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Orientation

New Student Orientation

 

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We are excited you are starting your academic journey at Clayton State University! We're here to help you get better acquainted with our campus community and prepare for your first semester.


How to Register

Choose your New Student Orientation date from the list below and click "Register Here."  Complete the event registration form and pay the event fee.

You will need your Laker ID (900XXXXXX) and student email address to register. Your student email address has been sent to your personal email account following your admission to Clayton State. If you need your Laker ID, text "ID" to 678-466-6038 from the mobile number on your application or look it up here.

Orientation registration and payments can be made online via credit/debit card. We cannot process registration or payment by phone or mail.

You should receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of successful registration.

Registration must be completed and all fees must be paid by the deadline date for the designated session. 

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Orientation Fee

New Student Orientation is mandatory for all newly-admitted degree-seeking students, including freshman, transfer, nontraditional, and online. The fee is a one-time, not recurring. 

The fees for New Student Orientation vary for each student. A list of orientation fees* are as follows:

Orientation Type Student Cost Guest 1** Guest 2**
Freshman $90.00 $30.00 $30.00
Transfer and Nontraditional $90.00 $30.00 $30.00
Online Students $45.00 Not applicable Not applicable
Non-Degree (Transient and Post-Baccalaureate) Not required Not applicable Not applicable

*Clayton State is changing the structure of our orientation and its fees to better accommodate our students. These changes are effective as of  February 17, 2023. Thank you for your patience.

**Guest fees are for on-campus Orientation sessions. There are no guest fees for online, virtual orientation sessions.

Register early! Space is limited and sessions fill on a first-come, first-serve basis.

All orientation fees are nonrefundable. 

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Register for On-Campus Orientation

Registration is now open. To register, select your student type and entry term, and then choose your New Student Orientation session. The event time for New Student Orientation is 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM; however, students may finish earlier depending on advisement and class registration timing.

Not ready to begin classes? Consider updating your semester to  a later term.

Fall 2023 

Fall 2023 Freshmen Orientation
Friday, July 7, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Deadline: July 2 at 11:59 PM

Register Here

Fall 2023 Freshmen Orientation
Friday, August 4, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Deadline: July 30 at 11:59 PM

Register Here

Spring 2024

Spring 2024 Freshmen Orientation
Friday, November 17, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Link Coming Soon

Spring 2024 Freshmen Orientation
Friday, December 15, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Link Coming Soon

Spring 2024 Freshmen Orientation
Friday, January 5, 2024 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Link Coming Soon

Summer Bridge 2023  Orientation
Friday, June 16, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Deadline: June 11 at 11:59 PM

Register Here

Not ready to begin classes? Consider updating your semester to  a later term.

Fall 2023 

Fall 2023 Transfer, Nontraditional Orientation
Friday, June 16, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Deadline: June 11 at 11:59 PM

Register Here

Fall 2023 Transfer, Nontraditional Orientation
Friday, July 21, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Deadline: July 16 at 11:59 PM

Register Here

Fall 2023 Transfer, Nontraditional Orientation
Friday, August 4, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Deadline: July 30 at 11:59 PM

Register Here

Spring 2024

Spring 2024 Transfer, Nontraditional Orientation
Friday, November 17, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Link Coming Soon

Spring 2024 Transfer, Nontraditional Orientation
Friday, December 15, 2023 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Link Coming Soon

Spring 2024 Transfer, Nontraditional Orientation
Friday, January 5, 2024 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Registration Link Coming Soon

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What to Expect During On-Campus Orientation

At New Student Orientation, you will:

  • Hear from current students and representatives from Financial Aid, Bursar (student accounts/billing), Student Life, Housing, and more
  • Receive information regarding academic policies, procedures, and deadlines
  • Get advising assistance
  • Learn about multiple academic and campus life resources, programs, and services to aid your transition to Clayton State University
  • Access the DUCK to complete course registration
  • Feel welcomed into the university community

Please note that attendance of one orientation session is required for all degree-seeking undergraduate students, including incoming Freshman, Transfer, Nontraditional/Adult, and Online degree-seeking students. 

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Register for Online Orientation

PLEASE NOTE: Online Orientation is for students enrolling in fully online degree programs only. Even if you plan to take all classes online during your first semester of enrollment, you are not eligible for Online Orientation unless your major is a fully online degree program.

If you are unsure of your Online Orientation eligibility, contact the Orientation Student Helpdesk.

Orientation fees are non-refundable. Students with ineligible majors who register for Online Orientation will not be refunded. 

 

Fully Online Degree-Seeking Students Second Session Students Only*
Fall 2023

Registration Opens:
June 1

Registration Deadline:
Aug. 14 @ 11:59 PM

Completion Deadline:
Aug. 18 @ 11:59 PM

Registration Link Coming Soon

Registration Opens:
Sept. 1

Registration Deadline:
Oct. 11 @ 11:59 PM

Completion Deadline:
Oct. 15 @ 11:59 PM

Registration Link Coming Soon
Spring 2024
Dates Coming Soon Registration Link Coming Soon Dates Coming Soon Registration Link Coming Soon

 

*Second Session Orientation is for students who plan to enroll in eCore classes only. Second Session is available for the Fall (starting in October) and Spring (starting in March) semesters.

