1st Year Pre-Orientation Program
August 21 – August 24, 2022
Move in early and get to know your fellow Class of 2026 Female identifying Engineers! SIGN UP BEGINS May 20, 2022.
Please apply before the deadline of June 20, 2022.
Apply Here
What is the Pre-Orientation Program?
Offered for the first time in 2008, Advancing Women in Engineering Program (AWE) is again offering a pre-orientation program for incoming female identifying engineers from August 21 to August 24, 2022. Last year we had an overwhelming response and we hope to repeat that this year! During the program new students will have a variety of opportunities to learn about Penn Engineering and the city of Philadelphia including:
- Meeting your fellow Class of 2026 female identifying engineers
- Meeting current undergraduate female identifying students in Penn Engineering
- Interacting with Penn Engineering Faculty
- Taking trips around Philadelphia
- Getting information about student clubs and leadership opportunities in the Engineering
This is a great time to get to know Penn and other female identifying engineers in a relaxed setting before New Student Orientation begins! The AWE program will be facilitated by older female identifying undergraduate students who are leaders in the Penn Engineering community. Participants will be allowed to move into their campus residence early as part of the program. The program begins the afternoon of Sunday, August 21, 2022 and ends the afternoon of Wednesday, August 24, 2022. Dates and format are subject to change based upon University COVID protocols.
The 2022 schedule has not yet been finalized but you can look at a past schedule as a reference. The 2022 schedule will not be available until August.
Please note that there is NOT a lot of free time in the schedule. Participants are expected to participate fully in the program. The cost of the program is $425 which covers your early move-in fee, food, and all program activities. If you are receiving financial aid from Penn, you are eligible to receive aid for the program, just indicate that on your application.
Student Testimonial
“I can’t tell you how much the Advancing Women in Engineering Pre-Orientation program helped me. First, it gave me a chance to get to know the campus, engineering buildings, and my dorm before the rush and stress of move-in day. But more importantly, I met girls and was able to make friends before the overwhelming days of NSO. Because I came in knowing absolutely no one, getting to meet people who would be in my classes for the next four years was a great comfort to me. Finally, the information sessions for different majors and the engineering school in general helped me narrow my major choices as a curriculum deferred student even before school had begun. It was a great experience that I’d recommend to any incoming women in engineers in a heartbeat.”
MEAM pre-orientation participant
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Have a question about Pre-Orientation? Here are some of our most frequently asked questions! If you have a question not addressed below, send us an email.
Can I apply to more than one pre-orientation program?
Yes, you can apply to more than one program but you will only be accepted into one program. So even though the application to the other programs is separate, all of the program directors meet to review the applications together. This way the greatest number of students get to attend pre-orientation. All notifications will be sent on the same day. So you don’t have to sign up for more than one but its ok if you want to!
Will I move into my own room?
Yes, you will move into your assigned College House when you arrive and no, you will not be the only one in the building. While the buildings will be somewhat quiet, they are fully staffed and will have other pre-orientation students, athletes and other upper-class volunteers will all be around.
What will we be doing during pre-orientation? Will I have free time?
The schedule is still coming together but we will keep you pretty busy from Sunday around 4pm to Wednesday around noon. There will be small breaks of free time but for the most part we will have lots of cool events, panels, tours and fun for you while you are participating so you shouldn’t plan to have a lot of free time!
Is there financial aid available?
Yes, there is! If you are receiving financial aid through Penn, please indicate that with your registration and we will be in contact about what aid for the pre-orientation fee we are able to offer you.
What does the fee cover? How much does it cost?
Pre-orientation costs $425. The fee covers your charge for early move-in and all of your meals starting with dinner on Sunday and running through brunch on Wednesday along with other fun off campus activities that we do.
Can my parents come to pre-orientation?
Pre-orientation is just for you! And you won’t have a lot of time to spend with your parents if they choose to stay in town. Many parents will use that time to explore Philadelphia or do some shopping on your behalf but no, they cannot come to pre-orientation.
Do I have to participate in all the activities?
Yes! The schedule is carefully planned to be both fun and helpful so you’ll get the most out of pre-orientation by participating fully. This means you should NOT schedule other things – even work-study interviews- during this time. You’ll have plenty of time after pre-orientation to take care of all of that!
Confirmation information for accepted students
Pre-Orientation confirmation information is coming soon!