Trials and Tribulations (Part 15)- College Summer Orientation

After careful thought and deliberation, I thought others would find this interesting about our battle with Asperger Syndrome. If anyone would like to post about their trials and tribulations, please leave a link so we can read your story. :)

This is written in the third person.


M’s UMBC Orientation Course Selection Day program was registered and confirmed. To assist students in making the most of their advising experience, UMBC provided some helpful planning and preparation tips below with M’s confirmation email:

- Generate your myUMBC account prior to Course Selection Day. Visit myUMBC Account Setup and follow the simple instructions. This account will be used to conveniently access a number of campus services including your advising profile, e-mail, vehicle and parking registration, and billing and finance. In addition, you will use this account during Course Selection Day to register for classes. Please be sure to bring your myUMBC username and password with you to Orientation.

- Bring an acceptable form of a government-issued photo identification to Orientation in order to pick up your Campus Card.

- Take a look at the Undergraduate Catalog and Fall Schedule of Classes for course offerings. Begin identifying courses of interest. You will have an opportunity to discuss your options further with your advisor at Course Selection Day. The full-text Undergraduate Catalog is available online and the Schedule of Classes can also be accessed.

- Complete and submit your mandatory UMBC Health Form. Completion of this form is required for all new students prior to the start of classes. In addition, if you will be living in university housing this fall, you must submit this form before you receive your room key. You may mail the form to University Health Services or fax it to 410-455-1125.



Since M’s family lives 2 hours away from UMBC they stayed in a nearby hotel and arrived early for Summer Orientation. As anticipated, the ordeal was rather chaotic, but informative.

To make sure Summer Orientation is a good experience for both the student and parent, make sure you stick with the school’s plan. There are activities specifically designed for students and other activities just for parents. By holding separate orientations the staff is better able to address the unique priorities and questions that students and parents typically have. In addition, orientation is a step in the student’s adjustment to college life dealing with topics they will encounter in college. Parents need to go to the activities that are scheduled for them to attend. They will learn what resources are available at the school for parents and how parents can communicate with the school. Parent sessions also focus on tips on how they can help encourage their child to become a more successful student at UMBC. When parents reunite with their son/daughter after these activities parents need to let them talk first. Listen to what your child's experiences were —positive or otherwise—and then respond to those.

Activities included information dealing with:

Academic Misconduct
Academic Advising at UMBC
Academic Requirements
Building Your Schedule
How To Register
Add/Drop/Withdrawal Procedures
Registration For Subsequent Semesters myUMBC
UMBC e-mail
Black Board
Campus Card

Students will be given a lot of information at orientation (Orientation is mandatory for all new students and you must register for it. Fee $125). There will be information about campus safety, computers, campus car policies, meal plans, dorm policies, and academic requirements. Students will also meet with an advisor and register for classes (this is the student’s only opportunity to register for Fall 2014 classes). M and his parents went to several activities and collected important information about UMBC. M added this information to his Information Binder that he will take to college so he can have easy access to any information about UMBC that he wants when needed.

All new students must apply for the UMBC campus card. This photo ID card provides access to a number of campus services and facilities. An “add value” feature allows students to add money to the card and use it as a debit card for cashless purchases on campus, including food, vending, copying, bookstore merchandise, RAC (Retriever Activity Center) Card, Library Card, and Transit Card.

Students will take their campus card photo and be issued their student identification during Orientation Course Selection Day. It is important for students to bring a driver’s license or other state-issued I.D. with them to Orientation in order to receive their card.

Important transitions take place at orientation, whether it is held early in the summer or just prior to the beginning of classes. Although traveling to the school may be difficult if you live at a distance, M and his parents thought it was worth the effort and recommends it for others to attend. Summer Orientation will make the beginning of the new semester go much more smoothly for both the student and their family.