Undergraduate Student Success Orientation - University of Houston
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Office of Undergraduate Student Success

Undergraduate Student Success Orientation

New Coogs - Welcome to Undergraduate Student Success! 

We can't wait to meet you at New Student Orientation.

There are TONS of things to do to begin your first semester at UH. New Student Orientation can be overwhelming - there’s just so much to learn about your new life at UH. No worries! We are here to help you make yourself at home. 

How can you have a successful Orientation experience? Prepare ahead of time!  We will expect you to be ready.  You can definitely ask questions about courses and requirements during orientation and make any changes you need, even after you enroll in courses. The important thing now is to get your planning started.

enrollment ready steps to enroll for orientation

  Before Orientation:  

  Be Enrollment Ready!   

  • Check your technology. You'll use many different tools to participate in orientation. Plan now to make your Orientation experience a success.
    • Confirm your logins - both your myUH numerical ID and your cougarnet ID.
    • Set up AccessUH to access UH technology tools.
    • Get your UH email set up so you won't miss a message.
    • Download UHGo to easily access university information and services from the convenience of a mobile device. The UH Go app is your fast pass to everything UH. You can find and pay for meals, view your grades, and explore life on campus.
    • Download the Navigate Student app to check off to-dos, find UH resources, and make appointments (Note: You'll receive advising during Orientation, so you will not see see your major listed in appointments until after Orientation).
    • Download and have both, Microsoft Teams and Zoom ready on your mobile device and desktop.

  • Submit your transfer coursework. If you have transfer coursework, including dual credit, submit your electronic college transcript(s) as soon as possible for review by the Office of Admissions.
    • Please allow at least 15-20 business days in advance of your orientation to allow processing of your official transcripts. Check the status on your Transfer Credit tab in your myUH Student Center
    • If you arrive at orientation and your transfer coursework is not yet posted - no worries! You'll enroll in all other courses and pick up those courses that require your transfer prerequisites when that credit is posted.
    • IMPORTANT: High school transcripts that show dual credit coursework cannot be used to document transfer coursework—UH must have your college transcripts to make it all official.)

  • Submit your test credit.
    • Have your AP scores sent to UH immediately (if you didn't have them sent when you took the exams) so that you can use that credit when you enroll at New Student Orientation.
      • Most AP credit is assigned automatically for scores you have submitted (Code: 6870) - check your myUH account (Admissions tab and down to Test Results) to ensure the credit has been applied correctly.
      • At your New Student Orientation, discuss your credit options with your college advisors (for example, some students decide to take the UH course instead of accepting the course credit.)
      • Note: Scores that you elected to send to UH for AP exams taken this year will be received in July. If you attend an orientation before July, you'll need to enroll in courses without that prerequisite, and then once your scores are in, you can go back and change your schedule.
    • For IB credit, contact the Testing Services director at PNDaniel@Central.UH.EDU for individual review. The individual review process takes time, so get this process started well in advance of your New Student Orientation.
    • For more information on credit by exam, please consult the UH Undergraduate Catalog Credit by Exam section for a list of test scores eligible for course credit.

  • Resolve any enrollment holds.
    • Check to ensure that you do not have any holds preventing enrollment. Log into your myUH account and navigate to the Student Center, from the menu on the right locate the “Holds” section to view holds.
    • For Bacterial Meningitis holds: upload documentation to your To-Do List on the right side of your myUH account.
    • For TSI holds: send exemption documentation to TSI@uh.edu and see the UH TSI page for more information. 