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Registration Troubleshooting & Assistance

The lookup error occurs when the system cannot match your student account with the information entered on the Orientation registration form. Be sure you have typed your 9-digit Laker ID correctly and check for any typos/misspellings in your student email address. Remove any extra spaces between characters or at the end of the text you entered.

If you are having issues registering for an orientation session, make sure you have done the following:

  • received an acceptance letter from Clayton State with an offer of admission for your intended term of entry
  • correctly entered your Laker ID # in the registration form. Use the Laker ID Lookup tool to confirm your information.
  • used Firefox browser to register. (We recommend avoiding Safari and Chrome web browsers for registration.)

If you require additional registration assistance, feel free to contact our Orientation Student Helpdesk. We are happy to help.

To best assist you, please share the following details:

  1. your full name
  2. your Laker ID
  3. a description of the issue and the date you experienced it
  4. a screenshot of the webpage where you encountered the error

If you are having issues logging into the online orientation portal, make sure you have done the following:

  • been admitted as an online-degree seeking student or changed your major to an online-degree program at Clayton State University for your intended term of entry.
  • registered for an online orientation. Successful registrants receive a confirmation email with details for completing online orientation and a link to access to online orientation portal.
  • activated your student account using the account manager. If you have forgotten your password, you can also use the account manager to reset it.
  • correctly entered your Loch ID # on the login page. It is always entered in as lowercase.

If you require additional assistance accessing the online orientation portal, contact our Orientation Student Helpdesk with the following details:

  1. your full name,
  2. your Laker ID,
  3. a description of the issue and the date you experienced it, and
  4. a screenshot of the webpage where you encountered the error.

If you registered for an in-person or online orientation session AND did not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours, there may be an issue with your registration.

Contact our Orientation Student Helpdesk with the following details:

  1. your full name,
  2. your Laker ID, and
  3. the date you attempted registration

The following materials and information are optional but will also help us troubleshoot the issues you're experiencing:

  1. a description of the browser you used to register,
  2. any screenshots of the payment confirmation webpage, or
  3. any screenshots of the event registration confirmation webpage

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Frequently Asked Questions

New Student Orientation is required for all new degree-seeking students, including freshman, transfer, and nontraditional students.

Dual Enrollment students can find more info about orientation on their New Student Checklist.

If you are pursuing a fully online degree or have been admitted for a second session term, you have the option of completing an online session or attending an on-campus session.

If you are NOT pursuing a fully online degree or have NOT been admitted for a second session term, attend an on-campus session.

In addition to helping you learn more about campus, Orientation is a critical first step to register for your first semester of classes. (If you do not attend/complete your orientation session, you cannot register for classes.)

Remember Orientation fees are non-refundable, so choose your session wisely. You may request to change your Orientation session as long as the requested session is for the same semester. If you are already registered for a Fall 2023 on-campus Orientation and you would like to transfer your registered to a different Fall 2023 session, fill out the Orientation Session Change Request Form.

If you cannot attend in-person, update your major to become eligible for an online session. Learn more about fully-online degree programs and how to update your major for your first term.

If you cannot attend any of the sessions for your term or complete your online orientation by the deadline, consider joining Clayton State at a later date. Use the Change of Semester form to update your term then return to this page to register for  the next available orientation session.

If you are more than 30 minutes late or miss your scheduled orientation, you will need to register for the next available orientation session and pay the fee again.

For more information, please contact our Orientation Student Helpdesk.

New Student Orientation is a self-supported program; your registration fees cover the cost of program expenses, including but not limited to refreshments, printed materials, and supplies.

You can pay the Orientation fee online at the time of registration using a debit or credit card.  We are unable to process registration or payment by phone or mail.

No, Freshman Orientation does not have an overnight requirement.

All on-campus sessions require:

  • comfortable shoes
  • an official picture ID
  • your Laker ID number
  • your Clayton State student email address
  • any remaining and outstanding documents that you need to turn in to the Office of Admissions

Freshman students please check the Housing & Residence Life website for a checklist of items to bring for your move-in date.

Students are allowed to bring up to two guests. See the chart above for the guest fee breakdown.

Yes,  all students attending Orientation will meet with an advisor.

Please visit Housing & Residence Life for specific details regarding freshman on-campus housing requirements or contact them at (678) 466-4665 or housing@clayton.edu.

Please contact the Testing Center at (678) 466-4495 or testingcenter@clayton.edu for information regarding the ACCUPLACER and other tests that may be required before attending your orientation session.

If you live out-of-state and require placement testing, please contact the Testing Office at (678) 466-4495 for additional testing option information prior to your scheduled orientation date(s).

Yes, due to limited laptops on campus the registration of classes process can move more quickly if you have own device. Laptop policy.

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