Guidance for College of Engineering Incoming Freshman

Welcome to California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), and the College of Engineering (COE)! We are honored that you selected CSULB and are excited to help you achieve a smooth and successful start to your college career.

Please note: the following information is for incoming first-time, first-year students who are Pre-COE Majors. Incoming first-time, first-year students from other majors can find their college's advising resources on SOAR's Advising and Registration.

Steps to Start Your Journey

  1. Accept your Admission by submitting your Intent to Enroll and Enrollment Deposit by May 1st. Visit your MyCSULB Student Portal via Single Sign-On (SSO) to get started.
  2. Check your BeachMail and personal email accounts on a regular basis for directions and announcements. See: How to Check BeachMail.
  3. Make a reservation for your linked Student Orientation Advising and Registration (SOAR) dates by June 1st.
  4. Complete the Pre-SOAR Orientation and COE Advising Online CANVAS courses prior to attending on-campus SOAR Orientation and Advising and Registration.
  5. Begin mathematics class placement as soon as possible. ALEKS Mathematics Placement will become available on your Single Sign-On (SSO) once you submit your Intent to Enroll and Enrollment Deposit.
  6. Complete the COE Freshman Academic Advising Survey no later than June 15th.  The survey will be available in May.
  7. Fulfill your Orientation Process. Learn more about this step by visiting SOAR Orientation. This must be completed before enrolling in classes.
  8. Complete the Advising and Registration Process. You will be receiving an invitation to sign up for an advising appointment on your registration date, either online or on campus. This is your time to ask questions about course placement, fall schedule, and receive registration assistance.

SOAR (Student Orientation Advising and Registration) Experience Overview

The SOAR Experience consists of two steps:

  1. Orientation, led by the SOAR Office
  2. Advising and Registration, led by the Engineering Student Success Center’s (ESSC) Academic Advising Team.

Please note that each step above will have additional required components (i.e., Pre-SOAR CANVAS Course, COE Freshman Academic Advising Survey, Math/English/Science Placement activities etc.)

Your Orientation and Class Registration dates are linked: when you register for SOAR Orientation Workshop (on campus), you are assigned the corresponding Class Registration date (online).

Note: Orientation is held on campus. Class Registration is conducted online (via Zoom); on-campus assistance with registration can be provided upon request.

 

COE Pre -Majors who do not qualify for Calculus 1 (MATH 122) based on AP/CLEP/IB exams or SAT/ACT scores (see Math placement criterion/link below) are required to complete ALEKS Mathematics Placement. Chemistry Placement (CHEM ALEKS) is only recommended for Pre-Chemical Engineering majors. ALEKS Math and Chemistry placement programs require multiple days to complete. We recommend starting placement exams no later than early/mid June.

MATH ALEKS assessment must be completed by: June 30th

Math Placement and Course Recommendation Guide for Incoming College of Engineering Pre-Majors

CHEM ALEKS assessment must be completed by: July 9th

Chemistry Placement for Incoming Freshmen (Recommended for Pre-Chemical Engineering majors only)

The College of Engineering will be participating in CSULB’s BeachXP, an expanded program of the existing BESST program that has been running in the College of Engineering for ten years. This program is a cohort-model for incoming Fall 2023 first-year students and aims to support incoming students by providing structured academic (advising, tutoring, etc.), career, and social resources in a supportive environment.

There will be two cohorts for COE Pre-Major students beginning in Pre-Calculus Math courses (MATH 111 & 113), two cohorts for students enrolled in Calculus I (MATH 122), and one major-specific cohort each for Pre-Civil Engineering and Pre-Mechanical Engineering programs.

The cohorts will consist of required major courses such as ENGR 101, MATH 122, and GE courses in smaller class sizes with the same group of students. Space for these cohorts is limited, and some students may be placed in a cohort based on math placement or other criteria.

All COE Freshmen must complete the Advising Survey to report AP/IB scores, test scores, community college transfer credit, and other information that will pertain to your Fall 2023 schedule. ESSC Advisors will use the self-reported information to make individual Fall 2023 course recommendations for each student. For accurate course recommendations, please complete the survey no later than June 15th.

COE Freshmen Advising Survey (Coming soon!)

In addition to completing the COE Freshmen Advising Survey, all AP/IB exam scores and college credit(s) must be officially submitted to CSULB (via College Board, official college transcripts, etc.) to receive appropriate CSULB credit. Please see theCSULB AP/IB Credit Chart for additional information on how credit will be awarded. 

Be sure to complete the Pre-SOAR Orientation and COE Advising Online CANVAS courses. These courses contain useful information that will help you prepare for SOAR Orientation and provide resources for Pre-COE majors. Courses will become available on CANVAS on June 1, 2023. 

If you are an incoming student that was admitted as a Science, Math, Engineering, Environmental Science & Policy, or Nursing Pre-Major, you are eligible to switch to a COE pre-major. Please complete the COE Freshmen Major Change Request Form

If you were not admitted as one of the Pre-Majors listed above, you are not eligible to switch to a COE Pre-Major at this time. If you have an interest in exploring majors in science and mathematics, please contact the University Center for Undergraduate Advising to switch to undeclared.

If you were admitted as a COE Pre-Major and would like to switch to another major outside of COE, please contact the advising center for your new major. If you are interested in switching to Pre-Nursing, please switch to undeclared through the University Center for Undergraduate Advising.

 

If you missed your on-campus Orientation workshop, contact SOAR immediately at 562-985-5515 or email soar@csulb.edu  to reschedule for the next available workshop.

You will register for your recommended classes on your scheduled Class Registration date. If you missed your appointment, contact coe-advising@csulb.edu for assistance within 5 days of your enrollment date.

The Bob Murphy Access Center (BMAC) provides support to students with disabilities through accommodations and services, including but not limited to sign language interpreters, real-time captioners, assistive technology, and alternative media.

Complete the SOAR-BMAC Disability-Related Accommodations Form to request your needed accommodations/services. If you have additional questions, please visit the BMAC website, call 562.985.5401, or email BMAC@csulb.edu.

If you have previously accepted your offer of admission and have decided not to attend CSULB, please follow the Cancel Admission instructions.