New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage is a day for incoming new freshmen and their parents/guests to learn more about the transition to UWP and the fall class scheduling process, known as registration. All new freshmen are required to attend. Students register for classes for the fall semester during this day.
Registration materials are mailed to all admitted students in February. If you are admitted after that time, we will mail materials to you within a few weeks of your admission. If you do not receive registration materials, call us at 608-342-1033. Return the "Reservation to Register" card, along with any guest or overnight housing fees as soon as possible.
Registration dates are filled on a first come, first-served basis. Remember you must have taken the UW System Placement Tests prior to coming to New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage.
Registration fees are $80 for students and $15 for guests. Students will be billed $80 for New Student Registration on their tuition bill. Guests must pay $15 to attend for the day. These mandatory fees cover the cost of summer and fall registration and orientation programs, materials, mailings, services, student staffing and food.
New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage is held at UWP over thirteen days in June & July. The 2008 dates are: June 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and July 14, 15, 16.
Before registering for classes, all new students are required to take the UW System Mathematics and English Placement Test. Information on taking the test at a location near you (regionally) is to you in early February. If admitted after that time, information will be mailed within a few weeks of admission. The test dates for various locations across Wisconsin are March 8, 15, 29 and April 4, 5, 12, 19, 20, 26. You are strongly encouraged to complete your placement testing on one of these dates. Here is a link to the UW-System Testing Service: http://www.testing.wisc.edu/. Click on Spring Regional Testing Program.
If you are unable to take the Regional Placement Test at a location near you during the spring, you must take a Residual Placement Test here at UW-Platteville on one of our residual testing dates. For example, if you take the test here on July 14th, you may ONLY register for classes on July 15th or later. This makes registration for classes a two-day event.
(Note: Only non-Wisconsin residents planning to attend UW-Platteville may take the Placement Test on-line. Other UW-System colleges and universities may not accept the on-line test results.)
All new freshman students are required to attend registration. Instructions on how to register are given during the first part of the day, so you must be there from the beginning to pick up your registration materials and learn what to do in the afternoon when you see an advisor and register for your classes. We are unable to provide individual instruction if a student arrives in the afternoon and does not know what to do. We understand that students (and parents) work during the summer-but now is the time to make college a priority. Most employers will understand and allow the time off if enough advance notice is provided. We are unable to accommodate requests for individual registration times because of vacations, sports, or other family activities.
Presentations covering topics relevant to class scheduling and transitioning to college are made by UW-Platteville students and employees. New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage begins at 8:30 a.m. and continues to 4:00 p.m., although the day ends earlier if you do not wish to go on any campus tours. The agenda for the day includes the following:
The primary purpose of this event is to register for classes with the secondary purpose of learning about how UWP operates (food, housing, financial aid, parking, etc.). This is the only time we register students in this manner. With the large number of new students coming in each year we cannot register students individually. Consider it like job training-college is your new job, and you need to know the basic procedures to get started. We also want you to meet other students and find out about resources available to you to help you succeed here.
Regardless of your age, you are registering as a new freshman student. As stated in the answer to the previous question, your primary purpose on this day is to register for classes, with the secondary purpose of learning how this campus works. As a non-traditional student, you may elect to attend the sessions designed for family and friends during New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage. We do encourage you to participate in the small group sessions with the Peer Advisors as you will meet students who will be in your classes and you can begin to feel comfortable with them. We strongly encourage you to attend New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage, but if you do not choose to register during the New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage dates, you may register for classes on the Friday before the fall semester begins.
If you are unable to (or choose not to) register during the days set aside for New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage, you will register just prior to when classes begin in the fall semester. All other students will have registered before that date, so class availability will be somewhat limited. Call 608-342-1033 to find out about this final registration date.
We fill each day on a first-come, first-served basis. Nearly every student requests the first three days of New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage as preferred choices, but we are limited to a certain number of students and guests because of the size of our facilities. That's why we ask for three choices and do our best to give you those dates, but we must place you in the next available open date if all of your choices are filled. Once the Reservation to Register cards are mailed, we will begin receiving them back within the week, so don't wait to mail your card!
We will do our best to accommodate your request, but if your requested date is already filled, our options are limited due to the size of our facilities. That is why it is important for you to plan carefully and give us three realistic choices for dates. If there are conflicts with vacations, sports, work, etc., we regret that we are unable to register students on an individual basis.
