SOAR is UNCG’s required new student orientation. Your student will meet other new students and learn about campus resources to help them feel prepared to make a successful transition to college. Parents and family members will meet other Spartan families and learn about UNCG.
Each student is permitted to bring two parents or adult family members to SOAR. To make a reservation for a parent or adult family member, students will need to log in to The New Student Portal. Parents and family members will have access to all of the SOAR materials listed here: newstudents.uncg.edu/soar/soar-resources/soar-resources
June 2023 SOAR info will be posted soon.
Make Your SOAR Reservations
JUNE SOAR SESSION RESERVATIONS GO LIVE FEBRUARY 1, 2023
- Log in to the New Student Portal and be sure to use your UNCG username and password. Your UNCG username and email address are very similar so they are easy to mix up:
Username: smith
Email: smith@uncg.edu - Complete the Class Schedule Interest (CSI) Survey in the New Student Portal.
- Make your SOAR reservation and select the session you’d like to attend from the available options. Students attend SOAR based on their major’s corresponding School. Not sure which School your major falls under? Click here to view a complete list.
- Students will need to confirm their intent to enroll by May 1st, 2023 to avoid their SOAR reservation being cancelled.
- Students must make reservations for all guests. There is a maximum of two adult family member guests; the first guest is free and the second guest is charged the guest fee. Guests who do not have a reservation must make one on-site and, if the second guest, must pay on-site.
Take Care of These Items
All official communication about UNCG to the student is in the UNCG email - be sure you are checking your UNCG email
For more information about the types of accounts required and other IT information, visit The Information Technology and Services (ITS) website.
Apply for financial aid by filing your FAFSA. Our Financial Aid Office can provide more information about our process.
Get familiar with our housing options and review the housing application process through Housing and Residence Life.
Submit your SpartanCard Photo on-line using the SpartanCard Center website.
The UNCG Immunizations office is open Monday – Friday 8 am until 5 pm. The office is located on the second floor of the Anna M. Gove Student Health Center. Find Immunization Forms on the Student Health Center website.
Every student is required to complete a W9S Tax Form and submit to the Cashiers Office.
Verify with your high school and/or current college to confirm that an official copy of your academic transcript(s) has been sent to the UNCG Registrar’s Office.
If you are taking 6 or more campus credit hours, you must submit proof of creditable health insurance at: http://www.uncg.edu/shs/student-insurance.
OARS ensures students have the necessary accommodations for equitable access.
SOAR Guest Fees
SOAR Guest #1 - Free
SOAR Guest #2 - $30/$40
Your guest reservation includes SOAR programming, materials, meals, and parking. There is no cost for the student reservation and each student can bring one parent or adult family member for free. You have the option to make an online reservation for one additional parent or adult family member for a fee of $30, or pay on-site for $40.
Guests must be adult family members and there are no overnight accommodations on campus for guests.
The New Student Fee and SOAR guest fee is still applicable if your students and their guest attends SOAR, yet decide not to attend UNCG.
Refund Policy
The guest fee(s) is fully refundable only if the SOAR guest reservation is canceled no fewer than 5 (five) business days (M-F, 8 am-5 pm) in advance of the reserved SOAR session start date. No partial refunds.
Spring SOAR For First Year Students
Spring SOAR first year students will be a one-day in-person program hosted on January 6, 2023!
All students living on campus in the spring need to be fully moved in prior to the start of your SOAR session. All first-year students should take advantage of Stop Drop and Roll – more info here!
January SOAR Inclement Weather Plan
In case of a University delay or closure due to inclement weather, Spartan Orientation Advising and Registration (SOAR) will be cancelled. In place of in-person SOAR, we will host live information sessions via Zoom. Each session will feature representatives from across campus to share important information and answer questions to guide you to appropriate resources.
As soon as the University makes a call, we will send all SOAR participants an email announcement and Zoom links. We encourage you to stay tuned to Greensboro weather and your email.
Schedule
Click here to view the First Year Parent and Family schedule
Parking, Meals, and Overnight Accommodations
- FREE parking will be available in the Walker Avenue parking deck.
- 3 meals are provided during SOAR for First-Year students: lunch and dinner on day one, and breakfast on day two.
- All first-year students are required to stay on campus overnight in SOAR housing. There are no overnight accommodations for parent and family members. Need overnight accommodations prior to SOAR? See our local hotel list here.
- More information about parking, meals, and accommodations will be emailed to students and guests with reservations closer to your session date.
Day of SOAR
Schedule
Foreign Language Placement Evaluations
If you have studied French, German, or Spanish in high school, please register for and complete the Additional Language Placement Diagnostic before your SOAR session.
After clicking on the link, you will need to:
- Set up an account using your new UNCG student ID number, email address (preferably your UNCG email), and a password of your choosing
- Select the language you plan to study
- Complete the pre-test survey
- Then begin the test
The diagnostic is fully online, will take 15-30 minutes to complete, and is multiple choice (no listening or speaking involved).
