Parents and Families
Preparing for college is an exciting and busy time for students and families alike. One of the most important things you can do to support your student during this transition is encourage them to participate fully in our New Student Experience activities, including attending their Platteville Orientation Day.
You can also help your student stay on track for their New Student Experience. Encourage them to check their emails carefully and reach out to us if they have questions about their next steps.
What is New Student Experience?
New Student Experience prepares your student to transition to UW-Platteville, including registering for their first semester’s classes, attending on-campus orientation, and participating in welcome activities when they return to campus for their first semester.
We will be communicating directly with your student about required actions and deadlines to ensure they get the most out of this experience. Some important items to note are:
- All students must complete the New Student Experience module in their PASS account. They will receive emails with more detailed instructions.
- All students must register for and take the Universities of Wisconsin Placement Tests before they are able to meet with their advisor and register for classes, or they must have credits on file that exempt them from placement testing. Visit Placement Testing for more information. All new students will be assessed the Universities of Wisconsin Placement Tests Fee of $45, including students who are exempt from placement testing. This fee will appear on their semester billing statement.
- The New Student Experience fee varies depending on your student’s student type. This fee will appear on the semester billing statement and helps cover materials, student staff, on-campus orientation, and welcome activities at the beginning of their first semester. Note that all students will be charged the New Student Experience fee, even if they are unable to attend an Orientation Day.
New Student Experience Fees
- First-year student: $75
- Transfer student: $45
Stay on track with NSE
Refer to the steps listed below to help your student stay on track with their New Student Experience. Please note that these steps for are students starting at UW-Platteville in the Spring term, January 2026. Information for Summer/Fall 2026 will be shared in February 2026.
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- Your student should accept their admission and start their New Student Experience in their PASS account.
- They will choose to attend their Platteville Orientation Day on January 23, 2026 or to opt-out of orientation. Attending orientation is strongly recommended to help students transition to UW-Platteville.
- Ask your student to include your contact information when starting their New Student Experience in PASS. This will ensure you receive communication about NSE moving forward.
- Mark your calendar for January 23, 2026 if your student chooses to attend orientation. Parents and guest are also welcome to attend! Review the orientation schedule here.
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- Students starting in the spring semester will register for classes with an advisor during an individual appointment, usually held virtually. They will not register for classes during their Platteville Orientation Day.
- After your student starts their NSE in their PASS account, several processes will happen behind the scenes, including activating their UW-Platteville email account and connecting them with an academic advisor.
- Once they receive instructions for accessing their UW-Platteville email account, they should check their email regularly. They will subsequently receive an email from an academic advisor asking them to schedule their advising appointment. They will register for classes with their advisor during that appointment.
- If your student is required to take placement tests, they will have a To-Do Item in their PASS account letting them know what tests are required. Visit our Placement Testing website for more information. They should complete any required placement tests at least two weeks before their academic advising appointment, or they may be asked to reschedule their advising appointment.
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- We encourage all new UW-Platteville students and their guests to attend their Platteville Orientation Day on January 23, 2026. This day will help students and guests to connect with campus resources and get any last questions answered.
- Other important information to help students start the semester strong will be shared over email before classes start on January 26, 2026. These steps may include purchasing a parking permit, picking up their textbook rentals from the Textbook Center, and receiving information about moving into our residence halls. Encourage your student to check their university email account daily and to take any necessary actions.
- Check out the Orientation Booklet for more information about all the campus resources available to you and your student.
- Don’t hesitate to contact the New Student Experience team at 608.342.1081 or nse@uwplatt.edu. We are here to help ensure you and your student have a great experience as you join the UW-Platteville community.
Stay connected with NSE
We have created several forms of communication so you can get updates, stay informed, and make connections with the university, other parents, and families of new students.
- Plan to attend Orientation with your student. We have a wide array of parent and family programming planned to get you familiar with UW-Platteville and many opportunities to answer questions.
- Your student will soon have a lot of tasks to complete as part of NSE. Please encourage them to read their emails carefully and take any required action steps.
- Continue to check this page for updates, as we will be adding information for parents and families throughout the New Student Experience.
- Check out the Orientation Booklet for information about campus resources.