  • Take any placement tests. Some courses require placement testing in order to place you at the correct course level. Plan to take these exams as early as possible—most should be completed at least two weeks before your scheduled New Student Orientation to ensure that you are prepared to enroll in courses.
    • Math Placement: All first-year students who plan to enter a major in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics or the Cullen College of Engineering (including certain majors within the Technology Division) or who plan to take calculus-based math and science courses as electives must take the Math Placement Exam.:
    • Language Placement: You must take a language placement test in order to be placed in the appropriate level language course. See the Examination List, click Institutional Placement/Departmental Credit Tests, and select the desired language.
    • Other Placement Testing: See UH Testing Services to see whether placement testing is required for any courses you plan to take and to understand when and how to take each exam.
  • Thinking about changing your major?
    • If considering a change of major, the timing related to your Orientation matters, and the earlier you act, the better. You must request any changes of major at least two weeks prior to your scheduled Orientation. See the Change of Major page to understand options and timelines.

  • Read and complete all Pre-Orientation Modules. Your college will expect you to have completed all Pre-Orientation modules, as well as all directions sent by your college.  

  Be Enrollment Set!  

Enrollment in first-semester courses happens in four steps - you'll complete Steps 1-3 on your own BEFORE Orientation and Step 4 DURING Orientation. Being prepared before Orientation will help you to have a successful enrollment experience.

  • Enrollment Step #1: Know your degree requirements
    • Plan your first semester courses with the 4-year Academic Maps for your intended major. Download and consider printing a copy of the 4-year Academic Map of your intended major - having a paper copy can be really handy at Orientation. Each Academic map will give you a great one-page visual of all the courses that are required to graduate with that major. Considering multiple majors? Looking at the Academic Maps side-by-side is a great way to compare majors in which you might be interested.
    • View the Major Previews to learn more about your intended major. Are you leaning toward certain majors? Are you planning to remain in Integrated Studies through until graduation? Do you still want to explore a bit? All options are fine! Review the Major Previews to inform yourself about the change of major requirements for each academic college - these are the requirements you must meet to change your major after at least one semester of enrollment at UH.
    • Look up each course you plan to take in the UH Undergraduate Catalog to be sure that you have met the prerequisite requirements.

  • Enrollment Step #2: Plan your courses using the Planner function
    • Use the Planner tool in your Student Center to identify at least your first and second-semester courses from your Academic Map or other guides.
    • If you already have credit for some of the required courses, such as through dual credit or test credit, you'll just look to your next semester on your Academic map and choose replace courses for which you already have credit with courses listed in later terms so that you can have a full-time enrollment of 15 hours for your first term.

  • Enrollment Step #3: Build your ideal schedule with Schedule Builder
    • Use the Schedule Builder in your Student Center to map out your best schedule - block out days and times you can't attend class, and review multiple options to find your most workable schedule.
    • Prepare a list of backup sections and courses in case your first course choices are full by the time you attend Orientation.
       

  During Orientation:  

  Go for Enrollment!  

On your scheduled date, bring a laptop to use to enroll in classes. Course enrollment is very difficult to complete on a smartphone. Your day will be so much easier if you can find/borrow a laptop to bring with you.

During the USS academic college meeting, you will have your planned and scheduled courses confirmed by our USS advising team so you can complete your enrollment.

  • Enrollment Step #4: Enroll in your first semester courses 
    • Review your planned and scheduled courses to complete your enrollment. Ask questions as you go!
    • Be patient with this process – you may be able to enroll in some of the sections you chose right away, but you may find that other sections are full. This is all completely normal! Have a list of backup sections and courses in case your first choices are full.
    • Don't leave Orientation without all of your courses! You will have greater course availability if you enroll right away at Orientation rather than leaving with a partial schedule. You can make any changes you like to your schedule all the way until the new term begins.
    • Payment for next term courses is not due until right before that term begins, so enroll now!


  After Orientation:  

  • We will contact you after Orientation to ensure that you are enrolled in courses, answer any remaining questions (you will have questions probably right after you leave!), and direct you to resources on campus.
  • If you need additional assistance after attending your college meeting, you may stop by our Virtual Help Desk at any time.
    • Virtual Help Desk on Microsoft Teams Join Code: 57foi73

THAT'S IT! 

We are excited to welcome you to Exploratory and Integrated Studies and help you on the path to declaring your desired major. 

Go Coogs!