The freshman Academic Orientation Program at MSU will undergo some changes this summer following input from students who participated in the overnight program.
One of the major changes in the orientation will be the tour, which gave the participating freshmen a look at the university's campus, said Megan Bracket, assistant director of AOP.
"Surveys showed that the students thought a walking tour would be better than a bus tour," the journalism senior said.
AOP, which takes place during the summer months, is required for all incoming students. The program features information sessions and meetings to help students get acquainted with MSU's more than 5,000-acre campus.
The new students found it hard to remember where buildings and other things were following the bus tour, Bracket said.
"Bus tours aren't effective because you can't walk around," accounting freshman Amanda Abraham said.
Abraham said the microphone on the bus didn't work and it was difficult to hear. The large group on the tour also made it more difficult to ask questions, she said.
According to Bracket, another change in the program will be more small-group time for the students to get to know one another as well as express concerns they may have about college life.
"The groups will be made of about 40 students and will be led by one (resident assistant)," Bracket said.
These small groups will be led by a student instead of an adult. The resident mentors will go over concerns and problems they had during their first year of college giving freshmen a chance to relate to them, Bracket said.
No-preference freshman Adrienne Vogt remembers being separated according to major for college tours.
"When we went to Lyman Briggs, it was extremely brief and we waited too long for nothing," she said.
To give freshmen a more realistic idea of the college setting, simulated classrooms will be set up to introduce students to the way classes operate. The classes will run for about 45 minutes.
"The classes will be taught by three or four professors who will alternate," Bracket said. "The teachers will hand out an example syllabus and go over what classes will be like."
