Welcome to Mason’s Pre-Orientation Checklist! This checklist is designed to help all incoming undergraduate students complete the necessary steps to prepare for their Mason Orientation. See each step below for a breakdown of action items and resources to reference.
1. Set Up Your Patriot Pass and Mason EmailTo login to PatriotWeb and view financial aid packages, transfer credits, and course registration system, you will need to follow the steps that will help you set up your Patriot Pass account. For new Patriot Pass users, the PIN is emailed to you. Once you have set up your Patriot Pass, you will use that password to set up for Mason email address.
Three to five business days after you have paid your enrollment deposit to the Office of Admissions, you will be notified via email to register for orientation. You can find your customized registration link in your Admissions Portal during registration time windows.
Currently, all freshmen are charged a $350 New Student Fee and all transfer are charged a $275 New Student Fee upon registering for their first semester of courses.
Complete Patriot Preview “Before Orientation” module, prior to your orientation date. Patriot Preview gives you essential information about Mason to help inform your Orientation experience. You will need your Mason Net ID and password (Patriot Pass login information you used to create your email) to gain access.
Patriot Preview Modules: http://patriotpreview.gmu.edu/
Students should set aside approximately 1-2 hours to complete this task. Each presentation will have a small quiz at the end to test a students’ knowledge of the content shared in the video and signify completion. Students can complete this in one-sitting or several.
These modules are critical to complete to allow you to learn so you can have everything you need for your upcoming session.
For Transfer students wishing to complete pre-orientation advising, these modules will provide a certificate that you can provide to your advisor to be approved to receive pre-orientation advising prior to your Virtual Advising and Registration session. Again, both the Virtual and On-Campus sessions are required in addition to these modules.
Be sure to submit official transcripts, AP and IB scores, and any other necessary documentation to Admissions. Select your student type for specific directions.
Using step 1 in the checklist, access PatriotWeb to accept/decline your financial aid package. For more information, contact Financial Aid Services. This is only applicable for domestic students, international students can skip this step.
Student Health Services must receive your immunization records by January 15 for Spring Semester start and August 1 for Fall semester start. Failure to turn in your immunization records before the deadline will result in a late fee charge and hold on your account, which will prevent you from registering for the next semester’s classes.
In order to avoid registration delays, download and submit a copy of the Certificate of Immunization form to Student Health Services.
The Math Placement Exam can be taken virtually or walk-in on-campus in advance of your Orientation session. All students who need to take the math placement test (this need is based on your major) are strongly encouraged to complete testing ASAP upon committing to Mason to prevent any delays for class registration.
The Math Placement Test is required for Math 105, 108, 113, 123, 125, and CS 112 ONLY. Any student who does not need those classes for their major should NOT take the math placement test.
Based on your major, students should also review requirements for foreign language placement exam in preparation for advising and course registration.
Placement Exam Requirements are connected to your field of study, so please review the New Student Advising website and information sent via email from advisors to determine which tests are applicable to you.
Transfer students have the option to participate in a pre-orientation advising appointment with their academic college if they desire. This is not required, but rather an option if you want additional support and advising prior to your Virtual Advising and Registration session.
STUDENTS ARE STILL REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR VIRTUAL ADVISING & REGISTRATION SESSION, AND THE ON-CAMPUS ORIENTATION PROGRAM EVEN IF THEY PARTICIPATE IN A PRE-ORIENTATION ADVISING APPOINTMENT.
To gain access to pre-orientation advising information and request an appointment, students must:
- Register for your 2 sessions (Virtual Advising and Registration and an On-Campus program)
- Complete Patriot Preview “Before Orientation” AND “Before Classes Start” Modules and download your certificate from the platform to show completion.
- Request a pre-orientation advising appointment. You can find information about your Academic Advisor and available programs, and reach out to the Advisors directly, or utilize their planning links. Academic colleges and schools will begin fielding pre-orientation advising requests on November 18 for Spring start and May 1 for Fall start. You will need to attach your certificate from Patriot Preview to the request email.
We want to make sure you know how to navigate the registration system before you enroll in classes. Prior to your orientation, view the Registration Web Tutorial (3:53 minute video) for a smooth registration process.
Make sure your Mason ID photo looks great! The Mason Card Office offers online photo submissions, which will save you time and guarantee that you like your photo. Once your photo has been approved, you can activate your Mobile ID. If you would like a physical ID, you can pick one up on your On-Campus Orientation Day or by visiting the Mason Card Office. Please note that you may only have one form of MasonID, and may not have both a mobile and physical ID. For more information, please visit the Mason Card Office website.
To submit your photo and activate your Mobile ID, follow the instructions at: https://masoncard.gmu.edu/mobile-id/.
Your Mason ID provides access to your residence hall, Mason Money for dining, library access, free entry to athletic games, and more!
Connect with us on social media using #Welcome2Mason and follow our Instagram (@MasonNSFP) and Facebook (Orientation@Mason)! We will be sharing useful tips about Mason and the student’s first year
Download Mason360, the new student engagement app – available on iOS and Android! Use this app to access additional resources for new students, meet fellow Patriots, discover events, and get involved in the #MasonNation. This will be your go-to app to find out what events are happening on-campus!