Penn State is set to its restructure New Student Orientation (NSO) at University Park for the 2025 program.

The main focus of the changes is to separate the academic advising and course registration processes in in-person orientation. This will allow Penn State to emphasize community building through a reduced amount of programs offered to a larger number of students.

The current NSO program was designed to serve approximately 8,000 students, but recent numbers have surpassed 9,500 students with future enrollment goals projected to hit 10,000. The existing program doesn’t have the means to work with its limited capacity.

In the new structure, students will complete online modules, meet with an academic advisor, and register for courses all before coming to campus for in-person orientation. There will be programs for both students and families, with college meetings and overnight stays in residence halls.

Moving scheduling online aims to allow students to remain fully engaged in their NSO visits and not rush to be the first groups to have high chances of the classes they want. While the program will include some current NSO curriculum, it aims overall to emphasize community-building with new students, faculty, staff, and the physical campus itself during the visit.

The format is designed to provide more flexibility to the faculty and staff delivering the programs as well. The new online components are being developed this fall and Penn State aims to have more information on the new format by November to support students making their early decision commitments.