First-Year Checklist

Before Orientation:

• Attend a live (online) academic advising pre-Orientation meeting. This is separate from your orientation session and should be completed before your Orientation session. 

  • The purpose of the live, virtual pre-orientation advising session is to provide incoming students with the necessary guidance and information to prepare you to select your courses. THIS SESSION DOES NOT REPLACE YOUR SCHEDULED ORIENTATION SESSION AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO YOUR SCHEDULED ORIENTATION SESSION. Although you will enroll in classes during your Orientation, the pre-orientation advising meeting will inform you of your academic requirements and provide time for you to explore academic classes. This meeting will help you be better prepared to choose your courses, connect you with your support network, help prepare you for your Orientation session.    

    First-year students: REGISTER FOR THE PRE-ORIENTATION ADVISING SESSION HERE(opens in new window). 

• Financial Aid-If you have applied for financial aid, be sure to view and accept, or decline, your award offer. In your Portal Account, enter your Student Center, scroll to Finances and click View Financial Aid. Questions, contact Financial Aid. 
• Math Placement Assessment- We strongly encourage students whose major requires calculus, or wants to improve their math placement level, to utilize the ALEKS PPL Math Placement Assessment. ALEKS PPL needs to be completed at least 3 business days prior to your Orientation session to in order to appropriately advise you into Fall  courses. Get started today!
• Get your Wildcat ID Card!  Create a ticket and UPLOAD your photo at least ONE WEEK prior to your Summer Orientation Day (if attending Orientation in-person then you will receive it on your Orientation day. Virtual Orientation attendees can retrieve in Meriam Library 142 at the beginning of the semester). Follow the instructions to request your ID cards(opens in new window).
• Still unsure about your major? Take FOCUS 2(opens in new window)! The brief 15-minute survey will ask you general questions and provide Chico State majors/occupations based upon your responses. If you plan to change your major, please let the Orientation Office know as soon as possible.
  
• Set up Duo, an authentication service that provides an additional level of security and is required for Chico State Students: Follow the instructions here(opens in new window).  

• Submit immunization records - Submit immunization records and complete their assessment in the patient portal. Additional information can be found here(opens in new window).
• Follow @chicostatesummero to connect with your classmates and stay current on the latest information!  

After Orientation:

• Pay registration Fees - Pay your fees or have sufficient Pending Financial Aid by the fee payment due date. Learn more about fees, viewing your Student Center, and financial aid disbursements and refunds at Student Financial Services.
• Submit final transcripts to Admissions. Log into your Student Center (go to the Chico State webpage, select portal, then Student Center). and check your To-Do list for any remaining items. Remaining check list items may prevent you from registering for classes during your session. The deadline to submit transcripts is July 15, 2023.
• Still unsure about your major? Take FOCUS 2! The brief 15-minute survey will ask you general questions and provide Chico State majors/occupations based upon your responses. If you plan to change your major, please let the Orientation Office know as soon as possible.
• Become familiar with Canvas. Canvas is the learning management system where students find the content provided by their instructors of their past and present classes. You can find more information here.(opens in new window)
• University Housing -Check your living assignments if you are living in University Housing.
• Order Textbooks -Visit the Wildcat Store website to order your textbooks.
• Wildcat Welcome -Plan to attend Wildcat Welcome events.
• Complete the online Alcohol Edu and Not Anymore programs. These will become available two weeks before the semester starts. (You can access the link through your Portal.)
• Make the most of your college experience. Search over 200 campus clubs and organizations.
• Classes begin Monday, August 21, 2023!