New Student Services
New Student Services (NSS) works year-round, creating and implementing programs and publications to help welcome new undergraduates to Berkeley and to ease their transition through their first few months. Much of our success can be attributed to the group of continuing Cal students who help run our programs and to the collaboration and support of campus academic and service units.

CalSO
The Cal Student Orientation (CalSO) Program introduces new undergraduates and their families to the Berkeley campus. We offer overnight orientations to first year students and their parents and one-day programs to transfer students. Orientations are available in the summer for new fall and extension program freshmen, and in the fall for new spring students.

Orientation topics include: college advising; Tele-BEARS instruction; and introductions to student services, academic support programs, student activities, and campus issues. Each student leaves with a folder of campus information, a Resource guide, and new acquaintances.

Preparation for CalSO is year-round. Four student program coordinators are hired in October and 40 counselors are hired in November. Counselor training begins in January with a 2-unit class taught by the professional staff and includes field training such as spring alumni recruitment receptions and phone outreach to admitted students, and ends with a 10-day, 8am-10pm, intensive Camp CalSO.

During the spring, professional staff and student paraprofessionals refine the summer orientations and work with campus units and academic departments to develop CalSO program segments.

Summer Bridge
Summer Bridge is an academic and residential program that gives students a head start before classes begin in the fall. About 140 first year students participate. Most take two unit-bearing classes and attend workshops to build skills in computer use, collaborative learning, and University system management.

NSS administers the program and works closely with Summer Sessions, the College Writing Program, and Housing/Residential Life.

Welcome Week
New Student Services coordinates Welcome Week activities for incoming students during the week before classes begin. Our staff organizes: New Student Convocation and Chancellor's Welcome; Calapalooza, a student resource fair; "Getting Your Bearings," an orientation for students who did not attend CalSO; and the Smooth Transition Information Big Top, located on upper Sproul Plaza (weekdays, 9am-3pm).

We also produce print and online versions of the Welcome Week calendars, T-shirts, and buttons.