Student Orientation, Advisement and Registration
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Welcome Congratulations on your admission to Missouri State! You are about to begin a journey, one filled with adventures, opportunities and experiences. The transition from high school to university life is an exciting one, but it can be a little tough without some help. We designed the Student Orientation, Advisement and Registration (or SOAR) program to get you started on the right foot. SOAR will provide you all the information and skills you will need to help you make a smooth, successful transition to life at Missouri State.
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All first-time freshmen (incoming students with fewer than 24 transferable credit hours earned after high school graduation) are required to attend SOAR. Extensive research shows that students who participate in transition programs like SOAR are more successful during their first year of college, and we want to give you every opportunity to succeed.
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Missouri State University
This brochure contains information about SOAR and everything you need to know to register and prepare for your session. Please read it carefully. You can also find more detailed information online at www.missouristate.edu/soar. If these resources do not answer your questions, please contact us using the information located on page 15.
We’re thrilled to meet you this summer to help you follow your passion and find your place at Missouri State!
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Register for your SOAR session Confirmation At the end of the online registration process, a message will be displayed on the My Reservation screen, noting that your reservation has been completed. You also will be sent a confirmation email, which contains additional information about your SOAR session.
Registration To register for a SOAR session online, visit the My Missouri State portal at my.missouristate.edu and log in using your BearPass Login and password. Select the Academics tab and click the “Register for a SOAR session” link in the New Student channel. Follow the reservation system’s on-screen instructions carefully. Reservations are made on a firstcome, first-serve basis, so make your reservation early. You may view instructions on how to create a BearPass Login at www. missouristate.edu/soar/register.htm. Creating a BearPass Login will not allow you to immediately register for a session; please allow one to two business days for the system to recognize your newly created BearPass Login.
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Please do not make time-dependant travel or accommodation arrangements until you receive confirmation of your session via email. Students will not be allowed to participate in any session for which they are not confirmed to attend.
Updating your registration Should you need to change aspects regarding your reservation, please call the SOAR office at 417-836-7641 or toll-free at 888-352-7641. Since the major you specify will determine which academic advisor you see during SOAR, we encourage you to notify us regarding changes of major at least five business days prior to your SOAR session.
What will you experience at SOAR? Meet other students, faculty and staff and make friends
A’dja Jones is thrilled to meet you at SOAR this summer!
Learn about campus life, programs and services Speak with a faculty or professional academic advisor Register for your first semester of classes Get your ZipCard (Missouri State student ID card), text books and parking permit Take necessary placement exams Ask questions and receive answers about things you want to know Have fun! 5
SOAR session dates and fees SOAR sessions are a day and a half in length and offered throughout June and July. Because SOAR requires campus offices to be open during the course of the program, we are unable to offer weekend sessions.
Students admitted to the Honors College
The SOAR session dates listed on this page will not be available to all students. You can find a list of currently available dates by logging on the SOAR reservation system.
Students admitted before Feb. 1, 2011
SOAR fees Student Orientation Program Fee: $100 (includes materials, lunch and dinner on first day of program)
Family Orientation Program Fee: $30 (per family member; includes materials and dinner on first day of program)
Overnight Accommodation Fee: $20 (per person, per night) All fees are applied to your student account upon arrival at SOAR and can be paid anytime after the completion of your SOAR session at the Bursar’s Office on campus or through your My Missouri State portal online. Missouri State accepts cash, check or credit card (MasterCard, Discover or American Express).
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Monday, June 13 - Tuesday, June 14 Wednesday, June 15 - Thursday, June 16
Wednesday, June 15 - Thursday, June 16 Monday, June 20 - Tuesday, June 21 Wednesday, June 22 - Thursday, June 23 Monday, June 27 - Tuesday, June 28 Wednesday, June 29 - Thursday, June 30 Tuesday, July 5 - Wednesday, July 6
Intercollegiate student-athletes Monday, June 20 - Tuesday, June 21
Students admitted on or after Feb. 1, 2011 Thursday, July 7 - Friday, July 8 Monday, July 11 - Tuesday, July 12 Wednesday, July 13 - Thursday, July 14 Monday, July 18 - Tuesday, July 19 Wednesday, July 20 - Thursday, July 21 Monday, July 25 - Tuesday, July 26 Wednesday, July 27 – Thursday, July 28
To view a tentative schedule of events for the student and family orientation programs, visit www.missouristate. edu/soar/schedule.htm.
Parent and family programs Family members play a significant role in supporting their student’s transition to college, but few realize they will make their own adjustments to their student’s new life, as well. To help with this transition, we offer a special family orientation program which shares information about University services and activities, helps you meet other families and members of the Missouri State community, and gives you the opportunity to ask questions about sending your student to college. Family attendance is optional, but we encourage you to attend. Students will make reservations for their family members during their SOAR registration process. The family orientation program runs alongside, but separately from, the student program. As a family member, you will attend some portions of the program with your student, but will spend most of your time in sessions designed for you.
