Pre-Orientation Programs

Jump-start your time at Colgate with an experience you'll never forget!

Participate in a Pre-orientation Program

Make friends, share valuable experiences, and get acquainted with the Colgate community prior to Orientation. Pre-orientation programs are offered in the weeks leading up to your first semester, providing you with the chance to connect with classmates and create memories that can help shape your transition to college and beyond.

Our pre-orientation programs provide opportunities to:

  • get connected with one or more campus organizations
  • gain valuable leadership skills
  • get to know upper-level student leaders
  • meet peers with similar interests
  • get involved early on campus
  • have fun!

With a variety of optional programs open to all incoming first year and transfer students as well as required programs for international students and Alumni Memorial Scholars, there is something for you - whether you're looking to explore something new or dive deeper into something in which you're already interested.

Read on for optional programs, and scroll to the end of the page for information about required programs.

 

Register for Pre-orientation 2026

Community Outreach

August 18 - August 22, 2026

Students doing community service at Rogers Nature Center

Make friends through community outreach and service, and learn about the local community in which you will live for the next four years. You will travel off campus in small groups with upper-level student leaders and mentors, immersing yourself in community settings. Serve with and learn from residents and nonprofit agencies in the local and regional area.

Through service and reflection on its definition, purpose, and efficacy, this experience invites you to begin your time at Colgate acting on and thinking about engaged citizenship and the public good. Learn how to connect individual acts of service to long-term social change; join a group of students on a service journey and see what answers you find!

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

August 18–22, 2026

Students turned toward a speaker

Ignite your creative spark and dive into the world of startups, problem-solving, and professional networking before classes even begin. This program introduces you to the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem on campus, in Central New York, and within the powerful Colgate alumni network. Through experiential exercises and site visits, you will explore entrepreneurial frameworks and learn how to turn a vision into reality.

Connect with a cohort of peers and upper-level mentors who share your drive for making an impact. You’ll hear first-hand advice from successful entrepreneurs, engage with the regional innovation community, and reflect on how to integrate entrepreneurship into your four-year Colgate journey. Whether you arrive with a fully-fledged business plan or simply a curious mind, come discover the tools and community you need to innovate right out of the ’gate!
 

First@Colgate and QuestBridge Scholars

August 18 - August 22, 2026

Students posing for a silly photo on the Hamilton Green.

Build community and familiarize yourself with campus resources that will help you thrive at Colgate. This program provides QuestBridge Scholars and first-generation students early access to opportunities to network with faculty and staff, get acquainted with key University offices, hear from upper-level students, and bond with fellow first-year students. Join this pre-orientation program and make the most of your Colgate experience right out of the ’gate!

Watch & learn about First@Colgate Pre-Orientation

Mindful Retreat Adventure 

August 18–22, 2026

Students sit outside near the zen garden

We invite new students not only to form a close bond with each other around the mindfulness value of Chapel House, but to learn about particular practices and resources which can assist in navigating one's new life at Colgate, and to have fun doing it. We are building retreat adventures into this exploration of group mindfulness – a night in a log cabin with a wood-burning stove and a boat trip to an island for some river-beach meditations and swimming.
 

Wilderness Adventure

Session 1: August 8 - August 13, 2026

Session 2: August 18 - August 23, 2026

Students pose in the forest during a hike

For over 30 years, around 25% of first year students have started their Colgate careers with a Wilderness Adventure. Alongside 7-9 other incoming first years and two experienced Outdoor Education student leaders, you will experience upstate New York and the Adirondack Park by backpacking, canoeing, sea kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking, day hiking, or a combo of these activities. Whether you’re an experienced outdoors person or you have never been camping before, we have a trip that is right for you (besides a range of activities, trips also come in a variety of difficulty levels). Along the way, you’ll make new friends and create unforgettable memories to set you up for the rest of your time at Colgate.

No previous outdoor experience is needed for any of our trips - just a willingness to have fun, learn, and meet new people. We will take care of the rest!

Wilderness Adventure

Required Programs

The following groups have pre-orientation programs tailored specifically for them. Students in these groups are required to attend these programs and therefore won't participate in any other program that coincides with the dates listed for their program but can expect similar meaningful experiences and more. If you're in one of these groups, you will receive more information through your Colgate email in May.

International Students (August 18 - August 23, 2026)

Join the international orientation team for a week filled with sun, fun activities, and community building as we immerse you in American culture and prepare you for your journey ahead. This orientation is tailored for students who will be attending Colgate University under F-1 visa status. Dual citizens, students on non-F visas, and folks who grew up in international locations are also welcome to attend International Student Orientation.

All international students are required to maintain valid F-1 status in order to attend Colgate University. During International Student Orientation, we will be completing the initial immigration registration as well as discussing topics specific to the international student experience.

Contact

Office of International Student Services, oiss@colgate.edu, +1-315-228-6131

Alumni Memorial Scholars (August 18 - August 23, 2026)

For over 100 years, Colgate students and graduates have explored the world through scholarship, research, and discovery. All Alumni Memorial Scholars (AMS) begin their Colgate experience participating in a pre-orientation program. Fostering community and a shared commitment for the pursuit of knowledge, the AMS pre-orientation program is designed to introduce participants to the active scholarship and types of scholarly support found across Colgate’s campus. Learn about the unique resources and opportunities available to the AMS community while getting to know your fellow scholars.

Contact

Office of Global and Local Initiatives, ams@colgate.edu.