Welcome Penn Class of 2025!

Congratulations on starting your new journey at Penn!

Here at the Office of New Student Orientation & Academic Initiatives, we are already planning for your arrival in August. Although New Student Orientation (NSO) is months away, occurring from August 25-30, our staff wants to provide you with pivotal information and tasks that need to be completed before you step foot on campus. Throughout the summer, we will send several email reminders so you're always aware of what's coming up.

We hope you will check out the Penn10 to provide ten key action steps so you’ll be on top of everything you need to start your Penn experience, such as creating your Penn email if you haven’t done so already.

To get you thinking about the upcoming months, we’ve spotlighted some initiatives that you’ll need know about.

We look forward to meeting you in August!

- NSO Staff

Thrive at Penn (TAP) 

TAP modules will go live on August 2; completion required by August 20

TAP is a mandatory online pre-orientation program that readies incoming students for their Penn experience. TAP prepares students to make healthy choices as they begin their university experience and provides information about resources available to support student success. Topics covered include thriving at a research university, wellness and health, the risks associated with alcohol and other drugs, healthy relationships and sexual violence prevention, and other resources for first-year students.

Throughout your undergraduate career, TAP will be available through Canvas, Penn’s learning management system. At your own pace, you’ll be asked to complete this mandatory program before arriving on campus. As you continue on your path to graduation, TAP will be updated with additional resources specific to your needs during sophomore, junior, and senior years.

When TAP goes live in early August, you will have an opportunity to virtually connect with your PHINS Orientation Group (POG) which will be led by a PHINS (Peers Helping Incoming New Students) Orientation Leader, who is a fellow undergraduate student in their second, third, or fourth year at Penn. You will then be able to meet your group in person during NSO! Stay tuned for updates and details in the coming weeks.

Penn Reading Project (PRP) 

Completion Required by Friday, August 20

The Penn Reading Project is now in its 31st year of introducing the incoming freshman class to academic life at Penn. The Provost, the Council of Undergraduate Deans, and the Office of New Student Orientation & Academic Initiatives are pleased to announce that August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is the 2021-22 Penn Reading Project selection to coincide with the Year of Civic Engagement.

All incoming freshmen are required to participate in PRP. Before the arrival to campus, students are able to read the text, review resources, and submit a writing assignment in the TAP Canvas site. During NSO, you will view a mandatory virtual presentation and discuss Ma Rainey and the Year of Civic Engagement in your small group in-person discussions. As with TAP, the PRP book and prompts will be available in early August, with more information to follow.

Specific Population Programming

New Student Orientation (NSO) for all incoming students begins with mandatory activities the evening of Wednesday, August 25, 2021. Prior to the start of NSO, we also host specific population programming for First-Generation Lower-Income (FGLI), Transfer, International, and Exchange/IGSP students.  More information regarding this programming will be available shortly.

Still have questions?

We’re happy to help with any questions you might have. Please feel free to contact us at provost-nso-ai@pobox.upenn.edu. Good luck, and we look forward to seeing you on campus in August!