Knight Shift: Preparing for Life as a Golden Knight

Clarkson sets you up for success before you even arrive with special programming and support starting right after deposit.

As soon as you commit to Clarkson, you're part of the family.
Our commitment back to you is this - we'll give you every resource possible to make becoming a Golden Knight a seamless process. Here's just some examples of what's next:

A virtual spot to meet your fellow classmates and start forging lifelong friendships
Free online microcredentials to start boosting your resume from day one
Access to current students and parents of current students to get your questions answered
Guidance from our CU Connect Mentors Program, setting you up with a Clarkson pro to help along the way
Regional summer Welcome Picnics to mingle with other families and alumni from your area
Math refresher workshops in the summer to brush up your skills
Pre-Orientation experiences to acclimate you to our area and our most popular clubs
A memorable Move-in & Orientation Weekend
Activities, events and courses in your first semester created for just for first-year students

Join The Network

Eager to meet your classmates? Join your Class of 20XX Network via your Golden Knight Gateway or Clarkson Portal. Add your profile and get to see ways to connect with your fellow new Golden Knights.

Golden Knight standing in the Student Center

Ask a question to a...

...current student, TCS ambassador or parent of a current student. Fill out our simple form to get any questions you may have answered by someone who is living the experience right now.

Individual signing into a website on a laptop

Take Free Online Courses!

Once you've made your deposit, you're part of the Clarkson family! This includes being able to take advantage of some of our most popular microcredentials to start adding to your resume and leveling up your skills!

Spotlight On: Summer Welcome Picnics!

Each summer, our staff in undergraduate admissions, student life, and alumni relations work together to host a number of in person welcome picnics across New York and New England to bring together our newest Golden Knights with our alumni, staff and current students. These picnics typically take place in mid-late July and sometimes even early August.

Welcome Picnics are fun for the whole family and are designed to get you even more excited for your first semester!

Brush Up on Your Math Skills

We give you two unique options to sharpen those math skills over the summer and prepare to take your first semester courses. CUMath is a free online refresher course that starts in late June, while Springboard to Calculus is an on-campus program that allows you to move in to your residence a week early and dive in with classmates on math skill building!

Six Clarkson students take a selfie from a water tower on the top of a mountain in the Adirondack Park

Participate in a Pre-Orientation Experience

Fish at the local watering holes with the Rod & Gun Club. Learn the Clarkson song catalog with the Pep Band. Level up your medical skills with CU EMS Club. Climb a mountain or two with the Outing Club. Or do something totally different, through one of these "Pre-O" experiences that start up to a week before move-in day. With 20 options to choose from, there's something for everyone!

Spend the Summer with SPREE

For students accepted into Clarkson HEOP, the Summer Pre-Freshman Experience (SPREE), is a no-cost, mandatory, four-week summer bridge program that helps transition to college and earn credits in STEM and business that count towards a bachelor's degree.

Perform Research with Honors

Honors students can participate in our unique, five-week pre-frosh summer program. You'll be paired with a faculty mentor, enjoy organized social events, live on campus with at stipend and present your work at the Research and Presentation Showcase (RAPS).

Spotlight On: CU Connect Mentors Program

You’ve made your commitment to become a Golden Knight…now what? We’ve got you! There is a lot to do to get you ready for your journey at Clarkson University, and your CU Connect Mentor will be there every step of the way! From navigating your next steps—like how course registration, housing selection and orientation happen—to answering any questions you might have about campus life, your mentor is here to ensure a smooth transition.

Your CU Connect Mentor is a dedicated professional staff member who knows the ins and outs of Clarkson and can provide personalized guidance tailored to your interests and needs. They'll be in touch with you after you make your deposit, usually in early-mid May but sometimes sooner, and you are welcome to get in touch with them earlier. Whether it’s connecting you with campus resources, helping you build your network, or just offering support as you settle in, they’ll be your go-to person from the moment you commit through your first semester.

Welcome to the Clarkson family—we’re excited to support you on this journey!

Move-In Day

Move-in Day for new students takes place on the Friday prior to the first day of classes for most students. Some students may move in early for athletics, Ignite, Pre-Orientation Experiences, Springboard, Honors Program and more. It's an exciting day where students, faculty and staff come out to help welcome you and get you settled in!

Convocation

Convocation is an honored Clarkson tradition. During this special event, all new students gather in Cheel Arena for inspiring remarks and the celebration of the start of another year. You'll hear the Clarkson bell ring for the first time, just like you will at the end of your Commencement!

Students manning a table at the activities fair

New Knight Orientation

Orientation is a multi-day event designed to help new students get to know each other and campus. Activities like the Student Resource Fair, floor meetings, Playfair, Reception at Foster House (president's residence), Firepit Night, Activities Fair, CUSA Carnival and Open Skate bring our Clarkson community together.

Your First Semester...

New Knight Expo

A new event in 2024, the New Knight Expo takes place within the first few weeks of the fall semester. Departments from across the University come out to showcase how they support students and how students can get involved. Prizes, giveaways, games and more make this a fun introduction to all the resources our students have at Clarkson.

First Year Seminar

First Year Seminar (FYS) is a one credit, pass/fail course required for all first year students at Clarkson. The goal of FYS is to serve as a college transition course, helping new students successfully become part of the Clarkson community. Current students help create the curriculum and teach the course as peer educators, master peers and student coordinators. Learn more about FYS in this blog post.

First Year Cup

The First Year Cup (FYC) is an engaging and competitive initiative that promotes student involvement and community spirit within residential floors. Each floor participates by attending various campus events listed on the FYC calendar, earning a point(s) for each event attended. The winning floor, determined by the highest point accumulation, is rewarded with prizes for housing opportunities and a catered dinner with the Clarkson University President. Events included in the FYC calendar cater to a diverse range of interests and activities, such as athletic events, sustainability initiatives, career fairs, international fairs, guest speakers, diversity initiatives, and more. This ensures something for everyone, encouraging broad participation across the student body with educational and physically active events. Events are also tied in annually to the First Year Seminar class.

Living Learning Communities

Living Learning Communities are residential environments where students with shared interests live together. They engage in programs that support their academic, social, and personal growth. Students benefit from diverse community interactions while exploring common interests. All first-year Living Learning Communities are located in “The Quad,” which includes Brooks, Cubley, Reynolds, and Ross House residence halls. Residence Life programming is open to all students living on theme floors. Learn more about our current LLCs.

Family Weekend

Hosted every fall around our home DI hockey games, Family Weekend is filled with activities for families of our current students to enjoy on our campus. Events like open skating, DIII athletic competitions, family receptions, hiking and 5Ks, open houses and showcases, meals, pumpkin painting, SPEED team demonstrations, shows, concerts and games all bring our Clarkson community closer together. Learn more about Family Weekend.

Academic Advising

At Clarkson, we have many forms of academic advising. Advising is done differently in each of our schools and institutes. A new webpage is forthcoming with information about all advising, including specialty advising for health careers, law studies and accelerated programs.