The UC Berkeley experience begins with participation at the university’s orientation program for new undergraduates and their families. The Cal Student Orientation (CalSO) program offers coordinated academic advising and assistance, interaction with staff and faculty, campus tours, and presentations by student services staff and current undergraduates. Advisers help students enroll in up to 10.5 units of courses through Tele-BEARS. The program is administered by New Student Services and led by student counselors who represent many of the majors, interest areas, and backgrounds of Berkeley’s diverse student body. CalSO, which focuses on the various needs of freshmen, transfers, and parents of new students, paves the way for academic and social success at Berkeley.

New Student Services also offers parent orientation programs that address issues and concerns directly related to families of new freshmen and transfer students. The programs run concurrently with (but are separate from) the student programs.

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