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Student Orientation Advising & Registration (SOAR)

Congratulations! Welcome to MassBay!

We are excited that you have selected MassBay Community College!

SOAR logo

 

The information below is for students

Starting in the Summer or Fall 2024 Semesters.

For information about starting another time, please email soar@massbay.edu

 

 
Congratulations & Welcome to MassBay Community College! 

Congratulations on taking the first step to further your education! We hope to ease your transition into the MassBay community for both you and your family, and look forward to meeting you at Orientation! The goal of MassBay’s Orientation is to provide you with the tools you need to succeed.

Orientation is required for all new students interested in earning a degree or certificate, so before starting classes, ALL new incoming students are required to attend an orientation session. 

  • Degree seeking first-time college students are required to participate in orientation to help ensure their academic success.
  • Non-Degree and transfer or returning students with 12 or more college credits are highly encouraged to participate in an in-person orientation to learn about current MassBay processes, services and resources, but we do have an online orientation course option for this population.
 

Starting Classes in SUMMER (May or July) 2024:

Please visit this page for more information on orientation for the summer sessions: massbay.edu/summersoar

 

Starting Classes in FALL (September) 2024:

Classes begin on Tuesday, September 3rd.  Orientations will be held in-person during June, July and August, and sign-ups will begin in April. 

  • Degree seeking first-time college students are required to participate in orientation to help ensure their academic success.
  • Non-Degree and transfer or returning students with 12 or more college credits are highly encouraged to participate in an in-person orientation to learn about current MassBay processes, services and resources, but we do have an online orientation course option for this population.

How to Sign-up for a SOAR Date:

  1. COMPLETE your Admissions Application: This includes submitting any required educational documents.
  2. FUFILL the Placement Requirement: Placement requirements apply to all students seeking an Associate Degree or certificate in Health Sciences. Most other certificate programs are exempt. Please check your “To Do” list in Bay Navigator to confirm whether you need to satisfy the placement requirement or not.
  3. STARTING IN APRIL, CHECK YOUR PERSONAL INBOX FOR AN EMAIL INVITE TO STUDENT ORIENTATION ADVISING & REGISTRATION (SOAR)!: Email invites will be sent to your PERSONAL email address (NOT massbay.edu) The subject line is “Next Step: Register for orientation (SOAR)!” and comes from soar@massbay.edu. Please check junk mail if you do not see it.
 

Don’t forget to gather your immunization documents! All students coming to campus who are under 30 years of age and taking 12 or more credits need to provide proof of certain vaccinations to the College. The easiest way to do this is to have your medical provider fill out the General Student, Non-Health Sciences form here . Please visit https://www.massbay.edu/immunization for additional information and instructions on how to submit your immunization records.

SOAR is a program designed for the new students and due to capacity restrictions we cannot allow guests to attend. However, there is be a separate Family Orientation Program available. Please visit https://www.massbay.edu/familyresources for more details.

 

Step 1

step 1 graphicGet Ready to SOAR!

Admitted into a degree or certificate program

  1. Complete the Admissions Application Process
  2. Fulfill the Math & English Placement Requirement: Placement requirements apply to all students seeking an Associate Degree or certificate in Health Sciences.  Most other certificate programs are exempt. Please check your “To Do” list in Bay Navigator to confirm whether you need to satisfy the placement requirement or not.
  3. Set-up your MassBay Technology Accounts: Once you have completed your admissions paperwork, you should receive an email to your personal email address from our Office of Information Technology (helpdesk@massbay.edu) with your credentials and instructions for activating your account in OneLogin. Make sure to check you junk mail folder. For help or questions with this process, please contact the IT Help Desk: helpdesk@massbay.edu or 781-239-2440
  4. Apply for Financial Aid (if applicable) Need Help with your FAFSA application? Text “MassBay” to 857-309-2942 to our uAspire partners for help over text, zoom, or phone call!

Once you have completed steps 1-4, you are ready to SOAR (attend Orientation) and will receive an email invite to sign-up!

For students starting in Fall Semesters (September - December):

  • Orientations are held in June, July & August in-person on the Wellesley Hills Campus. 
  • Email invites to sign-up start going out in early April. 