If you lose your card, call us at 608-342-1033 or email us at advising@uwplatt.edu and request another one. We must have the information on the card and receive any guest fees or overnight housing fees to process your reservation.
You must bring a photo I.D. with you when you register. This could be a driver's license, a school I.D., or a passport.
The $80 registration fee is a mandatory flat fee for all new freshman students (regardless of when they register) and covers continental breakfast, lunch, materials, staffing, services, and fall orientation. The $15 guest fee covers continental breakfast, lunch, materials, staffing, and services. Whether you plan to eat or not, the fee remains $80 for students and $15 for guests as we must plan far in advance and cannot make exceptions. Students will be billed $80 on their fall tuition bill. Guest fees and any overnight housing fees must be paid prior to registration.
We regret that we are unable to accept credit cards for payment. A check or money order made out to UW-Platteville is required and must be mailed with the Reservation to Register card to this address:
We ask you to use your best judgment in this situation. While we welcome family and friends, the program is generally not of interest to young children and they are likely to become restless. The guest fee is $15 per person regardless of age.
If you notify us three business days in advance of your scheduled New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage date that you will not attend on that date, you will receive a full refund. If you attend New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage, register for classes, and then decide later not to attend UWP, you will not receive a refund as you have already used the program services. If you decide not to attend UW- Platteville, you will still be billed for the $80 registration fee.
Overnight lodging is available for students and guests in a UWP residence hall. The cost is $16 per person for a double room. Students will be placed with other students; family members will be placed together as space allows. Items provided by the residence hall include: bed linens, pillows, towels, and washcloths. Check-in at the residence hall is anytime between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. on the day prior to New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage.
Information on staying at the residence hall is included in the February mailing. To reserve lodging, please complete the housing portion on the "Reservation to Register"card and return it along with payment.
You are not required to stay the night before your New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage date, but if you live a long distance away, you may choose to come the night before so you are not rushed. Also, if you are given the option of doing a Freshman Composition test-out (based on the results of your Placement Test), you will take it at 7:30 a.m. on the morning of your New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage date.
You and your parents or family and friends may stay in the residence hall the night before your New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage date (including the night before your Placement Test, if applicable). The cost is $16 per person per night for a double room (not included in the $80 fee or the $15 guest fee). Bed linens, towel, and washcloth are provided. If you would like to stay on campus, make sure you indicate this on your Reservation to Register card and send enough money in your check or money order to cover the cost. Students are placed with other students; family members stay with one another. Children 16 and under MUST stay with an adult.
You should call us at 608-342-1033 or email advising@uwplatt.edu and let us know you will be coming in after 8:00 p.m. We will inform our Peer Advisors who are staying in the Residence Halls to expect you. There is a telephone outside the hall door so you can call the Peer Advisor on duty to come and let you into the building. If you expect to be later than 11:00 p.m., we ask that you make reservations at a motel. All motels are within five miles of UWP. See our web page for motel phone numbers: http://www.uwplatt.edu/admission/register.html.
Parents or family friends are welcome at New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage! They often have questions or concerns that we are able to address in special sessions on Financial Aid, Student Housing, Dining Services, etc. Parents and family or friends will be separated from students early in the day. Peer Advisor sessions and advising sessions with faculty members are for students only. (Please Note: We do not offer a parent program during the registration day prior to the beginning of the fall semester.)
Yes. We must anticipate that everyone attending will require the same services and plan food, staffing, services, materials, etc., accordingly. We are unable to adjust the fee for individuals, as we will be billed for these items regardless.
We have never had a student leave registration without a full schedule of classes, regardless of which day they attended New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage. Of course, as classes fill, those classes with less desirable meeting times are the ones that remain open longest. For example, you might wish to take your Psychology class at 10:00 a.m., but the open sections might meet at 8:00 a.m. or in the evening. Also, during the first week of classes, we have "Open Add/Drop" so that you may change your class schedule by adding or dropping classes in consultation with your advisor.
If you are entering UWP with a declared major, you will meet with an advisor from your department. Undecided students meet with advisors from their advising home, which is the Advising and Career Exploration Services office (ACES). The advisor you meet with during New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage may or may not be your permanent advisor within your department. Students are assigned to advisors in their majors prior to Advance Registration for the spring semester (usually held in November). Undecided students may see any advisor in the ACES office.
