July 2025
Welcome to Dickinson!
There will be a lot for you to do in the upcoming weeks to prepare for your arrival on campus. Watch for weekly emails listing three things for you to do or know for that week. Those action items will also be posted here for reference.
QUESTIONS?
Reach out to orientation@dickinson.edu anytime if you have questions.
Three Things for July 2
Celebrate with your fellow Dickinsonians!
Throughout July and August, you and your family are invited to connect with your new classmates as well as alumni, parents and current students at Summer Send-offs around the country. Registration is available now!
Be ready for your New Student Advising session.
New Student Advising starts soon! You will begin your academic journey this summer by requesting your first semester's courses. Our New Student Advising team will be hosting sessions from the Advising & Student Success Office July 14-21 to discuss your course requests—and how your emerging authentic interests fit with those courses for the fall. Please review the information on our website to prepare, and make sure you have signed up for your New Student Advising session (see email sent to your Dickinson account about New Student Advising). This is going to be fun and completely centered on you and your journey!
Complete your health forms.
The deadline to submit the required health forms to the Wellness Center was July 1, 2025. All required forms are completed through the Patient Portal.
On the portal, you must complete:
- Medical history form
- TB Risk Assessment form
- Enter your immunization information and upload a copy of your health care provider's immunization record or the Dickinson immunization record form signed by your health care provider.
Wellness Center staff are updating the Patient Portal with all health information received to date, so please check your health forms status to verify compliance by following the instructions below:
- Go to the Patient Portal and log in with the same username and password you use for your Dickinson email. You can also access the Patient Portal through Gateway and selecting the Pyramed tile.
- Click on the Immunizations tab, Immunization History to view your compliance status.
- Read any secure messages waiting for you and reply if you have any questions regarding the missing requirement(s).
For additional information, please refer to our Health Forms Guide.
Special Note for International Students: If a required immunization is unavailable in your home country, the Wellness Center will be in contact with you to schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine upon your arrival to Dickinson.
Remember: You won't be able to move into your residence hall if your health forms are not complete!
Three Things for July 9
Connect with your New Student Advising team member.
New Student Advising sessions are about to begin! You should have received an email with details about scheduling your advising appointment, and how to prepare. If you have not yet done so, please schedule your appointment ASAP. Contact newstudentadvising@dickinson.edu with any questions.
Preview the tentative orientation schedule.
Start planning your first week on campus with a sneak peek at the daily schedules. Note that some dates and times are subject to change, and you will receive a final schedule when you arrive on campus.
Make arrangements for health insurance and plan your tuition payments
All students are required to have health insurance. International students will be auto enrolled in the college-sponsored health insurance plan. Domestic students may enroll in the college-sponsored health insurance plan or waive this plan by providing proof of coverage. Learn more about the student health insurance and if you are eligible to waive this plan.
The Student Accounts Office will send you an email, to your Dickinson email, with information on how to access your billing statement through the Gateway portal. Dickinson offers an interest-free monthly tuition installment plan through Nelnet Campus Commerce. This plan allows you to spread out your fall semester out-of-pocket balance over five months (June to October) and spring semester out-of-pocket balance over five months (November to March) for an enrollment fee of $50 per semester.
For more information, or to enroll in the plan, visit Nelnet Campus Commerce. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Student Accounts Office stuaccts@dickinson.edu or dial 1-717-245-1953.
Three Things for July 16
Enter your course requests.
The First-Year Course Request Period opens at 9 a.m. on July 16. Please review the instructions and enter your course requests via SSB in Gateway for Fall 2025.
Important: If you do not enter your requests by 4 p.m. on July 23, you will not be able to select classes until the First-Year Schedule Adjustment Period, which runs from August 13 - September 1.
Please Note: The course request period ends promptly at 4 p.m. on July 23. You are responsible for confirming that the correct course requests have been entered before the end of the Course Request Period. When entered correctly, they will show in Gateway under your Current Schedule Information with a status of “Course Requested”.
Get ready to move-in!
Residence Life & Housing looks forward to welcoming you to campus in August! We use the information you provided to us in your roommate preference form to house you appropriately for your class year. We will share your housing assignment and roommate information by the first week in August.
Move-in for most first-year students will be Wednesday, August 27, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. We encourage families to patriciate in this process as well as follow all driving instructions outlined on the website. Additionally, we have a connection to a Pennsylvania company, Ship My Room, which has move-in and move-out options available to help in your transition to campus.
Take the “Transition to College” Survey.
Psychology professors at Dickinson College, Davidson College, Randolph-Macon College, and the University of Richmond are conducting a research study called the Transition to College Study. We hope you will participate by completing a brief online survey (about 20 minutes) -Transition to College Survey.
The survey will ask multiple-choice questions about you – including your friendships, your hopes for college, and your well-being. We are excited to be conducting this study to learn about how students make the transition to college, and we are hoping to get as many first-year students involved in the project as possible. We really hope you will agree to participate! Students who participate have the option to enter a raffle to win one of 10 gift cards worth $25 each.
Three Things for July 23
Share your interest in music.
Deepen your passion or expand your horizons with Music at Dickinson! Have you been enjoying music for years? Or do you want to take up music for the first time—and for college credit? Let us know your experience and interest in music on the Music Interest Form (look in Navigate in the Journey items) by August 15.
And come find out more at Music Information Night on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in Weiss Center for the Arts. All your questions about music lessons, courses, ensembles, instruments for loan, lockers for instruments, practice spaces, and more will be answered that evening. Feel free to reach out with any questions to music@dickinson.edu.
Complete the Academic Integrity Tutorial.
This tutorial will help you understand issues around Academic Integrity, especially the nuances of plagiarism, how to use research material ethically, and the basic principles of citation. Even if you have had plagiarism instruction prior to enrolling at Dickinson , you are likely to encounter new material in this tutorial, including policies that are specific to Dickinson.
This required tutorial will be available starting July 21 and must be completed by 8 a.m. on Monday, September 15. If you do not complete the tutorial by the due date, a hold will be placed on your student account, preventing you from registering for Spring semester classes.
*Students enrolled in Kendall Thompson’s First-Year Seminar, FYSM 100-34, will complete the tutorial on a different platform. Those students should look for instructions from Professor Thompson prior to the start of the semester.
Questions about this tutorial can be sent to ask@dickinson.libanswers.com.
Complete the START Module.
Incoming students are required to complete the START Learning Program for Higher Education prior to the start of their first semester. The START Program is an online series of well-researched educational programs for adults committed to thinking about their life choices and values. It includes modules aimed at reducing campus sexual assault, dating/domestic violence and stalking, harassment and respect, and empowering bystanders to intervene.
The START Program is available online and all four modules must be completed by August 1.