The Weber State University West Center will host a back-to-school workshop tonight from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for new, transfer and returning students.
Attendees will learn about WSU’s college enrollment process, the general education categories and requirements, and financial aid and scholarship opportunities, and will receive new student packets. They will also get pizza and free T-shirts.
Those who wish to attend may register at www.weber.edu/workshopsatwest, where they will be prompted to begin the enrollment and financial aid processes and sign up to take placement tests.
“I kind of look at the little help we give when getting them registered (for the workshop) as the appetizer of the process,” said Galynn Mook, off-campus coordinator. “The workshop is the meat and potatoes of the meal. It helps them get through those basic first steps. Then they can actually sit down and listen to what the general education requirements are, what scholarships are out there, because they’ve jumped over those smaller hurdles.”
The registration is encouraged, but not required. Students may attend without registering.
Although this workshop does not include campus tours and is shorter than a traditional new student orientation, Mook said it attracts more nontraditional students.
“They aren’t looking for clubs or organizations to get involved in,” Mook said. “They just want to get in and out of school quick. They may be adding on to a career they already have and just want to know about the academic part of school.”
At the workshop, an academic adviser will explain WSU’s general education requirements and help students become familiar with the class options for when they choose their majors.
“Some of these general education classes cross over for your major,” Mook said. “You don’t want to take a class that won’t cross over so that you have to take another one, which is more time-consuming and more expensive.”
Students will also learn what financial aid options are available to them and how to provide the accurate information needed to complete application processes.
“The person who will present on the financial aid will just be able to skim the surface,” Mook said. “There’s basic things you need to know so you can fill out the financial aid packets correctly with the right answers and the right data. You don’t want to just turn in the basics. You want to turn in what they’re looking for so you can get as much of the funds as they can offer you.”
The workshop is open to all students who wish to attend, as well as guests, such as parents or spouses. Mook said sometimes parents who accompany their children end up registering for classes, too.
“Some of these older nontraditional students don’t realize that anybody can go to college, because a lot of people look at it as something for younger people,” Mook said. “We’ve had senior citizens come out here and take courses for grades. College is for anybody.”
Mook said this is especially true at WSU, which has such a variety of offerings and means for someone to get an education.
The workshop will be held at the West Center, located at 5627 S. 3500 W. in West Roy. For those who wish to attend but are unable to tonight, another workshop will be held at the same time and place July 31.
