Spring START 2025 FAQs

General Questions

START is Oregon State University’s incoming student orientation program. Whether in-person or virtual, with the help of our START Leaders and University Faculty, students will be introduced to OSU resources that have the power to help them academically, financially, and socially– ending with meeting with their academic advisors and registering for classes for the upcoming term. Additionally, we also host a separate program for parents and families that join their student at START. They will go through panels and presentations with topics such as OSU resources, how to support your student, and how to deal with the transition of sending your student to college.

Yes, START orientation is a University requirement. Completion of this program is a prerequisite for meeting with an academic advisor and registering for classes for the upcoming term.

Absolutely! You can register your guests on your START Registration form through your Beaver Basecamp. Parents and families who accompany their students to START will have their own set of activities. They will attend information and resource panels specifically designed to help them understand how to support their students during this significant transition. This way, both students and their families can get the most out of the experience.

 

In-Person START is a one or two-day event that takes place at Oregon State University's campus in Corvallis, Oregon. Students and families will spend the day with START Leaders and University Faculty, attending presentations, panels, and small groups designed to help prepare them for the upcoming term.

Virtual START will be conducted through Canvas, an online learning platform that students will use throughout their time at Oregon State. The course is completely asynchronous, with opportunities to meet with a START Leader over Zoom.

Both types of sessions will end with the student signing up for an advising appointment and meeting with their academic advisor– which, when completed, they will be able to register for their upcoming term’s classes.

For more information, see our What START Option is Right For Me? page.

E-mail us at [email protected] from your ONID e-mail address!

START Registration

Beaver Basecamp does not show START sessions when:

  • Registration hasn't opened yet
  • The session is full
  • The session has locked (10 days prior)
    • Sessions lock to ensure we have the time needed to prepare for each session. We are unable to make changes to the registration form (housing, guests, etc.) when this happens. If you need to cancel a session that is locked, please reach out to the Office of Student Orientation via phone or your ONID email address.

A START session “locks” 10 days before the event. This means that the session is finalized and no further changes can be made to the registration form. This includes adding new students to the event. The lock ensures that all preparations and logistics are set in stone, allowing for a smooth and organized event.

To change your START session to another available one, go into your Beaver Basecamp and select “Register for START” in your To Do List. You will be prompted with a message that you have already registered for a START session and can click on the link to view your registration. This will allow you to change your registration or cancel your registration.

As of now, no. Honors doesn't have their own START session. 

ONID stands for Oregon Network ID. It’s your unique login credential at Oregon State University, giving you access to various university services like email, Canvas, and more.

To activate your ONID: Visit the ONID website:

  1. Click on “Sign Up”: Follow the prompts to set up your account.
  2. Enter your OSU ID and birth date: This information is used to verify your identity.
  3. Create a password: Make sure it’s strong and secure.
  4. Complete the setup: Follow any additional instructions to finalize your account.

If you encounter any difficulties, please consult the ONID website and use the “Get Help” icon to connect with the Service Desk for further assistance.

For activation, you will need your student ID number. 

In your START registration form via your Beaver Basecamp, there will be a section where you can request accommodations for yourself or your guest(s). Examples of accommodations include real-time transcribing, real-time captioning, and ASL/English interpreting. 

Academic & Advising

Depending on your academic college, you will either 1) receive an email before you attend START, asking you to make an advising appointment, or 2) you will make an advising appointment during START. Either way, you will meet with your academic advisor after you attend/complete START orientation.

No, your advisor will reach out to you to arrange your first appointment. 

There are a few different ways to do this.

  1. You can refer back to a previous email from your advisor to find their email and other contact information. 
  2. You can login to MyDegrees to find the name of your advisor in the top banner of the website.

If you decide to change your major before your START session, you can log in to Beaver Basecamp to update it prior to your START session. Once you are logged in at the top of the page hover over the Application Details and select Change Major to choose your new major. You have the ability to change your major up to 2 weeks prior to your START event. 

If you wish to change your major at your START session, be sure to visit the Change of Major table at START check-in! 

Please see our Non-Corvallis Campus START webpage for more information. 

All incoming students must take the ALEKS Assessment, whether or not they have taken the required math classes or are transfer students. The ALEKS Math Assessment is a prerequisite for some courses outside the Math department. For example, CS 161 requires an ALEKS score of 61 or higher to register (assuming prerequisites are not met by other coursework). Please check with your Major advisor about departmental requirements.

Classes

Students register for fall term classes after meeting with their academic advisor. During you advising appointment, you can discuss classes you're interested in and hear your advisor's recommendations. They will also show you how to register for classes, and give you the registration pin that you will need to register.

After you register for classes, you can add or drop a course with a 100% refund through October 6th, which is the beginning of week 2. For more dates and information about adding, dropping, or changing the grading basis of a class, you can visit the academic calendar here. You can also waitlist a class that is currently full. 

If you are not sure about dropping a course or how to get support for it, we recommend you contact your academic advisor. 

Keep in mind that if you drop a class and have fewer credits, this may affect your financial aid. If you have any questions about this, you can reach out to your academic advisor. 

Oregon State has many resources to help you through challenging classes. Here are just a few:

  1. Tutoring: We have many different types of tutoring services at OSU. There are science centers for chemistry, physics, and biology. We have a Math and Statistics Learning Center, a Writing Center, and tutoring for specific academic colleges and majors. For a full list of tutoring services, check out this website
  2. SI Tables: These are small group study tables that meet weekly throughout the term and are led by a student who knows your course material. Learn more here!
  3. Academic Success Center: The ASC has programs to help students find new techniques and tools, and locate additional campus support resources. Common conversations include discussions about time management, test preparation, and effective study strategies. Learn more here!