Your advisor will help you understand what your score means, and how to use that information in shaping your Fall 2023 schedule. For more information on the value of studying a language and the purpose of the diagnostic, visit the webpage for Languages, Literature and Cultures.
Math Placement Evaluations
Depending on your major, you may need to take the UNCG Calculus Readiness Diagnostic. You have two attempts to complete the Diagnostic. You should take your first attempt as soon as possible (ideally before your SOAR session).
The deadline to complete your second attempt is July 15, 2023.
To access the Diagnostic:
- Visit the MathStats website.
- Click the “Registration for the Calculus Readiness Diagnostic” link on the right-hand side of the page.
- The diagnostic will be added as a course to your Canvas Page. You will need your iSpartan username and password to log in.
Once you are logged into Canvas, click on the Calculus Readiness Diagnostic, where you’ll find resources to help you prepare as well as the link to take the Diagnostic.
After SOAR
Resources for Academic Success
UNCG is committed to student success and provides programs and services that will support students as they grow personally and academically. It is important that students be aware and take advantage of the services that UNCG has to offer. Some of the programs and services designed to assist students are listed below.
Few experiences in students’ academic careers have as much potential for influencing their development as academic advising. Advisors help students understand how to develop sound academic and career goals, become successful learners, and understand their role in the academic community. Advising at UNCG may feel very different from advising in high school. In comparison, choosing classes in high school is relatively simple because there are fewer choices. At UNCG, there are over 100 different majors, providing students with a variety of choices when selecting courses.
In the New Student Portal, students will complete the Class Schedule Interest (CSI) Survey. Students' academic advisor will use this information to register students for classes, and they will have an opportunity to finalize their schedule prior to the start of the Spring semester. Students' must complete this survey to sign up for an orientation session, so they should complete the survey as soon as possible.
At UNCG, academic programs are organized under seven areas: College of Arts and Sciences, Lloyd International Honors College, Bryan School of Business and Economics, School of Education, School of Health and Human Sciences, College of Visual & Performing Arts, and School of Nursing and, for Exploratory Students, the Students First Office will serve as your advising location. Each academic department provides academic advising to meet the needs of its students. Advising during the first year is much different from the SOAR advising experience. Students are assigned to advisors or advising centers based on their majors during the first semester as advising models vary by department.
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences Advising Center (CASA) advises most first-year majors in the College of Arts and Sciences. Only Biochemistry, Interior Architecture, Mathematics, Philosophy, and Physics majors are assigned to faculty advisors during their first year, rather than CASA. When CASA advisees have earned at least 24 credit hours, they are assigned to faculty advisors in their majors.
Lloyd International Honors College
Lloyd International Honors College (LIHC) advises incoming first-year students at SOAR and during a dedicated Honors College orientation prior to the start of classes in August for the International Honors Program. After SOAR, LIHC has two full-time Academic Advisors available to help students complete the International and Disciplinary Honors Program. Additionally, LIHC provides advising for major national and international scholarships and fellowships, such as the Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, and Goldwater.
Bryan School of Business and Economics
The Undergraduate Student Services Office coordinates advising for all business majors in the Bryan School. All programs in the Bryan School are advised by advisors in the Bryan Undergraduate Student Services Office
First Year transitions courses: BUS 115 from BUS 105
School of Education
The School of Education’s Office of Student Services advises all students majoring in professions in deafness, elementary, middle grades, special education, and dual majors’ combination of elementary education and special education during SOAR. Students who are education majors in specific content areas (such as English, biology, music, etc.) receive advising from that content area during SOAR.
After SOAR each student will be assigned an SOE advisor based on their last name. Students work with their advisor each semester to meet degree & licensure requirements, understand academic options & resources available to them and make educational plans to meet their goals and interests.
School of Health and Human Sciences
A team of faculty members and professional advisors in the School of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) advise undergraduate students during SOAR. Once registered, students are then assigned to the faculty member, professional advisor, or advising center based on their major.
Secondary admission application procedures are required for the Departments of (1) Communication Sciences and Disorders, (2) Human Development and Family Studies, (3) Kinesiology, (4) Public Health Education, and (5) Social Work. In these respective departments, students are prevented from progressing in their advanced curricula until formal acceptance into the department occurs.
College of Visual & Performing Arts
All first year students in the College of Visual & Performing Arts are advised by the CVPA Student Success Team. Once students have finished their first semester and have earned at least 30 hours, they will be advised by faculty members in their area.
School of Nursing
The School of Nursing’s Office of Undergraduate Advising provides academic advising to all freshmen pre-nursing majors during the first year. In the second year, students are assigned a dedicated faculty advisor.
Admission to the upper division Bachelor of Science in Nursing major is by application only (near the end of the sophomore year.) Students must maintain minimum academic requirements to progress in this particular major. Admission to the program is academically competitive and students are encouraged to understand the academic requirements to be competitive for admission to the program. For more information please visit http://nursing.uncg.edu/Undergraduate/advising/.
