These are some common frequently asked questions for University Park students.
If you have a question that isn't listed here, please contact Student Orientation and Transition Programs at orientation@psu.edu or 814-865-4178.
Your student ID number is included in all letters you receive from Penn State's Undergraduate Admissions Office. Please visit your MyPennState account to view your offer of admission and find your ID number. Your nine-digit Penn State ID number begins with a nine (9).
All new first-year students are required to complete all steps of NSO. This includes the Academic Consultation and Course Scheduling as well as an in-person NSO. Adult learners and veterans of the United States Armed Forces who are first-year students are invited to participate in a New Student Orientation for transfer students, offered virtually.
Students can only attend one orientation program. Students who have deferred admission will need to attend a program that coincides with their new semester of entry.
Students can bring up to two guests to NSO and can confirm their participation as part of the student’s reservation for NSO.
First-year students who have accepted their offer of admission will be invited via email to access their NSO Tasklist to make their reservation for NSO starting in April. This email will be sent to the email address the student used on their Penn State application. When making their reservation, NSO programs are available to students based on their program of study, college, semester of admission, and the student’s participation in any special programs.
NSO is your introduction to being a Penn Stater. During NSO, you will visit the University Park campus, start building your community at Penn State, and begin to prepare for academic studies at the University.
Your orientation to Penn State will involve action items and activities in three main areas:
You can find more information about each step at orientation.psu.edu/up.
Summer Admits (students starting their classes in July)
The in-person NSO program for summer admits takes place over three days in June. Students will have required sessions on Sunday, June 29, Monday, June 30, and Tuesday, July 1.
Fall Admits (students starting their classes in August)
The in-person NSO program for fall admits is a two-day, overnight program. Programming on Day 1 begins late in the afternoon and concludes at 10:30 p.m. Day 2 programming begins at 9:00 a.m. and concludes at 4:50 p.m.
During your Academic Consultation and Course Scheduling window, you’ll meet with an adviser individually or in a small group and discuss your academic goals. One business day after your academic consultation meeting, you’ll be able to enroll in your classes; your course scheduling window will then close 7 days later.
Any student wishing to reschedule their NSO program should return to our online reservation tool to see available options.
Students with conflicts preventing them from attending NSO need to contact SOTP to make appropriate arrangements. Every effort will be made to identify an in-person program option that works before alternate arrangements are made. Alternate arrangements are made very infrequently and are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Students are required to participate in all aspects of their in-person NSO program. Family programming is optional, but encouraged. Both student and family NSO programming concludes at 4:30 p.m. on Day 2 of the program. Students who need to leave sooner than 4:30 p.m. on Day 2 should reschedule to an in-person program that works with their schedule.
The family NSO program is not required. If a guest is unable to attend NSO with their student, we will provide students with guest materials to take home.
Students will have the option to stay overnight in a residence hall during NSO. Staying overnight in an on-campus residence hall will help you make new friends, experience having a roommate, understand what is provided in a residence hall room, and learn how campus dining works.
We strongly encourage all students to stay on campus, but if you decide not to, you can decline the option when you make your reservation for NSO. Please understand that if you decline, you are responsible for your own meals and your own off-campus accommodation for NSO. You are expected to be on campus until 10:30 p.m. on Day 1 and return by 9:00 a.m. on Day 2.
Students may also want to bring a water bottle and spending money for snacks. Note that cash is not accepted in most eateries and/or vending machines. We strongly recommend a debit or credit card.
At NSO Check-In, students will receive a bag including: the NSO Guide, an NSO Schedule, and a pen. Students who are staying overnight on campus will receive a room key and funds to cover dinner, breakfast, and lunch. Families will receive a copy of the Parents & Families Guide and a program schedule.
No. Any guest attending NSO with a student will need to secure their own accommodation and provide their own meals during their NSO visit. Please visit Happy Valley Tourism for more information about hotel accommodations in State College.
Yes. Each student receives one complimentary parking permit for their NSO visit. Information about parking will be sent in an event reminder to students and any registered guests approximately one week in advance of NSO.
Families will have the opportunity to engage with resources that are available to their student, learn about how they can support their student in the transition to Penn State, and hear about the Penn State student experience from Orientation Leaders. We partner with the Penn State Parents Program and other key units on campus to provide information that is relevant to families.
Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Students who would like to request accommodation to fully participate in New Student Orientation will have an opportunity to submit their request during the reservation process. Before you’re able to select your NSO program, you will be asked if you need accommodation to participate in NSO. Please enter the information into that form and be as specific as possible.
If your needs change after you make your reservation and before your NSO program, you can return to your NSO Tasklist and update your information. Note: If you were admitted late to Penn State or recently changed your NSO date and, therefore, cannot contact our office two weeks in advance of your program, please contact us immediately to see if arrangements for special accommodations can be made.
If you have additional questions about the access provided, please contact us at orientation@psu.edu or 814-865-4178 at least two weeks before your orientation program.
SOTP staff are available in 129C HUB-Robeson Center throughout the day to help get participants to their required sessions. If participants know they will arrive late, they are encouraged to call SOTP in advance.
The student should visit accounts.psu.edu to reset their password. Our online account activation process allows the student to set security questions for password recovery, which will be used at accounts.psu.edu.
ALEKS is a math placement test—it’s online and a dynamic test. It provides placement for math and science courses. If a student took calculus in high school, they do not need to complete ALEKS, but they can if they wish. Students will learn more on their NSO Tasklist. If ALEKS is required, it must be completed before a student attends NSO.
For information about preparing for the ALEKS math assessment please watch this video.
The ALEKS Math Assessment is accessed through your LionPATH Student Center. To access your LionPATH Student Center, you'll need your Penn State Account user ID and password. It is a combination of letters and numbers: abc5123. If you need to update your account or reset your password, visit accounts.psu.edu. Here are step-by-step instructions to access the assessment:
You should plan to discuss your ALEKS score with an academic adviser when you enroll in classes. To help you understand what math courses might be appropriate based on your ALEKS score, you can watch the video below.
