Prepare for New Freshman Orientation

AOC students typically enroll in 12 to 13 credits, depending on their individual academic profiles and outside commitments. You will likely choose a course from each of the five areas listed below.

  1. Educational Psychology 100, Learning Skills Laboratory, 2 credits
  2. Math course(s) as determined by math placement score.
  3. English composition or English as a Second Language (ESL) course(s) as determined by English Placement Test (EPT) score or Placement in Composition (ESL-PIC) score.*
  4. Reading course as determined by the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (part of the ATS/ Admissions Test Series).
  5. Course(s) selected from General Education Requirements (GER's) or Recommended Courses (PDF 25K) for your intended major. For description of courses, see the current UWM Catalog.

* If you grew up speaking a language other than English at home, you may benefit from taking English as a Second Language (ESL) writing courses. If you have any questions, please contact Cathy Kaye, ESL Writing Coordinator - email cjkaye@uwm.edu, phone (414) 229-6180.

It would be beneficial for you to check placement test scores in Math and English on PAWS. If you have already decided on a major, it would be a good idea for you to explore the website of your major school/college. If the curriculum is online, it would be beneficial for you to review it prior to your New Freshman Orientation date.

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  bullet UWM Program and Majors

Think about how you will plan your schedule and check out the current Schedule of Classes (Timetable). When you choose your courses at the New Freshman Orientation program, you will also need to decide when you will take your classes. When you log onto PAWS to complete your registration, you will be able to do a search of the courses you have selected to see the days and times they are available. You can then select any of the options you find. Some courses will fit into your schedule better than others, which is part of the reason we want you to have a variety of options to choose from when you get to the New Freshman Orientation program.

So, start thinking about what you might like your schedule to look like. Most classes meet Monday/Wednesday/Friday (MWF) or Tuesday/Thursday (TR).

  • Do you want your classes scheduled over five days or less?
  • Would you prefer morning or afternoon classes?
  • Do you want your classes grouped together or spread out?
  • How will work or family commitments affect your course scheduling?

Start thinking through these things now and it will make it easier for you to make decisions about your schedule at your New Freshman Orientation program.

Learn About Using PAWS

Try to become a little familiar with the PAWS registration process, and make sure you know your PAWS PIN when you come to the New Freshman Orientation program. The following links provide information on these issues.

PAWS Interactive Tutorial. This site provides detailed information about PAWS registration functions and provides tips for troubleshooting.

DES Online. Logging onto these pages allows you to access your PAWS PIN if you do not know it.