Exploratory (Undecided) Majors
The Students First Office provides academic advising for all Exploratory (Undecided) Majors until they have declared and been officially admitted to a major. In SFO, academic advising is an educational process in which you and your advisor partner together in meeting established learning outcomes, working toward your academic success, and outlining steps you will take in achieving your personal, educational, and career goals. Students meet with their SFO advisor two times each semester, once during the first 6-8 weeks of the term and then again during the traditional advising & registration period. For more information on academic advising for Exploratory Majors, visit the “Exploratory Majors” information page on the Students First website or call (336) 334-5730.
Students First Office (SFO)
The Students First Office coordinates intervention processes across different academic and administrative units in order to determine the best possible success strategies for students facing academic, social, or financial setbacks. In collaboration with other support services across campus, the office serves as an Academic One-Stop-Shop for assisting students with academic advising, academic appeals, course overload requests, and graduation plan completion. In addition, SFO also serves as the centralized academic advising center for all Exploratory (Undecided) Majors at UNCG. For more information, visit the Students First website or call or call (336) 334-5730.
First-Year Transition Courses
These courses, designed to help ensure a successful transition to UNCG, expose new students to academic tools, campus resources, personal development, and opportunities for campus and community involvement. Research indicates that UNCG students who take these courses achieve higher GPAs and are generally more successful than students who do not take a first-year experience course. While some majors have a dedicated first-year course as part of their curriculum, some courses like FYE 101: Succeed at the G are open to all first-year students and also fulfill the MAC Foundations competency, as part of UNCG's Minerva's Academic Curriculum.
Academic Achievement Center
The Academic Achievement Center (AAC) offers 3 academic support programs for UNCG students: Course-based Tutoring, Academic Skills, and Supplemental Instruction (SI).
- Tutoring is offered in many 100- and 200- level courses, on a weekly appointment and drop-in basis (depending on the course). Tutoring helps you address your questions and clarify points you're confused about in the class.
- Academic Skills services support you as a learner in general, and assists with skill development around time management, studying, reading, note-taking, and other general student skills.
- The Supplemental Instruction (SI) provides discussion and review forums designed to help you achieve success in courses that have been designated as historically difficult.
All of the academic support services through the AAC are FREE! More information about the Academic Achievement Center programs can be found at go.uncg.edu/aac and students can request assistance directly at go.uncg.edu/aac_request.
Office of Accessibility Resources & Services (OARS)
The Office of Accessibility Resources (OARS) provides support for students with a variety of disabilities and diagnosed learning differences. Students should contact this office to determine if they qualify for assistance. For more information, please refer to the OARS section of this publication or to their webpage: http://ods.uncg.edu/.
University Writing Center
The University Writing Center strives to enhance the confidence and competence of student writers by providing free, individual assistance at any stage of a writing project. Staff consultants are experienced writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and suggestions on drafts of papers, help students find answers to their questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. More information about the University Writing Center is available at http://writingcenter.uncg.edu/.
University Speaking Center
The University Speaking Center provides consultation support and instructional workshop services for UNCG students, faculty, employees, and members of the Greensboro community. Our support is designed to help speakers further develop their own oral communication confidence and competence. We provide peer-to-peer feedback, guidance, and other support in the areas of public speaking preparation and delivery, interpersonal communication, and group or team communication.
The Speaking Center is located along with the Writing Center in 3211 MHRA. We are on the third floor. MHRA is on the corner of Forest and Spring Garden – diagonally across the street from the Mossman Building. http://speakingcenter.uncg.edu/
Career & Professional Development
The Career & Professional Development provides individual and group support to all levels of students in their career development process. Whether it is career and self-exploration, identifying and participating in experiential learning opportunities, the graduate school decision-making and application process, developing and maintaining professional networks, or preparing for the professional employment process, the CPD can equip students with the information and tools needed to make well-informed career decisions. To learn more about the CPD and its services go to cpd.uncg.edu
What are Freshman Seminar courses?
These courses, designed to help ensure a successful transition to UNCG, expose new students to academic tools, campus resources, personal development, and opportunities for campus and community involvement. Research indicates that UNCG students who take these courses achieve higher GPAs and are generally more successful than students who do not take a first-year experience course. While some majors have a dedicated first-year course as part of their curriculum, some courses like FYE 101: Succeed at the G are open to all first-year students and also fulfill the MAC Foundations competency, as part of UNCG's Minerva's Academic Curriculum.
Do you have any tips for first-year success that I can share with my student?
We encourage students to:
- Visit Your First Year website for tips and resources at newstudents.uncg.edu/yfy.
- Create a balanced schedule with a variety of courses planned for every day of the week.
- Register for a first-year experience course.
- Maintain balance between academics and employment.
- Get involved on campus through Campus Activities & Programs.
- Go to class.
- Build relationships with faculty, staff, and students.
- Take advantage of campus resources.
- Explore different majors, especially if you are an Exploratory (Undecided) Major.
- Ask for help at any time!