (440) 826-2114.

Q: How do I request a roommate for the fall semester?

A: If you have a preferred roommate for housing, log in to bw.erezlife.com and create a "roommate group" under "housing overview." Your roommate will then need to go in and accept the roommate group, you should both then see a green check next to both names. This will allow whoever has the earliest housing selection time on June 15 to pull in the roommate to the room choice. Specific questions can be directed to Residence Life and Housing at (440) 826-2114.

Q: When is move-in for first year students?

A: Move-in for all new students is Wednesday, August 17 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. New students involved in a special interest group, such as football, Jacket Link/Bridge, etc. – will be notified by the administrator of their program the exact date and time of early move-in.

Q: Are parents and family required to attend orientation?

It is not required for parents or family members to attend, however many find the experience useful. Parents and family must register to participate within the student registration process.

The College Student Inventory (CSI) is a national online assessment that measures individual student motivational factors and the impact on student success. Conducted by Ruffalo Noel Levitz, the CSI should only take about 20-30 minutes to complete and includes 100 questions that cover: academic motivation, general coping skills and receptivity to support services.

All BW students are asked to complete this assessment prior to arrival on campus. The CSI is administered to incoming first-year students at Baldwin Wallace University prior to the Week of Welcome and asks students to self-report their academic, social, and personal history and interests.

BW faculty and staff use the CSI results of each incoming first-year student to identify their strengths and needs to connect them with campus programs and support that are designed to help students reach their full academic, social and personal potential.

August 12 Deadline to Take CSI

Incoming 2022 first-year students will receive a reminder email after their orientation session containing a link to the survey and are expected to complete the CSI by August 12.

CSI May Be Completed Prior to Orientation

Students interested in completing their assessment prior to attending orientation may do so by following these steps:

1. Open the College Student Inventory.
2. On the welcome screen, select Open Survey and on the next screen select Take Survey.

At BW, we want to help you have the best college experience possible. For that reason, we require all new students to complete Stinger’s Playbook, an extension of orientation through online modules.

Access Stinger’s Playbook and log in using your BW credentials.

You are required to complete these online modules by August 17, 2022, prior to Week of Welcome. Most importantly, completing Stinger’s Playbook will make you a successful and better informed student.

The BW Four-Year Graduation Guarantee is a way to help families avoid higher education costs associated with postponed graduation. To participate in the program, you must submit a signed Four-Year Graduation Guarantee contract before the end of the second week of your first semester at BW.

By signing the contract, you will adhere to specific stipulations and conditions for eight consecutive semesters in order to graduate in a timely fashion. If all of those conditions are met, and for some reason you do not graduate within the four years, BW will pay the tuition costs of any additional, required courses for up to one academic year toward the completion of the undergraduate graduation requirements.

Learn more information and download a copy of the Four-Year Graduation Guarantee contract.