Preparing Students For College A Top Priority At Pace University

From Thompson & Bender: Making sure that new college students are properly prepared for their arrival in September is a top priority for Pace University, which began a series of Orientation sessions for prospective first-year students this month.

On July 1–2, 115 students and 89 family members received an intensive introduction to life at Pace University that included various sessions on Residential Life/Commuter Life, Academic Advising, Money Matters, Campus Involvement, and getting to know more about their First-Year Interest Groups. Sessions for families focused on Career Services,Understanding Community Standards, Money Matters, and a tour of downtown Pleasantville.

Pace University places special emphasis on preparing incoming first-years to ensure that students feel welcome and comfortable with the college experience. Nationally, only 60 percent of incoming college students make it to their sophomore year. Students drop out for a variety of reasons including lack of financial support, as well as social and academic difficulties.Pace University’s retention rate continues to improve in part because of increased faculty-student engagement, financial counseling, and the Pace Path’s emphasis on mentorship, experiential learning, and individualized plans for academic success.

“Student success is central to our efforts at Pace, and it starts before our first-year students join us in the fall,’’ said Provost Vanya Quiñones, PhD. “It’s important for students to feel welcome and connected in their new environment. With the Pace Path, we ensure that every student maximizes their college experience through mentoring, support, planning, soft-skill building, and real-world experiences. Summer Orientation is a fun and relaxing way for our students to get a head start on their Pace Path.’’

Last week’s sessions were the first of four such orientations being held this month. Sessions for transfer students will be held in August, followed by a final two-day program for first-year students in August.

About Pace University: Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides.

From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The University also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus, and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law School in White Plains. www.pace.edu