FAQ

• Do I have to attend orientation?

  Yes – we provide a number of sessions to accommodate the busy schedules of our new students. If you are unable to attend one of our sessions due to an insurmountable hardship, please contact us and we will work together to find a solution. Vacations, summer jobs and other obligations are important, but New Student Orientation helps students prepare for a successful college career and is a great investment of time for both new students and their families.

  Even if you are a transfer student, you are required to attend an orientation program. We know that you have experience attending another institution but Transfer Student Orientation focuses on how to navigate Wayne State specifically.
  
  Students who are admitted directly to the following professional schools or colleges do not attend the general New Student Orientation sessions. Please contact the school or college directly for further information:

  • College of Nursing - 313-577-4082
  • Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences — 313-577-1716
  • School of Social Work — 313-577-4409
• Will I meet with an academic advisor during orientation?

  Yes. You will meet with an experienced advisor who will review your degree plan and help you choose your courses. Transfer students should meet with an advisor prior to the orientation program if at all possible in order to maximize your class scheduling opportunities. You should expect to receive information regarding the advising process from your academic advisor by your scheduled orientation date. All advising communications will be sent to your Wayne State email, so be sure you've set up your account and are checking it regularly.

  Many academic advisors at Wayne State are using Microsoft Teams to meet with their students (either by audio call or video chat). We recommend downloading Microsoft Teams from your app store and logging in with your accessID and password (once you've established your account in Academica) to ensure a successful meeting with your advisor.

• Are you pre-med, pre-physician assistant, pre-law or pre-dental?

  If you answered YES to this question, please note that none of the programs above are considered majors at Wayne State. You must choose a major from our list of programs and follow the prerequisite coursework for the respective program. For a quick overview regarding being pre-med/pre-PA at Wayne State, check out this video.

  Pre-med students should make a reservation for a one-day orientation program, followed by a Pre-Med Essentials Session to learn about pre-med preparation and course planning.

   

• Will I receive information about Financial Aid?

  The Office of Student Financial Aid mainly communicates with students through Wayne State email and Academica. Be sure you are checking both on a regular basis (at least once per week) so that you don't miss important deadlines.

• Will I take placement and/or qualifying exams at orientation?

  No. If you plan to take placement exams, you can take them prior to your orientation date. However, Wayne State uses a combination of ACT/SAT scores and directed self-placement (for English only) information to place you into the appropriate math, English, biology and chemistry courses. For information on the exams, please visit the testing website and click the appropriate link under the First-Year Students heading, or make an appointment to talk with your academic advisor.

  If you accepted admissions to Wayne State through our test-optional pathway, or do not have standardized test scores on file with us, you MUST take placement exams through Wayne State in math before you are able to register for classes. For those students who need biology or chemistry, you will have to take those as well. Please check with your academic advisor to find out which exams you will need to take prior to course registration.

• Do parents participate in Orientation?

  In coordination with the first-year student orientation dates, we offer Parent and Family Orientation. These sessions are not required. For more information visit the Parent and Family website.

• Is there someone I can email if I have other questions?

  Yes! Please contact our orientation team at orientation@wayne.edu.

• How do I change my major?

  Write to the Orientation Office with your name and what you'd like to change your major to, and we'll make the update for you!