SOAR welcomes 8,000 new students

Summer is here and the sun is scorching hot. While others plan pool parties and think of ways to stay cool, this summer about 8,000 incoming CSULB students prepare for their SOAR orientations.

SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration) is a mandatory orientation workshop that helps newly admitted freshmen or transfer students transition to California State University, Long Beach. All undergraduate students are required to attend SOAR before registering for classes.

During SOAR, new Forty-Niners engage in an interactive campus tour which helps them become more familiar with the campus, learn about opportunities to enhance their college experience and successfully navigate through their first semester at The Beach. The campus tour guide is a current CSULB student who will teach incoming students 49er history, traditions, and identify key locations and campus resources that support student success.

Ryan Sanchez, a CSULB graduate student working on his Single Subject Credential for English, has been a SOAR advisor for three years. Sanchez’ favorite part of being a SOAR advisor is connecting with new students and making them feel welcomed to the university.

“Many students come in with stress and anxiety because it’s a new place and many of them have no idea what classes to take, but I love helping them through that process to really put their worries at ease,” said Sanchez, “Plus I love all of our cheesy jokes—it’s fun to make the day more entertaining.”

Sanchez also emphasizes that SOAR is important for students because they receive a personal student perspective on the university and that makes the new information they are learning more relevant and comforting.

“Our advisors have a large range of experiences and perspectives, and that offers a large wealth of knowledge to these new students,” said Sanchez.

This year, SOAR has made a few changes in their program. There is more of an emphasis on campus traditions to get students feeling more connected to The Beach, and there is a diversity activity that was developed by Juan Gonzalez, a former SOAR advisor, that allows new students more insight on CSULB’s diverse campus community. Additionally, instead of having lists of classes on the wall for students to look through and choose their classes like they used to, SOAR now uses tools like the Class Schedule Planner and other websites to streamline the registration process.

Freshman students can choose to participate in one of two types of SOAR workshops: a one-day workshop or the SOAR freshman overnight program. The one-day freshman workshops are offered to fall and spring admits, and provide a campus tour, academic advising, and assistance with class selection and registration. The one-day workshop costs $62 to attend, while the overnight program is $130 to attend.

The SOAR freshman overnight program allows students to catch a glimpse of life at The Beach through overnight stays in residence halls and allows students to establish new friendships with other incoming freshmen. The first day of the overnight program consists of educational and social activities that introduce freshmen to college life and issues at CSULB. The second day involves academic advising, class selection and assistance with the registration process.

Transfer students attending SOAR participate in a college-specific workshop, where they meet with faculty advisors from their declared major department. They also receive information on topics of department-sponsored support resources, scholarships, internships/field work, and out-of-classroom requirements. The SOAR transfer workshop costs $62 to attend.

For Sanchez, SOAR has really provided him with two crucial things in life. It’s given him a voice and presence on campus and has allowed him to connect with many other CSULB students, and it’s given him experience and professional development that has provided him with a new career path.

“Being with SOAR, I realized how much I love working with students and has made me want to pursue student affairs,” said Sanchez, “I did not anticipate that working with SOAR would help shape the profession that I want to pursue.”

Every year the number of students who attend SOAR fluctuate; however, Sanchez said this summer The Beach is anticipating 8,000 new freshman and transfer students.

SOAR freshmen workshops for Fall 2016, began June 13 and continue until August 3. SOAR Transfer workshops for Fall 2016 begin July 12 and continue until August 1.

The one-day workshop is a day-long orientation that begins at 8:00am and concludes at approximately 5:00pm. Students are encouraged to visit the ID Card Services Office during SOAR to have their photo taken and receive their CSULB ID card.

Any Long Beach State student can apply for to work for SOAR whether they’re in their first semester at CSULB or are finishing their final Spring semester. If a student is interested in applying, they need to first attend an information session in either Fall or Spring, then submit their application, and SOAR staff will review their application and invite them to the SOAR Experimental. The SOAR Experimental includes a series of activities and will end with allowing applicants to sign up for a group interview, decisions are made shortly after. 

Written by Malissa Ramos