Your advisor will assist you in finding classes. Some advisors may come to the advising session with a set schedule of classes already made up. If they do this, they should explain your schedule to you, including which courses meet General Education requirements as well as which courses are in your major. You can access information about requirements in the on-line catalog, located at: http://www.uwplatt.edu/academics/catalogs/. Ultimately, you will be responsible for knowing what you need to take to graduate from UWP, so this is a good time to begin learning!
When you send in your Reservation to Register card for New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage, you may indicate on it a different major than the one you listed on your original UWP application. On the day of New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage, you may also submit a Change of Major form. If you are changing your major on the day of New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage, please tell us at check-in time so we can change your name-tag and group number. We want you to receive proper advising for the major you have chosen.
Meeting with an advisor is important to be sure the classes you want to take meet departmental or university requirements for graduation. You are not allowed to register for classes without a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from your advisor.
Choosing classes is a very important developmental step for new students. Taking responsibility for the choices you make is critical for your success in college. If parents or others make these important decisions for you, you are not allowed the freedom to become independent. The advising relationship is between the student and the advisor.
You must arrange for the scores from your Advanced Placement tests to be sent directly to UW-Platteville. The web site for AP is http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/exgrd_rep.html where you will find information on how to do this. The results of the AP tests are not sent out until mid-July, after the New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage dates. You will register for classes based on the information we have at hand-your UW-System Placement Test scores and your ACT scores. Once you receive the information about your AP credits, you can change your schedule by adding and dropping courses. For example: Suppose you took AP Calculus in high school, paid the fee, took the AP test, and feel that you did well on it. We have no confirmation of your score until we receive your AP report. So, based on the information we DO have, you may register for Calculus I. Once we have your scores, and you get appropriate credit for Calc. I, you can drop Calc. I and register for Calc. II. Your advisor will help you with this process.
Results of the UW-System Math and English Placement Tests are given out on the day of registration only. If you do not take the Placement Test during the spring at a UW college or university near you, then you must take it on one of our residual test dates and then register on a New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage day after the test. (It takes one full business day to receive the scores back from the central database.) Here is a link to the UW-System Testing Information Site: http://www.testing.wisc.edu/. Sample questions may be found under Contents of Placement Tests in the menu.
If you have taken classes in both English Composition and Mathematics at a college or university, usually through a Youth Options program, then you are not required to take the UW-System Math and English Placement Test. If you have taken only English courses, then you must take the Math part of the Placement Test. If you have taken only Math courses, then you must take the English part of the Placement Test. You must have the official transcripts sent to UWP so we have documentation on these classes when it is time for you to register. Write this information on the New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage reservation-to-register card. If you have additional questions about the tests, please call 608-342-1033 for information.
Students are encouraged, but not required, to take the Foreign Language Placement Test. If you are considering study of a foreign language, you should take the test to ensure the proper placement level in language classes. Students with some high school background in a foreign language may be eligible to receive free retroactive credits for one or more college-level courses. For most students, it is a good idea to go ahead and take the Foreign Language Placement Test. It is offered in Spanish, French, and German.
You may discuss your low scores with the Mathematics Department (608-342-1741) and with the English Department (608-342-1826) to find out your options. Sometimes, if your ACT score and your high school grades very obviously contradict your Placement Test scores, you may be given the chance to prove your ability. This is entirely the decision of the department.
Contact us early (608-342-1033) and let us know when you are scheduled to report for basic training. We will need a copy of your official military orders. Once we receive a copy of your orders, we will contact your department and have a schedule prepared by an advisor. We will then register for you. Please note that we do this for students in the military only.
Orientation is Phase II of New Student Registration--Pioneer Passage, held just for new freshman students a few days before the fall semester begins. UW-Platteville, like many UW-system schools, finds that our new students are more successful when they receive detailed information about the campus and the resources available. Whether you live in the residence halls or commute, getting to know other students and feeling comfortable on campus is critical for success. The program is not just exploring campus, there are special events planned for you to help you adjust to this new world. Most students have a great time! IT'S FUN!
Attending New Student Orientation is a choice. You are not required to attend, but nearly all incoming students do attend and enjoy it. We strongly encourage you to do so. (There are no programs for parents during Orientation. Parents usually help you move into your room, then return home as you begin your new life at UW-Platteville.) The web page for Orientation information is located at http://www.uwplatt.edu/admission/orientation.html.