PREPARE FOR
UTAH BOUND ORIENTATION
COLLEGE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER—BEGIN PREPARING FOR ORIENTATION NOW!
All admitted students are required to complete new student orientation.
Utah Bound Orientation is a mandatory program and must be completed before new students can register for classes. Registration for Summer/Fall 2025 Utah Bound Orientations is open!
As you wait for your scheduled Utah Bound Orientation date, take steps to prepare. The more you know about college requirements, about majors that are available, about ways you can earn college credits now, the easier your transition to college will be. Use these resources to help you plan and prepare for orientation. Note: new students do not need to schedule an advising appointment. Your academic advising will be included on the date you attend Utah Bound Orientation.
Optional Info Sessions
We encourage all students to learn more about major exploration, prehealth/prelaw paths, or their intended major/college before orientation! Many programs offer optional Info Sessions for newly admitted students to attend.
Major Exploration
Are you unsure about what major to choose? Our Major Exploration Session is designed for you! Learn about resources for exploring majors, find answers to your questions, and meet students on a similar path!
MAJOR EXPLORATION SESSIONS
PreMed/PreLaw
PreProfessional Advising helps students prepare for professional schools. Newly admitted premed and prelaw students can sign up for a virtual (zoom) info session before attending New Student Orientation.
PREMED/PRELAW SESSIONS
College & Major-Specific
Many colleges at the university (business, engineering, nursing, etc) offer info sessions and events for prospective students to attend. These can be a great way to learn about these colleges and the programs they offer!
COLLEGE EVENTS
Steps to Prepare for Utah Bound Orientation
STEP 1 : KNOW YOUR NEXT STEPS
Starting off your college experience can seem like a confusing and intimidating process. This checklist outlines what you need to know and do as a new U student.
Parents/supporters, we know it can be hard to send your child off to college. The Parent & Family Checklist will show you how you can get your student on the right track.
Utah Bound Orientation
Utah Bound Orientation is required of all new students entering the university, and
students must complete orientation to register for classes. Only students who have
confirmed their enrollment and deposited can register for orientation.
REGISTER FOR Utah Bound ORIENTATION
Exploring Majors + Utah Bound Orientation
The earlier orientation date you are able to attend, the earlier you will be able
to register for classes. Especially, if you are exploring majors, attending Utah Bound
Orientation earlier means you will have more exploratory classes to choose from!
Should you give a major for orientation?
If you have a major you want to study, yes! When you register for Utah Bound Orientation,
you will be asked to choose a major (for example, business, health & kinesiology,
spanish) or undeclared. If you have a major or college you are considering, you should
select this major. This is not final, and you are able to change your mind. Also,
this does not confine you to only taking classes from this major; this just means
you will be able to speak with an academic advisor for this area during orientation.
Why choose a major?
Select a specific college or major if you are planning to pursue this area. The major
and college that you share will determine the advisor you will speak with during orientation.
This can be a great time to learn more about a specific major classes, opportunities,
scholarships, first-year student programs, etc.
What if I'm deciding between majors?
If you are choosing between two colleges or two majors, select one of these areas
to learn more about during Utah Bound Orientation. After you complete orientation,
you will be able to schedule an advising appointment with an academic advisor in the
second major. If you are choosing between two majors in the same college, select one
of these majors as you will be meeting with this college during Utah Bound Orientation.
Why choose undeclared?
If you are uncertain about which majors are offered, which topics you are interested
in, or how your interests align with potential majors, select undeclared. You will
then speak with a major exploration advisor and make a first semester course plan
that allows you to explore your interests and majors available.
STEP 2 : EXPLORE MAJORS AVAILABLE
Exploring majors early helps you find one that sticks and gives you the opportunity to create a meaningful degree.
