Frequently Asked Questions

What is Summer Freshman Orientation?
What is the Summer Program?
What happens in the Summer Program?
What is involved with the Religious Persons course? Will there be homework?
Do I get grades during the Summer Program?
When does the Summer Program start?
Will the room I am assigned to during the Summer Program be my permanent housing assignment?
What are the fees for the Summer Program? What do the fees include?
Once the Summer Program begins, do I have to remain on campus during the weekends?

1. What is Summer Freshman Orientation?

Summer Orientation is a one-day orientation to the college for all incoming students and parents in the Freshman Class. Because of the large number of participants, there are four Summer Orientation dates scheduled during the summer. Students in the Learning Differences Program are invited to come a Summer Freshman Orientation which may be on either June 22, 25, or 29, 2012. There will be a group Academic Advising meeting in the afternoon at 1:00 pm where the Program Students will meet with the LD staff to review your preliminary Fall Term schedule.

More information will be sent to you in your Confirmation Packet that you receive from Admissions once you confirm to the college. Summer Orientation activities include presentations by the President of the College, the Dean of Academic Affairs, Residence Life, Health Services, Police & Safety, Student Activities, etc.

2. What is the Summer Program?

The Summer Program is a pre-college program running from August 4 - 24, 2012, that provides an opportunity for incoming freshmen to adjust to the rigors of college life. There are four goals of the Summer Program experience. First of all, the Summer Program allows our students an opportunity to connect with other program students, administrators and faculty before the entire freshman class impacts the campus.

A second and equally significant goal of the Summer Program is to allow students with learning and/or other disabilities an opportunity to begin recognizing and coping with the added demands that their disability imposes upon college coursework.

A third goal of the Summer Program is to give students a chance to earn three college credits which allows students with learning disabilities to have the flexibility of not having to add an extra class during the freshman year.

Finally, we are confident that our Resident Advisors, tutors, and note taker will assist you during the Summer Program to help you to make the important transition from high school to college. These students were selected as peer mentors. Their interactions with you will be invaluable.

3. What happens in the Summer Program?

You are scheduled to take Religious Person and Traditions (RLST 100) from 8:20 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. each day. In addition to the 3-credit course, there are seminars scheduled which will introduce you to support services on campus including Learning Differences, Campus Ministry, Counseling Center, Student Government, and Health Services. On some evenings, you should expect to attend mandatory study sessions which will be assigned by your tutor. You will have course work for Religious Person and Traditions which will include course reading, studying for tests, preparing projects/ homework, etc. You will have access to a tutor for all aspects of this course.

4. What is involved with the Religious Persons course? Will there be homework?

The Religious Persons course satisfies a core requirement for Religious Traditions. This class is scheduled for three weeks, and you will have more interaction with the instructor than if the course had been taken during a regular trimester term. You will be responsible for the same amount of material as during the term.

5. Do I get grades during the Summer Program?

The grade you receive for the Religious Persons class will be calculated into your GPA (Grade Point Average) for the Fall Term.

6. When does the Summer Program start?

Move-in Day is August 4, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. The first class begins at 8:20 a.m. Monday, August 6, and concludes at Noon on Friday, August 24. The remaining Freshmen Class arrives on campus on Saturday, the 25th, when WELCOME WEEK begins. A full schedule will be included with your Move-In Packet.

7. Will the room I am assigned to during the Summer Program be my permanent housing assignment?

Depending on your housing choice, there will be some students from the LD program who will have to move twice. (However, we will have much more information about this once the final summer maintenance schedule is developed). We are sincerely sorry for this inconvenience and will assist those who need to relocate to their permanent housing assignments. Our RA staff, along with upper-class students, will be available to help with the move.

8. What are the fees for the Summer Program? What do the fees include?

When you receive a bill for the Summer Program, it will include costs for room and board and a program fee. While the amount is not finalized for the 2011 Summer Program, the program fee last year was in the $300.00 range plus the cost of room and board.

9. Once the Summer Program begins, do I have to remain on campus during the weekends?

While we cannot require that you remain on campus, we do strongly recommend it. Weekend activities have been planned by the RA staff, including a service learning requirement for the Religious Persons course, possibly a trip to the Erie SeaWolves baseball game and other similar activities. In the past our students have become a support group for each other because of the time they have spent getting to know each other.