Welcome!

Congratulations on your acceptance and decision to attend Rensselaer! The Office of the First-Year Experience is excited to welcome you as a part of the Rensselaer community this summer and fall.

Orientation marks the beginning of your membership into the Rensselaer family. The purpose of orientation is to help you make a seamless transition from high school to your new life as a Rensselaer student. This website is a supplement to the “Experience It: Orientation 2009” booklet mailed home as part of the Student Orientation confirmation packet. Rensselaer offers a comprehensive, two-part orientation experience for all incoming students consisting of Student Orientation (SO) and Navigating Rensselaer & Beyond (NRB).

Student Orientation session 5 is here!

Things you should know ahead of time:

• What time is check-in? When do I need to be there?
  Check-in for students and parents is from 8:30-9:15 a.m. on Day 1.
  
• When does my session end? Do I have to stay for the whole session?
  Sessions will end by noon on Day 2. Yes – students are required to participate in the entire SO session.
• Is there a specific place I should park?
  Yes – please follow the directions provided in your “Experience it – Orientation 2009” booklet mailed home. You can also download a PDF version of the directions. Please note: staff and signs will only be in place based on the provided directions. Also, if you decide to park on your own on 15th Street, be aware that the parking meters will be enforced during SO.
  

Recent FAQ’s

Below are some of the questions we’ve been receiving recently:

• When can I move in?
  Please see the move-in information page for details.
• I didn’t find out what day trip I was assigned to for NRB – what do I do?
  Most students will find out which trip(s) they have been assigned to during their first floor meeting on Tuesday, August 25 at 4 p.m. Those students that have to bring something in advance (a bike, instrument, etc.) or need to fill out a release form have had emails sent to their RPI email address.
• How do I get my bill?
  Bills at Rensselaer are all electronic. Initial billing information will be sent to your RPI email address. You can authorize this information to be shared/emailed to your parents/others as needed. Additional e-bill information
  
• It seems like a lot of info is sent to my RPI email address – how can I check it?
  Yes! Your RPI email address is used by all offices on campus, your professors, your advisors, etc. It is essential that you check it often, especially during the school year. You can check your RPI email online, set it up in Outlook/Thunderbird/etc., or forward it to another email address (if you forward it, be sure to always have your “from” address be your RPI address when writing to professors, offices, etc. so we can best serve you.) If you need to set up your account, please follow the instructions provided in your SO confirmation packet.

Complete your enrollment today – freshmen students

The following items are required in order to complete your enrollment at Rensselaer and are all past due:

• Enrollment deposit
• Residence Hall and Dining Preferences
• Student Orientation Reservation Form
• Report of Medical History
• Final high school transcript form

Complete your enrollment today – transfer students

Transfer students have eight items to complete in order to ensure your enrollment for Fall 2009. These include the transfer enrollment deposit form, transfer student orientation form, and the report of medical history. An outline of all steps can be found on the Accepted Transfer Students web page.