Orientation Information for Parents + Supporters
Welcome to the Blugold family!
We understand that your student's orientation experience is really important to you, and so we have created many opportunities to learn, engage, and ask questions. During our orientation program, you'll get the opportunity to chat with university staff members via live sessions, have your questions answered and concerns addressed, and connect with other parents and guests.
The New Student Orientation Experience
It's important for you to know what is expected of your incoming Blugold as they prepare to engage with our orientation process. See details below on what you and your student can expect, and be sure to reach out to us with any questions you may have.
Pre-work for Orientation: Placement Tests and the Pre-Advising Survey
All incoming first year students will be required to complete their placement exams and the pre-advising survey prior to their scheduled advising meeting during orientation. For transfer students, this is a bit more on a case-by-case basis. More detailed information on both of these requirements can be found in the corresponding student checklists - for first year students or for our transfer students.
Failure to complete necessary requirements can have an effect on the selection and confirmation of your student's class schedule, so encourage them to complete these tasks early!
Blugold Experience Days: Your Student's In-Person Orientation Program
During Blugold Experience Days, students will be able to tour our beautiful campus and residence halls, attend a resource fair, chat with other staff and students, dine on campus, attend live sessions, check out places in the surrounding community, and much more! We highly recommend that parents/friends/supporters join our students on campus for these sessions, as we have dedicated programming for families and supporters on these days. There are multiple days to choose from each summer, and students need to only attend 1 date. For spring admits, there is only one designated Blugold Experience Day, and that happens after move in, in later January.
During our summer Blugold Experience Days, first year students in particular will be required to meet with their academic advisor to register for classes as well as our orientation team to learn more about the transition to college and academic/student life. These meetings will just be between the student, their advisor, and our team. While students are in their advising appointment, there will be plenty of helpful resources for families, as well as options for families to ask questions after registration. Students will be emailed about our entire process for orientation, and can view more specific information in the meantime by starting here. Spring admits will register online before their Blugold Experience Day.
More information on Blugold Experience days can be found here. Registration is required via the student's CampS account. We hope to see you there!
Blugold Welcome: Your Student's Official Welcome to Campus
Blugold Welcome is our series of events we host on campus once students arrive for move in. This is a great way for students to make new friends and check out various campus buildings and hot spots, while getting free food, swag, and other goodies to decorate their new home.
We know that students may feel uneasy or even a little homesick once they get to campus, and so Blugold Welcome events are a wonderful way to help them get out and explore campus, and meet and connect with other Blugolds. Encourage your student to get involved and celebrate being a part of the Blugold family!
Bookmark this page to share with your student as we get closer to the fall semester.
How can we help you?
We know that with any new experience, there comes a lot of jargon and information that may be unfamiliar to new students and their families. We've consolidated some of our recent questions from families into larger categories, and have included them below as a start!
*IMPORTANT: placement testing registration for fall 2026 admits will open on March 15, 2026. If your student is a spring 2026 admit, they should be able to take their online exams at this time.
When registration is available, make sure your student completes their placement tests as early as possible - these need to be completed at least 2 weeks before their scheduled orientation date.
All students are required to take placement tests in Math and English (and World Languages - French, German, or Spanish - if they have the appropriate experience) and they'll need to complete them early in order to ensure they’re able to register for classes effectively. More information regarding the process for completing placement exams is located on our student pages:
Students will connect with their Academic Advisor during their orientation advising meeting to discuss transfer of credits (from another college or otherwise). Advisors are trained to look at several factors (high school grades, test scores, college credits, etc.) to prepare options and determine the best path forward for your student.
While students can find it helpful to review our degree plans and other academic information in our catalog (https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/blugold-central/academic-planning/catalogs), the Academic Advisor will share recommendations based on a multitude of factors and together, your student and their advisor will work to determine a best course of action for classes in their first semester.
It's helpful for our Blugold families to recognize and get to know all of the different applications we'll reference in our orientation sessions ahead of the first semester. Handshake? The Housing Portal? CampS? Let us explain!
CampS: CampS is an online platform that students will use to update/edit personal contact information, view information on financial aid, and manage several items related to their academics (sign up for classes, view grades, remove academic holds, viewing class schedule, etc.). Students are also able to give their parent/guardian or another trusted person delegated access to their account through the CampS portal.
More information on CampS can be found here.
My Housing Portal: If your student is living on campus, the housing portal is your student's one-stop-shop for all things 'residence life.' On this online portal, your student will find their housing applications, receive application updates and notifications, and get their first introductions to roommates once the notices go out.
Navigate Student: Navigate Student is a personalized application designed to help your student adjust and excel in college. Navigate includes important reminders, to-dos, schedules and upcoming deadlines specific to your student. Navigate is also the way that students will need to schedule an appointment with their academic advisor. Students can download this app from the Google Play store (android) or the App Store (iPhone) for free.
Handshake: Used heavily by our Career Center and employer partners, Handshake allows your student to explore work-study opportunities and part-time jobs, discover internships, apply for full time jobs, and read company reviews — all in one spot. If a student is looking for any job (on or off campus) - you'll want to make sure they know about this application. Students can download the Handshake app from the Google Play store (android) or the App Store (iPhone) for free.
Here are some of the more popular resources we see students utilize in their first term at UW-Eau Claire. Encourage your student to bookmark these pages for easy access - and feel free to do that yourself, as well!
- Academic Skills Center (provides resources like tutoring, peer support, and online academic tools): https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/student-success-center/academic-skills-center
- Advising, Retention, + Career Center (provides academic and career advising services): https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/advising-retention-career-center
- Blugold Central (assists with financial aid, parking, and registration questions): https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/blugold-central
- Counseling Services (offers in person and virtual appointments): https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/counseling-services
- Recreation + Sport Operations (offers ways for students to stay mentally and physically healthy): https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/recreation-and-sport-operations
- Scholarship Resource Center (offers support on finding and applying for scholarships): https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/blugold-central/financial-aid-office/scholarship-resource-center
Blugold Family Communication - Get connected!
We have a multitude of ways for you to connect with the university and other Blugold Families. Our University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Family Facebook page is a virtual community where families can come together to learn about enrollment, residence life, financial aid, academics, etc. and to hear from administration on important happenings on campus throughout the year.
Additionally, you can sign up for the Blugold Family Communication newsletter. Each month, we send out an email to let parents and families know about upcoming events, important deadlines and resources available. Sign-up by submitting your email via this registration link.
Questions
Need help? We're here! Please email orientation@uwec.edu and someone will get back to you shortly.