What expectations do you have of my student? As adults beginning their college education, we expect students to take an active role in making decisions and completing tasks. Students are responsible for registering for a SOAR session and ensuring checklist items are completed prior to SOAR. We expect students to attend all orientation activities. Students will be dismissed from the program without registering for classes if they have missed any of the required activities. One goal of the SOAR program is to help students build a relationship with their advisor; these relationships greatly contribute to a student’s success during their college career. To allow students to build this relationship, family members will not be present during students’ advising and registration sessions. However, family members will have the opportunities to receive information about advising and share their thoughts with their students prior to this session.
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Placement and waiver exams Math placement exam Placement in mathematics courses at Missouri State can be determined by your ACT math or SAT quantitative subscore OR your performance on our mathematics placement exam. You are strongly encouraged to take the math placement exam if you have an ACT math score of 21 or lower or an SAT quantitative score of 480 or lower. Consider taking the exam if you are unsatisfied with your ACT or SAT math course placement, unsure of your skills in math, or interested in majors which will require high levels of math, such as science or health fields. The mathematics placement exam will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the first day of your session. Please be present at the Plaster Student Union lobby at this time, and a SOAR leader will escort you to the exam site. Detailed information regarding the math placement exam, including a list of courses and the ACT and SAT scores necessary for their placement, can be found at www. missouristate.edu/soar/examinfo.htm.
Foreign language placement Placement in French, German or Spanish courses is determined by an online placement exam you should take before your arrival at SOAR. The exam is optional, as foreign languages are not required for all majors or degrees at Missouri State. However, you should take the placement exam if you have had two or more years of high-school language classes or you are anticipating selecting a degree or major which requires foreign language credit for graduation. 8
The foreign language placement exam can be taken only once. If you place into a 102-level class or higher, you may receive credit for the classes you placed out of, once you complete the higher level class with at least a B. You must then apply to the department to receive credit (credit is not automatically granted). Detailed information regarding the foreign language placement, including the exam itself, can be found at www.missouristate. edu/soar/examinfo.htm. For advanced credit in languages other than French, German or Spanish, contact the modern and classical languages department head.
Computers for Learning waiver exam The CIS/CSC 101 (Computers for Learning) waiver exam is offered to students who feel they meet the minimum computer literacy requirements for Missouri State University. Students who score 80% or better on the exam will be exempt from the general education requirement of CIS/ CSC 101, but will not receive any credit hours from the exemption. The waiver exam is offered following each SOAR session, but you must register in advance. You are allowed up to two hours in which to complete the exam, and should plan accordingly. We strongly encourage you to review the practice exams offered before beginning. Students who do so are much more likely to pass. Please visit www.missouristate.edu/soar/ examinfo.htm to see more information and register for an exam.
Overnight accommodations On-campus housing
Early arrival
Student and family members attending SOAR are welcome to stay overnight in Hammons House, a residence hall on campus. The cost is $20 per person per night. Students may make reservations for accommodations online during the SOAR registration process.
If you would like to stay the night on campus prior to the beginning of your SOAR session, Hammons House front desk staff will be available to help you check in beginning at 5 p.m.
Towels, soap and linens are provided; students and family members should bring toiletries (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.). Keep in mind that rooms are designed for student life; therefore, accommodations will not have the same amenities as a hotel room. Students and family members will stay in separate areas of the residence hall and may be asked to share a suite with other SOAR participants.
Hammons House
Off-campus accommodations Should you or your family members decide to stay off-campus, we encourage you to visit the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau website at www.springfieldmo.org or call 800-678-8767 to request a list of area hotels. Unfortunately, we cannot make recommendations concerning Springfield hotels.
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Preparing for your SOAR session What to do before SOAR For a more detailed, complete checklist of tasks to complete to prepare for your SOAR session, visit www.missouristate.edu/ soar/checklist.htm.
Create your BearPass Login and password by visiting my.missouristate.edu and clicking the “Get an Account� link. Remember your BearPass Login and password, as you will need them to register for classes at SOAR. Family members, allow students to create their own BearPass Login to ensure it is memorable to them.
Register for a SOAR session using the My Missouri State portal (instructions on page 4).
Complete an application for housing with Residence Life and Services online at www.missouristate.edu/reslife. Your application or an exception to the University housing policy must be processed before you will be allowed to register for classes at SOAR.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Doing so allows you to be considered for financial aid programs.
Submit necessary transcripts to the Office of Admissions. These transcripts may include final high school transcripts or transcripts from other institutions noting any college credit you have earned while in high school.
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Accommodations for students with disabilities We are happy to help arrange necessary accommodations for students with physical or learning disabilities. Please call the SOAR office at 417-836-7641 or 888-3526781 as soon as possible, but no later than five business days in advance of your SOAR session.
Consider whether you need to take the placement and waiver exams mentioned on page 8 and prepare accordingly. For detailed information, visit www. missouristate.edu/soar/examinfo.htm.
Update your SOAR session reservation if any aspect of your reservation (such as your major or number of guests attending) changes prior to attending. Please make changes at least five business days before your scheduled session date.
