Parent Orientation

Freshman Orientation is a mandatory event for all incoming freshmen that will take place at the Hunter College main 68th Street campus:

• New Student Orientation for Spring 2025 students will be held on Thursday, Jan 23, 2025 on main campus.
• New Student Orientation for Fall 2025 students will be held Aug 2025 on campus (exact dates to be released in Feb 2025).

All freshmen are required to attend the entire event to register for classes for their first semester, obtain their Hunter ID card, and get to know all the resources available to them at Hunter.

Many parents of today’s college students have been actively involved in managing the details, schedules, and even conflicts of their student, but college life offers the opportunity for students to grow and develop more independently, and it begins with participation in their Freshmen Orientation day. Parents/guardians of first-year students should ensure that their student registers and attends their freshmen orientation.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law that restricts colleges from releasing certain types of student information to the parents/guardians. Under FERPA, all parental rights are transferred from you to your child once the student either reaches 18 years of age or enters a postsecondary institution (college/university).

This does not mean that parents cannot get information about their student’s academic records, disciplinary cases, or health concerns. Rather, it means that parents must first look to their student for this information.

Every student needs a laptop for college, but unlike inexpensive school supplies, such as pens and paper, laptops are long-term investments. Spending some time researching laptops can help you figure out what type of device will work best for your student and what you can afford. The mobility of owning a laptop is essential for a college student and even companies like Apple and Dell will offer student discounts, so remember to check.

Apple: https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop

Dell: https://www.dell.com/en-us/lp/cuny

A college budget for a student is key to managing their money and ensuring they don’t overspend. It’s important to understand the type of expenses college students usually have:

• Textbooks – Although textbook prices have risen dramatically over the past few years, college students can save money on textbooks by buying them from other students, renting them, looking for e-book options, and taking reference textbooks out in the library for the day.
• Meal/Lunch Prep – Students can often have long days of school, so teaching your student how to prep simple meals at home can be a great skill for them to have. Microwaves are available in the cafeteria for their use.
• Transportation/MetroCard – Unlike high school, college students are responsible for obtaining their own transportation to and from classes. NYC subway is by far the most flexible mode of transportation to Hunter and having a MetroCard is essential. Remember to look at the unlimited options to give your student a chance to explore NYC as a whole and calculate that into students’ monthly expenses.

If your student is living in one of our Residence Halls, you may be anxiously planning the move-in process and writing your packing list. Don’t forget, your student could be experiencing the same anxiety, so make sure to keep your communication open.

• Move-in Details – Office of Residence Life will be communicating with all students who are offered on-campus housing in mid-July about Aug 2024 move-in dates. In general, move-in is usually 2-3 days before semester start time (Remember: Academic Calendar).
• Packing List for 51^st Street Residence Hall – The packing list is available on the website and can offer a great starting point. Our advice is not to overpack – NYC living cannot accommodate everything you may want to bring. So pack the necessities first, move your student in and let them explore their environment for a few weeks, then send/bring anything that they may need.
• Keep in Touch – Moving your student may have you feeling anxious even though you know there is 24hr security at the residence halls, live-in staff to assist with emergencies, and great community for them to make their own. Talk to your student about your worries and set-up a communication expectation to check-in that works for your family.

Change is natural and inevitable; and it can be inspiring to see your student discover their passions and form meaningful adult relationships. It can also often be difficult. College, and the experiences associated with it, can affect changes in social, career, and personal choices.

Encourage your student to attempt to resolve questions, conflicts, or uncertainties on their own first. You can help your student by brainstorming with them about ways to approach the problem but try to restrain your natural inclination to pick up the phone and resolve the problem for them. If your student is unsuccessful at first, encourage them to talk to one of the many college staff members for help or advice.

Students who are active members of student organizations on campus tend to enjoy their college years more and do better in their studies than students who are not involved on campus outside of classes. Joining the Undergraduate Student Government or one of the many student organizations or clubs; taking part in collegiate or intramural sports; or going on experiential learning trips can ease your student’s adjustment to college and provide a valuable co-curricular experience.