You are always welcome to reach out to your professors and academic advisors as well! They are here to help you navigate courses and help with your transition to OSU.

Transportation

You will receive an email from “Transportation Services” with an invitation to claim a parking pass for your START day(s). If you are attending a two-day session, this pass will cover parking for both days. To claim your parking pass, visit aims.parking.oregonstate.edu and enter the access key listed near the bottom of the email (make sure to scroll all the way down to find your access key!). You’ll need your car’s license plate number to complete the process.

This pass typically goes out 5 days before the START session and then again the day before if unclaimed.

If you cannot find your parking pass, stop by our START Registration Support Table at START, or email us at [email protected].

Oregon State University and Corvallis are bike friendly! There are many bike racks around campus where you can lock up your bike. Our transportation services recommend you bring a U-Lock and Cable Lock to secure your bike. You can also register your bike so it is easier for law enforcement agencies to return it to you if it's stolen. To do this or for more information on keeping your bike safe, visit this website.

The Beaver Bus runs on campus which provides multiple routes on campus and is included in student fees. 

ASOSU SafeRide provides late night transportation on campus and in the surrounding campus area. This is great for students studying late at the library, working late on campus, or aren't comfortable walking home for any reason. This service is included in student fees. For more information, visit the SafeRide website here

Corvallis city busses are also free for everyone! There are many routes for students to get around the city.

ALEKS Math Placement

All incoming students are required to take the ALEKS Placement Assessment, however when determining your math course registration, your highest placement from the ALEKS Assessment, AP/IB scores, and previous college math courses will be used. Taking the ALEKS Placement Assessment does not penalize students in anyway. The ALEKS Placement Assessment can only improve your math placement.

Visit this website to access a guide of what to do before, during, and after taking the ALEKS assessment. This is also where you can access the Oregon State University ALEKS login. 

Financial

We list all our START fees on our START Costs page. 

START fees will appear on the student’s account after we’ve finalized all charges. This could take up to a month after attending START. While START fees may appear before term charges are added, they are both due at the same time. You can view the OSU academic calendar for those dates here: https://registrar.oregonstate.edu/osu-academic-calendar.

If you need to request a billing adjustment on your START bill, please follow these steps:

Email us at [email protected] using your ONID email address.

Include the following information in your email:

  • Did you have any guests attend with you? If so, how many? Were any of them under the age of 10?
  • Did you stay in student housing? If yes, for how many nights?
  • Did any of your guests stay in guest housing? If yes, how many guests and for how many nights?


Once we receive your email with this information, we will forward it to our billing department to process the adjustment.

Guest START fees support catering, materials, staff wages, and room expenses for the day, as well as defraying costs for students attending START throughout the year.

START fees will be billed to your student account about a week after you attend your scheduled orientation session. These will be due at the same time fall tuition is due. 

At Oregon State University, we are committed to supporting our military service members, veterans, and their families as they transition into higher education. As part of this commitment, we offer fee waivers and discounts for various programs and sessions.

FEE WAIVERS

Military service or affiliation with a service member may qualify you for a fee waiver. Complete the following questions on our sign-up form to check eligibility. Answering "yes" to any of these questions may qualify you for a $10 student fee waiver.

  • Are you now or have you previously served in the U.S. military?
  • Are you the spouse or dependent child of a current or former service member of the U.S. military?
  • Do you plan to use a VA education benefit or military tuition assistance?

DISCOUNTS

In addition to fee waivers, we offer discounts for veterans attending in support of their students. If your student answers "yes" to the second question above and you are accompanying them, you may be eligible to receive the following discounts:

  • First-Year Families: Fee reduced to $65 from $80.
  • Transfer Families: Fee reduced to $50 from $65.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for a fee waiver or to receive a discount, please indicate your eligibility on the sign-up form when registering for a session on Beaver Basecamp. Our team will review your responses and apply the waiver or discount accordingly.

Parents and Families

Check out this webpage for more information about Parent & Family Weekends at OSU!

A student must register for a START session using their ONID e-mail address. 

Due to FERPA privacy laws, our office cannot act on behalf of students, or confirm any information about the student, except directly to the student. In addition, the student must contact us via telephone or from their ONID email address, as per University guidelines. We can only answer general inquiries by parents. For more information, please go to https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/parents-family-ferpa.

FERPA is a federal legislation act that protects the privacy of your student records and regulates how information is used. Release of student records at Oregon State University is bound by FERPA, the Oregon Revised Statutes, and by the Oregon Administrative Rules.

For more information, please visit their website and FAQ page:
FERPA: Privacy & Records | FERPA FAQs

Yes, but in limited quantity. Physical extra calenders can only be picked up in person from our office at 102 Waldo Hall. First come, first serve due to the quantity. 

A digital version of the Parent & Family calenders can be found here in English and Spanish!

Families are able to stay in the loop with events happening on campus and announcements through the OSU Parent & Family Portal! 

 

Throughout the in-person day of orientation, there will be multiple events for parents and families such as panels, presentations, tours and the resource fair with their student!

For Virtual START sessions, The majority will be asynchronous, previous informational panels about our campus resources are available for parents and family to view.