What to bring along Consider bringing the following items to your SOAR session: Recent college transcripts, if you believe our Office of Admissions has not yet received them. These unofficial transcripts will be used to help your advisor in recommending first-semester courses. Driver’s License or other photo ID. Photo identification will be needed to obtain your ZipCard (your Missouri State student ID card). Your vehicle’s description and license plate number, if you wish to purchase a parking permit. Casual clothes and comfortable walking shoes. A light jacket or sweater for airconditioned residence hall and meeting rooms. An umbrella or rain jacket. Writing utensils. Toiletries and an alarm clock if you will be staying in on-campus accommodations. Towels, linens and soap are provided.
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Arriving at SOAR Parking SOAR parking will be available in Lot 30. This lot is marked with a 30 on the campus map located on the opposite page. SOAR leaders will greet you at the entrance of Lot 30 and provide you with a parking pass for the session. Please ensure you have parked in Lot 30 upon arrival; you may be ticketed if you park elsewhere. For driving directions to Lot 30, please visit www.missouristate.edu/ soar/directions.htm.
Check in for SOAR Check in to the SOAR program will begin at 9:00 am in the Plaster Student Union, which is marked with a PSU on the campus map located on the opposite page. Check in will end at 10:10 am. If you will be taking the math placement exam, please be present at the Plaster Student Union lobby at 8:30 a.m. Once the exam is completed, a SOAR leader will assist you in checking in to the SOAR program. If you plan to stay overnight on campus, please check in at Hammons House prior to checking in to the SOAR program. Hammons House is marked with a HAM on the campus map located on the opposite page.
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Orientation opportunities for non-traditional students Non-traditional students may take part in alternative orientation and registration opportunities instead of SOAR. Non-traditional students are defined as students who:
Are 22 years of age or older Are married and/or have children Have not been in school for an extended period of time Are taking evening courses To take advantage of these alternative services, please contact the Office of Adult Student Services at 417-836-6929 or toll free at 877-678-2005.
Campus map
GREEK ROW
Visit www.missouristate.edu/map for a full map of ELM campus or directions to campus.
FLORENCE
DOGWOOD APARTMENTS
CHERRY SCHOLARS HOUSE
30
HAMMONS HOUSE
GARST DINING CENTER
HAM
HUTCHENS HOUSE
HARRISON ONE-ROOM SCHOOL HOUSE
GREENWOOD LABORATORY SCHOOL
WOODS HOUSE
TAYLOR HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER
MONROE
MONROE
MONROE HALL
BLAIR-SHANNON HOUSE MADISON HALL BURGESS HOUSE
BAKER BOOKSTORE
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HALL
PSU
KINGS STREET ANNEX
FREUDENBERGER HOUSE
FORSYTHE ATHLETICS CENTER DUANE G. MEYER LIBRARY
McDONALD HALL & ARENA
ROBERT W. PLASTER STUDENT UNION
CHEEK HALL CARRINGTON HALL
SICELUFF HALL
JANE A. MEYER CARILLON
TEMPLE HALL
CENTRAL STORES & MAINTENANCE
PUMMILL HALL ROBERT W. PLASTER SPORTS COMPLEX
MADISON
WELLS HOUSE
PAGE
HILL HALL
POWER HOUSE
ELLIS HALL
KARLS HALL
BELMONT
CRAIG HALL ART ANNEX
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Robert W. Plaster Student Union
Helpful contact information SOAR Office
Financial Services
888-352-6781 www.missouristate.edu/SOAR 417-836-7641
417-836-5632 www.missouristate.edu/financialservices
Financial Aid 800-283-4243 www.missouristate.edu/financialaid 417-836-5262
Dining Services 417-836-5660 www.missouristate.edu/dining
Honors College
Residence Life and Services
417-836-6370 www.missouristate.edu/honors
800-284-7535 www.missouristate.edu/reslife 417-836-5536
Hammons House Front Desk
Dean of Students 417-836-5527 www.missouristate.edu/dos
Taylor Health and Wellness Center 417-836-4000 health.missouristate.edu
417-836-4907
Admissions 800-492-7900 www.missouristate.edu/admissions 417-836-5517
Please have transcripts sent to: Office of Admissions Missouri State University 901 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65897
Missouri State University is a community of people with respect for diversity. The University emphasizes the dignity and equality common to all persons and adheres to a strict nondiscrimination policy regarding the treatment of individual faculty, staff, and students. In accord with federal law and applicable Missouri statutes, the University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, or veteran status in employment or in any program or activity offered or sponsored by the University. In addition, the University does not discriminate on any basis (including, but not limited to, political affiliation and sexual orientation) not related to the applicable educational requirements for students or the applicable job requirements for employees. This policy shall not be interpreted in a manner as to violate the legal rights of religious organizations or military organizations associated with the Armed Forces of the United States of America. The University maintains a grievance procedure incorporating due process available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against. Missouri State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Inquiries concerning the grievance procedure, Affirmative Action Plan, or compliance with federal and state laws and guidelines should be addressed to the Equal Opportunity Officer, Park Central Office Building Ste. 111, 901 South National Avenue, Springfield, Missouri 65897, 417-836-4252. STA 134 11
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Student Orientation, Advisement and Registration 901 South National Avenue Springfield, Missouri 65897