First-Year Students Summer 2020
Woo-hoo, you’re coming to Purchase. Congratulations!
We’re looking forward to getting to know you and helping you succeed over the next few years! College is a new beginning and we realize it can be a little intimidating, but through a summer-long Orientation program, we’ll provide you with many resources and services to assist as you transition to college life.
We are thrilled to welcome you to Purchase College and for you to begin your virtual summer Orientation program. Due to COVID-19, we have adjusted our in-person programs and have developed a comprehensive virtual program that will be ongoing throughout the upcoming months. The various components of this program will be opportunities for you to:
- Meet and connect with other incoming students and begin your adjustment to campus life;
- Connect with current undergraduate students who will assist you in answering questions about Purchase College;
- Learn about our unique campus and all the resources it has to offer you
- Meet faculty and staff who will serve as resources during your time at Purchase.
2020 Orientation Program Components
In order to accomplish all of our goals, all new first-year students will be required to participate in the following components:
Summer Orientation Course
We’ve designed a 2020 Summer Orientation course containing modules and presentations loaded with valuable information. It is posted online through Moodle, our campus’ learning management system.
Your Purchase login (first.lastname) will also be your sign-on credentials for this course.
As new content is posted, you’ll fill out additional questionnaires and take a few quizzes to complete your orientation experience.
Half Day Virtual Orientation Session
Registration is now live for your mandatory half-day session hosted the week of July 13th. You will be able to select the date that works best for your schedule but please register early if you have restricted availability, as space is limited in each session. During this virtual session, you will be able to meet other incoming first-year students, build connections with the Student Orientation Leader (SOL) staff, and hear from Purchase faculty about how to prepare for your academic programs. Each session will begin at 2:00pm (EST) and will conclude by 5:00pm*.
Meet Your SOLs, Virtually
Make personal connections during virtual meet-ups and phone calls from your designated Student Orientation Leader (SOL). Meet our team of SOLs.
Training Programs
You must complete campus supported training programs prior to the start of classes.These compliance-training programs are administered through a third-party prevention educational company and maximize student health and safety on our campus.
Phase TWO Orientation
A virtual schedule of additional workshops, sessions, and opportunities to connect with the newest members of our community will be hosted on August 27 or 28. The schedule of events will be sent to Purchase emails the week of August 17.
And More
Additional offerings that will be available prior to the start of classes through your Orientation program:
- Specific virtual events and activities lead by current Purchase Student Orientation Leaders (SOLs)
- Department led co-curricular virtual programs that will introduce interesting offerings from June 8–August 21 (schedule TBD).
What Now?
All new students should complete the Pre-Orientation Survey prior to June 1. This survey will help us manage your expectations and help us provide specialized content that you are interested in.
Please visit these pages for updates to the program, alerts for new course content, and upcoming events. We encourage you to begin checking your Purchase email on a regular basis as this is where all campus and Orientation information will be sent.
Access and Accommodations
The Office of Disability Resources coordinates academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services for students with disabilities to ensure equal access to all programs, services, and activities at Purchase College.
For students who may require disability-related accommodations to access the First-Year Orientation online program, please follow the steps outlined on the Registering with Our Office website.
Questions about this process? Call or email the Office of Disability Resources directly: (914) 251-6035, odr@purchase.edu.
Health Requirements
Students must submit the MMR Immunization Form or comparable vaccination record from your primary care provider or high school as required by New York State prior to course registration. You will not be allowed to attend Purchase College without this information on file.
Also, students must submit the College Entrance Health History and Physical Examination form, which is a required document for all new students and must be on record with Health Services before the first day of classes. A physical examination done within the past 18 months is required for form completion by you and your health care provider.
Please contact Health Services at hse@purchase.edu, should you have any questions. All forms may be faxed to (914) 251-6388 or emailed to hse@purchase.edu.
Do your parents or family members have questions?
Of course, we figured that they might!
Getting campus information to members of your support system is important to us. We want them to be prepared for your transition to college, so we’ll have online presentations, resources, and content posted to a Parent and Guest Orientation course beginning July 13.
In addition, we’ll also host virtual events for them to participate during the weeks of July 20 and July 27. There will be no additional cost to access content or participate in the evening events. They should view the Parent and Guests page for more information.
Additional Assistance:
EOP & MAP Students: You will be assigned specific half-day Orientation sessions, you will not need to register. MAP students will be assigned July 15 and EOP students will be assigned July 16. Please find additional information on your programs in this handbook.
Summer Success Fellows: Students in this program will be assigned specific half-day Orientation session on July 15. You do not need to register for a different session.
Global Scholars: Students in this program will be assigned specific half-day Orientation session on July 16. You do not need to register for a different session.
Please contact CTS if you need assistance with setting up your Purchase credentials or email account.
* Please note that when registration opens for the half-day sessions, students will be able to register for the day that works best for their schedule but space will be limited on each day. We encourage our students to register early if they have a limited schedule.