HaveUHeard.com includes links to third-party websites and advertisements for third-party products and services. Product and service-specific opinions mentioned within the content of our blogs are entirely the opinions of the HaveUHeard.com team and its staff. It is our hope that you will find value in the products and services these third-party organizations represent, and patronize these businesses. Such advertising and marketing partnerships help make our efforts at HaveUHeard.com possible. Thank you for your support and ongoing interest. For additional information, please read our full HaveUHeard.com Disclosure Statement
First Steps For Orientation
Congratulations! You have a new Owl in your house, but what do you do now? One of the first steps after your student opens their acceptance package should be to pull out your calendar and book an Orientation weekend. Orientation isn’t just for your student; FAU offers breakout sessions that offer a plethora of information to new FAU parents.
Listen attentively; no need to take notes. When my daughter attended, we were given a folder with all the information presented over the weekend. It can be very overwhelming. Go on the tour of the campus. Eat with your student at the Atlantic Dining Hall. They will have their first experience being assigned to share a room in the dorm with someone they do not know. FAU did provide some bedding when my daughter spent the night, however you may want to bring along some comforts of home. They will participate in events just for this incoming class. This will also be your Student’s first introduction to FAUs freshman registration, known as OARs. OARs is a step-by-step guide on how to remove all the holds on their account and register for classes; they will give an in-depth presentation at orientation. There is plenty of FAU staff available to answer any questions.
More Orientation Suggestions
Meal Plan: It is during this orientation that you will register for a meal plan. More information on the meal plan options can be found here.
Registering Vehicles – I would recommend that if you decide your student is bringing a car or bike, register online or head over to the transportation and parking office. If you wait until the move-in time, prepare for very long lines. You can order your decal by clicking here.
Banking – FAU’s official banking partner is BB&T. BB&T offers free basic checking accounts with no monthly fees, no minimum balances, or ATM fees at any of the branches on campus. This also applies to nationwide branches of BB&T. These checking accounts are linked directly to your student’s FAU Owl card. Financial aid disbursements can also be disbursed into these BB&T accounts. For out-of-state students, it makes a lot of sense to have a Florida bank checking account. If you are unsure, wait until you head home and you can always open one at your local branch.
And, of course, head over to the campus bookstore or an area retail store and start stocking up on Owl apparel- You are about to spend your student’s next four years growing to love Florida Atlantic University.
How to Dress – Summertime in Boca Raton can be described with two words; Hot and Humid. It can also start raining out of nowhere, so make sure to take along an umbrella and dress casually. It can get chilly in the Barry Kaye Auditorium and the Student Union, so it’s also a good idea to take along a jacket. Don’t forget your sunglasses, perhaps a hat (did we mention how hot it can get); some sunblock does not hurt either.
Inside the Student Union, there are Outtakes, the on-campus convenience store, where you can grab a snack. Starbucks is about a 5-minute walk from the Union.
What to Bring
Your student will want to bring comfortable clothes, a pillow, sheets, a bath towel, shower shoes and a blanket, a jacket or sweater and, of course, their toiletries. Many of the girls bring duffles to hold all of their belongings. I remember getting my daughters a Vera Bradley duffle because that’s what college girls use. They still use it to this day for weekend trips or trips home when they do not need to bring a suitcase.
Freshman!
For incoming freshmen, FAU holds a mandatory orientation starting in June and going through August. The typical FAU orientation lasts for about 2 days (there are some exceptions). FAU freshman orientation costs $104 for a student; this fee includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you would like to attend with your child, there is an additional $70 fee.
Wondering about College level exam scores and University Course equivalents? Check out the equivalency for AICE, AP, CLEP, DSST, CAPE, and IB.
Pass on these great tips, tell your friends and like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Sign up for other great tips at haveuheard.com. Are you new to HaveUHeard? Here is how to best use the site.
Leave A Comment