For students starting in Spring Semesters (January - May):

  • Orientations are held in November, December, & January in-person on the Wellesley Hills Campus.  
  • Email invites to sign-up start going out in early November. 

For students starting in Summer Sessions (May - August):

  • Orientations will be held in March, April & May virtually. 
  • Email invites to sign-up start going out in early March. 

Taking One or Two Courses for College Credit/Transfer

 

Step 2

step 2 graphicComplete your SOAR Experience

 

 SIGN-UP FOR & ATTEND ORIENTATION

New Student Orientation is an essential learning experience to start your first year off right.

  • First-time college students are required to participate in orientation to help ensure their academic success.
  • Transfer and returning students are highly encouraged to participate in orientation to learn about MassBay processes, services and resources.
  • New students pursuing seats in selective Health Science and Automotive programs have special requirements, if you are pursuing any of the following programs, please contact the Office of Admissions at 508-270-4059 or 781-239-2506 regarding orientation requirements for your program: BMW, Chrysler, General Motors, Toyota, Central Processing, Computed Tomography, Emergency Medicine, Nursing/Practical Nursing, Paramedicine, Phlebotomy, Radiological Technology, or Surgical Technology.
  • To register for pre-requisites for Nursing, Practical Nursing, Radiological Technology, or Surgical Technology, please attend Student Advising Registration & Orientation (SOAR).

 

At the New Student Orientation, you will:

  • Meet and socialize with fellow NEW MassBay students as well as current MassBay students, faculty, and staff;
  • Learn about MassBay's technology during a hands-on session in our computer labs, including your student email and classroom tools;
  • Get your Student ID;
  • Have a campus tour;
  • Get your campus parking pass;
  • Learn about the extracurricular and leadership opportunities available to you;
  • Receive tips for academic success;
  • Attend a resource fair where you will meet staff and be introduced to a wide range of support services and resources;
  • Meet with your Academic Advisor to:
    • Explore your academic, career, and transfer goals;
    • Plan your first semester schedule and register for classes.

 

Once you have completed

Your Admissions Application and the Placement Requirement

YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL INVITE FOR SOAR!

Email invites will be sent to your PERSONAL email address (NOT massbay.edu) The subject line is “Next Step: Register for orientation (SOAR)!” and comes from soar@massbay.edu. Please check junk mail if you do not see it.

For students starting in Fall Semesters (September - December):

  • Orientations are held in June, July & August in-person on the Wellesley Hills Campus. 
  • Email invites to sign-up start going out in early April. 

For students starting in Spring Semesters (January - May):

  • Orientations are held in November, December, & January in-person on the Wellesley Hills Campus.  
  • Email invites to sign-up start going out in early November. 

For students starting in Summer Sessions (May-August):

  • Orientations will be held in March, April & May virtually. 
  • Email invites to sign-up start going out in early March. 

For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations in order to fully participate in this event, please contact an Accessibility Specialist, at 781-239-2234, between 9m and 5pm, Monday through Friday. If you get a voicemail, please leave your name and number slowly and clearly. A specialist will call you back. Please know requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the event.

If you are attending a virtual SOAR from outside the US, you will not have access to Bay Navigator. However, you can gain access to it through the use of a Personal VPN that will show you as a US based address. Many providers offer free trials which can cover your use for SOAR.

 COMPLETE LAUNCH POINT

After Orientation, you can use this resource, Launch Point to learn more about MassBay or refresh what you already know!

 

Step 3

step 4 graphicFinish and Prepare

Apply for Financial Resources & Make Payment

Get Your Textbooks & Course Materials

Textbooks & Course Materials

Once you are enrolled in classes, you will need to look up (and purchase) your required course materials and textbooks. Use this Step by Step Guide on how to look up and purchase your textbooks!

Learn about additional resources

Academic Resources:
We recommend that ALL students visit our Academic Achievement Center to connect with our tutoring services, studies groups, and more!

Also, be sure you know how to navigate your online & remote courses in BlackBoard:

 

Need Help? Have questions? Meet with us!

Staff in the Virtual Q&A Center are ready to assist you with any of the above items!

Check your MassBay email frequently!

FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT:

Julie Schleicher | Coordinator of Orientation & New Student Programs

Email: jschleicher@massbay.edu