Finding Your Purpose: The Freshman Experience

SOAR: Summer Orientation and Registration

Get a head start on your AU experience. At SOAR, you’ll:

• Meet peers, mentors, and advisors.
• Plan your first semester with personalized guidance.
• Learn about resources to support your success.

SOAR also includes enhanced support for first-generation students, making sure every Spartan feels welcome from day one.

AU: Fuel Your Future

If you’re a conditionally admitted student, AU: Fuel Your Future is your summer bridge to success. You’ll:

• Take 15 hours of targeted instruction.
• Build study skills and explore campus resources.
• Connect with classmates before the semester starts.

Led by the Academic Support Center, this program helps you gain confidence, secure the right course placement, and start the year ready to thrive.

Welcome Weekend

Kick off your first semester with energy and connection. Welcome Weekend offers:

• Interactive sessions and activities with New Student Mentors.
• Social events for both commuter and residential students.
• Opportunities to explore campus life and make lasting friends.

By the end of the weekend, you’ll feel right at home.

First Year Experience (FYE)

Part of AU’s General Education Program, FYE helps you shape your future through two shared courses:

• IDS1150 First Year Experience: Completed over eight weeks during your first fall semester, you’ll join workshops, lectures, and activities that build academic skills, life skills, and campus connections.
• IDS1200 Discover What Matters: Guided by the principle “Discover what matters. And build your life around it,” this thematic seminar helps you explore your values, sharpen your critical thinking and communication skills, and strengthen your sense of purpose.

For conditionally admitted students:

You’ll also receive additional support in math and English, with opportunities to strengthen your skills through faculty feedback, small-group workshops, and strategies for success in any course.

Spartan Connections

Find your people and your place at AU. Through Spartan Connections, you’ll:

• Partner with a faculty or staff mentor in a small student group.
• Meet twice each semester and stay in touch monthly.
• Gain guidance, encouragement, and access to resources.

This year-long mentorship program builds community and helps you make the most of your first year.

Your first year is the foundation for everything that follows. With Finding Your Purpose: The Freshman Experience, you won’t just start college, you’ll start strong, supported, and ready to make the most of every opportunity at AU.