Preparing For Your Orientation Program
Travel Arrangements
Housing and Meals
Items to Bring
Financial Aid
Requesting Disability Services
Travel Arrangements
To help you find your way to campus, please note the check-in location for your Orientation program as can be found with your date confirmation materials. By following this link, you will find a map that shows routes to Columbus and your arrival and parking locations for orientation. * Be sure to allow extra time for construction on the freeways in and around Columbus.
Airline Flights to Columbus
Commercial flights will arrive at Port Columbus International Airport (CMH). Taxi, shuttle, and limousine service to the campus area is available. For additional ground transportation and car rental information, contact:
Airport Information: (614) 239-4083 www.port-columbus.com
If you have any trouble, call 292-4161 (2-4161 if you're calling from a campus phone) for assistance.
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Housing and Meals
We strongly encourage all students and their guests to purchase the orientation meal package as there are few convenient options and the lunch on Day one is a very much a part of the orientation program.
We also encourage all students to stay overnight in a residence hall, even those from central Ohio, so that they can gain firsthand experience of student life at Ohio State and be fully involved in the orientation program. However, most family members find it more comfortable to stay in nearby hotels.
Staying in a residence hall during your two-day orientation is convenient and allows you to be fully involved in the orientation program. Students and family members who take advantage of this opportunity should pack separately because they will not room together.
Each residence hall suite has four bedrooms-two students will be assigned to each bedroom. The suite of eight people will share the bathroom and living room facility. Family members and guests also share facilities. Couples will be assigned to one bedroom. Family members and guests traveling alone will be assigned to a bedroom with a roommate of the same sex. The suite of eight people will share the bathroom and living room facility.
Helpful Residence Hall Information:
- Bring clothes hangers and alarm clocks, as they are not provided.
- Bed and bath linens are provided.
- All residence hall suites are air-conditioned, but windows do not open.
- Smoking and alcoholic beverages are not permitted in the residence halls.
Reserving Housing and Meals
After you have reserved your orientation date, there will be a link on your comfirmation page leading to our housing and meal reservation site. Full package information described below, meal only information available on the reservation web site.
Orientation Student Package .......................$48
(includes housing, 1 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 breakfast)
Adult Guest Package..................................$53
(includes housing, 1 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 breakfast)
Additional Nights in the Residence Halls
The rate for additional nights in the residence halls is $25 per person, per night.
Your family members may prefer to stay at one of the fine hotels near campus which offer special room rates for orientation participants.
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Items to Bring
- Money (cash, check or credit card) for orientation housing, meals, and parking
- A battery-operated calculator, if taking the math assessment (Programmable calculators and calculators using computer symbolic algebra or QWERTY keyboards are not permitted.)
- A picture ID (driver's license, state ID or passport), required to get your university ID card
- A transcript of any college course work taken during high school, in case your official college transcript hasn't arrived
- A backback or bookbag, as you will receive a number of materials
- An alarm clock, pillow, and extra blanket, if staying in the residence halls
- A sweater or light jacket (Some rooms are air-conditioned and may be unusually chilly.)
- Inclement weather gear such as umbrellas and raincoats
- Ohio State Internet Username and Password
- Comfortable shoes and casual clothing, as you will do extensive walking and some stair climbing
- Student-issued copy of AP scores (Note: original copies must be sent directly from AP to Ohio State.)
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Financial Aid
Yearly file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Financial Aid priority deadlines adhere to when the FAFSA was actually received not mailed to them.
Check your current Financial Aid status at http://sfa.osu.edu/status. This site will indicate your award status and any additional documentation that may be required for verification.
If there are any verification documents requested yet not submitted, you may bring them with you to your orientation session. You may meet with a financial aid representative to answer questions and submit your documents.
Initially to activate an awarded Federal Direct Loan, three requirements exist. The loan needs to be accepted in full or part. Do so by viewing your status page http://sfa.osu.edu/status and using the prompt in the What's Needed column of your electronic Financial Aid Award Package.
You must also complete online entrance counseling at http://lo-online.ed.gov/entrance_counseling. Ohio State reserves the right to cancel all or part of this loan if you do not fulfill this requirement.
If you are awarded a Federal Direct Loan and you want to activate all or part of your loan, a Master Promissory Note (MPN) is required. You must access and complete your electronic MPN at http://dlenote.ed.gov. You will need to have your Federal Personal Identification Number (PIN). If you do not have a PIN, you may register for one at http://pin.ed.gov.
Please refer to http://sfa.osu.edu to answer any additional questions that you may have, or to contact our office.
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Requesting Disability Services
Most of the academic accommodations and services available to students during the academic year through the Office for Disability Services (ODS) are also available to you during orientation. Students with disabilities can receive support services that include test-taking assistance and adaptive transportation. Disability documentation must be presented to ODS for determination of eligibility prior to your orientation session. If arrangements are made in advance, ODS will help ascertain needs and arrange appropriate services during orientation for students. Arrangements for family members are also available. We cannot guarantee that services will be available at orientation if arrangements are not made in advance of the program. Request disability accommodations here. |
