To make the most of your Honors Orientation experience, please review each section below at least one week before your scheduled Orientation session. Completing these items ahead of time will help Honors Orientation advisors better support you during course registration on Day 2.
Step 1: Gather Your Academic Information
Before Orientation, take some time to gather information about any academic credits you may be bringing with you - even if you are unsure how (or if) you'll use them.
This may include:
- AP, IB, and A Level Credit: scores from exams you've taken in prior years, or estimates of scores from your most recent exams
- ECE: official UConn grades from Student Administration
- Transfer courses: UConn equivalent courses, when available
It is okay if you don't have official scores by the time you attend Orientation - this step is about awareness and planning.
No worries if you aren’t bringing in credit. Many Honors students start without prior credits and they are not behind in any way. There is plenty of time to build a strong, balanced academic plan.
Step 2: Complete the Honors Interactive Advising Worksheet (Required)
The Honors IAW will be available closer to the start of Orientation. No worries if you don't see it yet - you can complete the other preparation steps now and return to this page later once the IAW is posted.
This worksheet helps Honors Orientation Advisors:
- Learn about your academic interests and goals
- Review any earned or expected credits
- Prepare to guide you through course registration on Day 2
Important details:
- You will need to log in with your NetID to acccess the worksheet
- If you need help logging in, visit the NetID page or contact UConn ITS
- Remember your login info - you'll be using it to log into the Student Administration System (Student Admin) during your registration session!
- This worksheet is in addition to any pre-advising form required by your School or College
- We strongly recommend entering your email address when filling out the IAW so you receive a copy of your responses
Once completed, your responses will be saved in Nexus (Advising --> Shared Documents and Notes) so they can be referenced during Orientation.
Step 3: Review School or College Requirements
Before Orientation, please review any information provided by your School or College, including:
- Major and degree requirements
- Placement exam requirements (if applicable)
- Advising materials shared ahead of Orientation
You should also log into Student Admin to:
- Check for any holds that could prevent course registration
- This may include the Student Financial Responsibility Agreement or other required items
Taking care of these items ahead of time helps ensure you are eligible to register and ready to work with Honors Orientation Advisors to build a full-time schedule that supports your goals and degree progress. While you may not get every first-choice course or section, advisors will help you explore options and move forward with confidence.
Step 4: Start Thinking About Your First-Semester Schedule
For your first semester, you'll take 12-17 credits total. Within these credits, you'll enroll in UNIV 1784 (required) and we recommend one additional Honors course. You're just getting started, and you don't need to complete all Honors or Common curriculum requirements this year - just begin making progress!
Before Orientation, we recommend that you:
- Review UNIV 1784 course descriptions
- Practice adding a UNIV 1784 section to your shopping cart
- Adding a course to your cart is not the same as enrollment
- Course availability and scheduling may affect which section you ultimately take
- Students in Special Programs will be enrolled in the UNIV 1784 section for their program
- Think about other courses on your "wish list" - some you will take in the fall and others you may take in future semesters
If you have already completed the Honors IAW, be sure to review the course suggestions and links generated from your responses. These are meant to support your planning and guide your advising conversation, not to lock you into a specific schedule.
You do not need to finalize your schedule before your Orientation session - that's what Day 2 is for! But doing some early thinking can help the registration process feel more manageable.
This page highlights key steps for Honors Orientation, but it is not a comprehensive checklist. Be sure to also review and complete all items on UConn's New Student Checklist.
You don't need to have everything decided before Orientation, but taking the time to review these steps will help you arrive informed, prepared, and ready to engage!