Whether your student wants to be a film maker, lawyer, teacher, scientist, writer, business professional, or medical professional, ultimately, it is their freedom to choose the best career for themselves.

Remember that the choice of major does not always dictate a career path. After college, most adults change career fields 3 times in their lifetime. The major does not always predict the fields that will be open to your student in graduate school. Many graduate schools appreciate a multidisciplinary background. Students can often cover required prerequisites for graduate programs through electives and minors. They will probably perform best in a field that they enjoy and are passionate about. Help them explore all of the options >>

You will soon discover that, when compared to high school, there is a tremendous difference in the operational principles of your students’ education.

• First-Semester Major – All first-year students start their college career in the “undeclared” major. That allows for a bit of academic exploration in their first year, remember to let them try new classes, explore new interests, and find their passion.
• First Semester Schedule – In the first semester, first-year freshman students are assigned a schedule based on their academic interests. Coursework will consist of a mix of Hunter College Core general education requirements and major specific intro classes. This schedule cannot be changed.
• Hunter College Degree – A student at Hunter College must earn a total of 120 credits to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. These 120 credits must include credits to satisfy the Hunter Core Requirement (general education liberal arts coursework) and to satisfy the requirements of a major field of study (student’s chosen academic major).
  While Hunter College Core provides students with essential academic skills in writing, mathematics, scientific reasoning, and critical thinking, it is also distinguished by its emphasis on foreign language study and its encouragement of concentrated student achievement in a subject outside the student’s first major. Encourage your student to look at all available majors, minor, and certificate programs.
• First-Year Advising Team – advises incoming first-year students. The team is comprised of a collection of professional advisors and trained student peer-advisors. Programming begins with a mandatory orientation prior to the start of student’s first semester, and continues across the first semester with workshops and activities to teach students how to form good academic, time-management, and stress-management skills.

• Dolciani Math Learning Center – Math coursework can make sense with one-on-one math tutoring and group workshops with friendly experts.
• Rockowitz Writing Center – Writing intensive coursework needn’t be stressful! Tutors and workshops are available to help students.
• Skirball Science Learning Center – Comprehensive assistance is available to all students in all areas of the natural sciences and technology.
• Chanin Language Center – Allows students to immerse themselves in film, lectures, and even computer programs—all designed to strengthen foreign language skills.
• Office of AccessABILITY – Staff is here to enhance the educational experience for students with disabilities.

• Counseling Services – provides short-term individual counseling, crisis intervention, consultation, outreach, and referral to students.
• Health Promotion and Education – offers a variety of workshops and events designed to educate students about health-related topics and equip them with skills to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.

• Career Services – Success in the classroom is certainly important, but student’s time outside of the classroom can influence their future and career goals to a great extent. Encourage them to explore internships through the Handshake platform at Hunter.
• Office of Education Abroad – provides access to quality study abroad programs that engage students with the local environment through coursework, internships, and experiential learning opportunities. This is a great opportunity for students to travel while already earning college credits.
• Pre-Professional Programs – Our pre-professional advisors support students who are looking to pursue graduate study and careers in law, medicine, social work, or other health professions. Encourage your students to sign-up for workshops in their first semester.

Navigate Student is Hunter’s tool designed to help students stay connected with advisors, tutors, and support services. Through this platform, students can make appointments, receive individualized tips and to-do’s regarding important deadlines, and get timely alerts and text messages via a smartphone app or website.

Study Buddies, another feature of the tool, helps students connect with peers who would like to study for courses they have in common. When they opt in, other students in the class will be able to see their email address and reach out.

Encourage your student to use the platform to access support services and stay informed about key deadlines and campus resources. However, resist the urge to use the app on their behalf. College is a critical time for young adults to develop independence and self-reliance. Do encourage help-seeking behaviors such as preparing questions in advance of meetings, using tutoring services, and joining study groups with follow classmates.

Everyone, regardless of their past academic performance, can benefit from support and guidance. This is especially true for those who excelled at their prior school.