5 Myths about Majors
What to Know about Exploration
Begin Searching Majors
MAJOR SEARCH | SEE WHAT's AVAILABLE MAJOR MAPS | Explore Your Interests
STEP 3: UNDERSTAND PREVIOUSLY EARNED CREDITS
You may have already earned begin earning college credits through International Baccalaureate exams, Advanced Placement exams, and concurrent enrollment credits. Learn more below!
Transfer students include anyone who has earned college credits after graduating from high school and is transferring from another college or university. Transfer students will need to send official transcripts from all credit-granting institutions. Wondering how your credits may be applied at the U? Search for your college and classes in the below transfer articulation search. If you do not find a course within the search, this means the course has not yet been evaluated by our university and will be evaluated once your official transcripts have been received.
Students enrolled at the University of Utah who achieved scores of 5, 4, or 3 in an Advanced Placement (AP) examination in high school may be awarded credit. Please review the AP Equivalency Guide for more information on college credit that may be awarded.
Planning to pursue a professional prehealth path (premed, predental, etc.)? Make sure to review information from our PreProfessional Advising Office about how these previous credits are reviewed by professional programs.
All AP scores must be sent from the College Board directly to the University of Utah.
The Office of Admissions will evaluate all previously earned college credits for their potential to meet general education requirements. Review the general education courses offered at the University of Utah, and when possible, select comparable concurrent enrollment courses offered through your high school.
For credits to be evaluated, students must request an official college transcript be sent directly to the University of Utah.
TRANSFER ARTICULATION SEARCH UTAH Concurrent enrollment uNIVERSITY OF UTAH GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES
Students enrolled at the University of Utah who have achieved a minimum score of 5
on higher level International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations may be awarded credit.
Please the the IB Equivalency Guide for more information on college credit that may
be awarded.
Planning to pursue a professional prehealth path (premed, predental, etc.)? Make sure to review information from our PreProfessional Advising Office about how these previous credits are reviewed by professional programs.
International Baccalaureate scores must be sent from IBIS directly to the University of Utah.
Students who have earned college credits may be coming to the U with an associate's degree, a general education certificate, or with individual courses which may fulfill general education requirements.
LEARN MORE HAVE QUESTIONS? REACH OUT! uNIVERSITY OF UTAH GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CREDITS? ContaCT US!
Step 4: find your community
Students who begin their college experience connected to a community tend to have higher GPAs in their first year, report higher satisfaction with their first year of college, and express a stronger sense of belonging with the University. Learn more about learning communities available!
QUEST LEARNING COMMUNITY
Quest offers small-sized academic seminar courses that meet general education and
baccalaureate requirements and introduce students to university supports as they make
decisions around majors and career pathways. Quest further helps build students’ sense
of belonging at the university with participation in Quest social, community service,
and academic peer events. For this program, there is no need to apply.
Students can register for a Quest course during Utah Bound Orientation.
learn more
CRIMSON
MENTORS
Transfer students make up nearly 40 percent of undergraduates, and often their needs
differ from first-year students. Crimson Mentors is designed to pair new transfer
students to current transfer student mentors. The mentors are available to advise
mentees about campus life, as well as provide social, academic, and professional programs
and workshops for their mentees. Crimson Mentors is also designed to meet the requirements
for Crimson Transfer Honor Society.
Sign-ups will open at the same time as Utah Bound Orientations during the summer.
learn more
FIRST GENERATION
SCHOLARS
The First Gen Scholars is a cohort program for incoming first-generation students.
Students are assigned to a peer mentor, who will focus on supporting their mentees
in their transition to the University of Utah. The cohort is a close-knit community
where students forge connections and mutually support each other in achieving academic
success throughout their educational journey.
Students apply to the program. Last cohort decisions for the year are made at the
end of July.
learn more & APPLY
EXPLORE LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND THEMED HOUSING AVAILABLE
Have Questions? Reach out!
Madeline Rencher
Program Manager
Early Engagement in Advising
Campus Advising Solutions
madeline.rencher@utah.edu
Have questions about a specific major? Email a major advisor.