SOAR is UNCG’s required two-day, overnight, new student orientation. You will meet other new students and learn about campus resources to help you feel prepared to make a successful transition to college. All students participating in the SOAR program must follow UNCG’s Covid-19 protocols: https://covid.uncg.edu/
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
Make your SOAR Reservation
SOAR reservations are open now
- 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 will be attending – you can add your guest reservation at this time
- Are you ready to make your reservation? Click here
*Students must confirm their intent to enroll before creating your SOAR reservation.
*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
New Student Fee
All new students pay a new student fee. The cost of a SOAR reservation is included in your new student fee. The new student fee covers many programs for new students, including SOAR, NAV1GATE, Rawkin' Welcome Week, Your First Year and more! One free guest is included in the new student fee.
Students do not pay the new student fee at SOAR. The new student fee is applied directly to the student account, and cannot be waived. The new student fee is still applicable if you attend SOAR, yet decide not to attend UNCG or if you don’t attend SOAR but do attend UNCG .
SOAR Dates for First Year Students Beginning Fall 2022
- June SOAR session dates are organized by majors.
- Every major falls into one of our colleges or schools. To learn where your major is housed, please visit this website.
SOAR Date Options:
College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), and Exploratory (EXP/undecided):
- June 1 – 2,
- June 9 – 10,
- June 13 – 14,
- June 21 – 22 or
- June 27 – 28
Bryan School of Business and Economics, Health and Human Sciences (HHS), School of Education (SOE), School of Nursing:
- June 6 – 7,
- June 16 – 17,
- June 23 – 24 or
- June 29 – 30
Parking, Meals, and Overnight Accommodations
- Parking will be provided in the Jefferson Suites Residence Hall parking lot
- Lunch and dinner on day one, and breakfast on day two will be provided in Fountain View Dining Hall.
- Students are required to stay overnight on campus during SOAR. Students need to bring a towel, queen sheets, pillow, and personal toiletries (such as toothpaste and deodorant).
- Parents and family members do not stay overnight on campus. We invite you to take a look at the list of area hotels offering UNCG SOAR rates. This list of hotels was curated by the Greensboro Area Convention and Business Bureau. To view the options provided, click here.
Academic Advising and Class Registration
As an incoming first-year student, you will be pre-registered for your fall 2022 semester classes by your Academic Advising Center based on your information provided from the Class Schedule Interest Survey (CSI). Check your UNCG email for more information about how to view your class schedule and connect with your Academic Advising Center.
SOAR Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors!
Day of SOAR
Schedule
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 2020 schedule. For more information on the value of studying a language and the purpose of the diagnostic, visit https://casa.uncg.edu/why-is-it-important-to-study-languages/.
MATH PLACEMENT
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, 2020.
You will need your iSpartan username and password to log into Canvas.uncg.edu. Once you are logged in, click on the Calculus Readiness Diagnostic, where you’ll find access resources to help you prepare as well as the link to take the Diagnostic.
For more information visit: https://mathstats.uncg.edu/undergraduate/placement/calculus-diagnostic-test/
- African American and African-Diaspora Studies BA
- Anthropology BA
- Archaeology BA
- Biochemistry BS
- Biology BA/BS
- Chemistry BA/BS
- Classical Archaeology BA
- Classical Civilization BA
- Communication Studies BA
- Computer Science BS
- English BA
- Environmental Studies BA
- Geography BA
- Greek Language & Literature BA
- History BA
- Integrated Science BA
- International and Global Studies BA
- Languages, Literatures, and Cultures BA
- Latin Language & Literature BA
- Mathematics BA/BS
- Media Studies BA
- Philosophy BA
- Physics BA/BS
- Political Science BA
- Psychology BA/BS
- Religious Studies BA
- Spanish BA
- Sociology BA
- Women’s & Gender Studies BA
- Global Apparel and Retail Studies BS
- International Business Studies BS
- Speech Language Pathology & Audiology BS
- Art BA
- Choral/General Music Education BM
- Drama BA
- Music BA
- Vocal Performance BM
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:
- Vist 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!