Parent and Family Orientation

 

We know that as parents you have very specific questions and concerns about your son or daughter's experience at American University. To address these questions and concerns, New Student Programs offers parent orientation programs that run parallel to our student orientation programs during the summer. Parents participating in the Parent Orientation will have opportunities to meet parents of other AU Students, ask questions of the dean of students, learn more about AU’s academic programs, become more familiar with campus, get information about resources and services available to you and your student, and meet with representatives from Housing and Dining Programs, the Student Health Center, Information Technology, and Public Safety.

You may find the following checklist to be useful in getting ready for your orientation experience this summer!

Read the Student and Family Member New Student Orientation and Welcome Weeks Information and Registration Brochures. A hard copy of this brochure will be sent to your home address in upon payment of your deposit.

After discussing with your student, choose a summer NSO session to attend. The dates are as follows:

Session	2009 Dates
Session I	June 18-19
Session II	June 22-23
Session III	June 25-26
Session IV	June 29-30
Session V	July 6-7
Session VI	July 9-10
August Move In Information	Click here
Family Weekend	October 23-25

To register for the Parent and Family Orientation, you will need to have your student register you while they are making their reservations. Registration will be on-line using the New Student Checklist on the my.american.edu web portal and will be available starting on Monday, March 30. Our registration site works best when using Internet Explorer. Remember that your families registration is not confirmed unless your student receives an email confirmation to their AU email address.

*If you are unable to join your student during the summer for Parent and Family Orientation, you may choose to attend an abbreviated orientation program for parents offered during Welcome Weeks. For more information, click here or contact our office at 202-885-3303.

Plan your travel to and from NSO. Our Parent and Family Orientation program officially begins at 9:00 a.m. on day 1. If you are traveling a long distance you might want your student to take advantage of our early arrival option. On Day 2, our program will end around 4:00 p.m. depending on the sessions you choose to attend or if you have any other appointments scheduled on campus.

Our sample student and parent and family member schedules should help you plan your arrival and departure times.

Do you need to know how to get to AU's campus from one of our area airports? Click here for more information.

Driving to AU? Click here for directions to campus.

While all students are required to stay on campus during orientation, family members may choose to stay on or off campus. Parents and Family members opting to stay on campus will be housed in a traditional style student residence hall. Please note that any parent attending orientation alone will be housed with another parent.

Most family members prefer to stay in a hotel during orientation. For a list of area hotels, click here.

Print out directions to campus and campus maps.

Students must email us at orientation@american.edu at least 48 hours in advance if there are any cancellations or changes to their registration.

Pack your bags! Here is a list of what you will need to bring with you for orientation:

1. The folder that was mailed to you to hold all your important information

2. Comfortable walking shoes

3. Casual and warm-weather attire, as well as a sweatshirt or light sweater for air-conditioned rooms

4. Umbrella

5. A bath robe (If choosing to stay on campus)


Read our FAQ's and Answers if you have any additional questions or call us at 202-885-3303.

 

What Happens After Orientation?

Parent Guide
As a parent or family member, we know that you have very specific questions and concerns. In order to address these questions and concerns, AU has produced the Parent Guide. You can view a copy of the guide by clicking here. (2009-2010 edition coming in June)

Parent Receptions (during Welcome Weeks)
These small events are traditionally offered during the weekend new students move in. The receptions are scheduled at 3:00 p.m. on the second floor of the Mary Graydon Center. Visit with other new parents, get your last minute questions answered by our knowledgeable staff and students, and take a break before heading out of town. Final dates will be available in July.

First-Year Students	Parents and Families	Transfer Students