Staying connected to your student
The transition from high school to college is a major shift for both students and families as you all adjust to new schedules, expectations and responsibilities. We encourage you to learn a little more about the WMU administration to understand how these offices interact with your student on a daily basis. If you’d like to receive regular updates from WMU, you can sign up for the Family Connection newsletter or safety alerts and advisories from the WMU Department of Public Safety.
Academics and career development
We know that your student’s success is your first priority—it’s ours, too! From the moment they step on campus, your student will have access to a variety of academic and career-related resources to help shape and support whatever path they choose to take.
Academic advising
![A student working on a piece of machinery.](https://files.wmich.edu/s3fs-public/styles/hero_12_5/public/images/u3800/2021/Academics_0.jpeg?h=c3635fa2&itok=1hsGQP-5)
Beyond the classroom
In addition to their studies, your student will also want to plan for life beyond WMU. Your student may:
Take their first steps toward a successful career with help from our Career and Student Employment Services. Our dedicated team provides career assessments, job-search tools, networking events, resume help and much more.
Find a part-time, on-campus job. Your student will learn valuable workplace skills, like how to have a good relationship with a boss and co-workers, follow through on obligations and build character and responsibility.
Expand their horizons by studying abroad. Encourage your student to take advantage of this valuable opportunity to enrich and broaden their perspectives, preparing them to enter a global workforce.
Finances and paying for school
Info for incoming Bronco families
Congratulations to you and your student, and welcome to the Bronco family! We know the transition to college, whether new to college or transferring from another institution, brings a number of challenges and questions. With that in mind, we want to provide you with some resources that we hope you’ll find helpful.
- The academic journey begins with orientation. Your student has been asked to register for an in-person orientation session with several options to choose from throughout the summer; orientation dates and sample daily schedules are available online. All incoming students, transfer or beginner, are required to attend orientation. Family participation, which is limited to two per student, is encouraged. There will be separate student and family programming during the event. Students will need to log into the New Student Hub to register for orientation.
- Take a look at the online orientation modules. All students who have completed the pre-advising survey are automatically enrolled into these online modules. Checking out the online orientation modules is a great way to get to know a little more about WMU and features highlights from across campus, including important information on academics, social engagement and more. You can view the modules beginning May 6, 2024, and they should be finished by Sept. 13, 2024.
Visiting your student
Visiting campus is a great way to learn more about the Bronco experience! If you’re headed to Kalamazoo, here are a few helpful resources: