Orientation FAQs

UkulelePlayApril2016 (7 of 7)We know the final stages of preparing to attend Truman can be intimidating and difficult to navigate. Check this page for answers to common questions.

Still have questions? Please reach out to the Office of Admission at 660-785-4114 or orientation@truman.edu.

Pre-Orientation
Orientation
Foreign Language Placement
Mathematics Placement

 

Pre-Orientation FAQs

All of the materials can be accessed on TruView (TruView Login Instructions). We recommend completing your Pre-Orientation materials in the following order:

  1. Summer Orientation Session RSVP
  2. Pre-Orientation Questionnaire
  3. Registration Agreement
  4. Math Placement Exam (Jump to FAQ)
  5. Foreign Language Placement Exam (Jump to FAQ)
Review the TruView Login Instructions. Then, try the following:

  1. Check the letter included in your Pre-Orientation packet to be sure you are typing your username correctly.
  2. If you have previously logged into TruView, try logging in with your chosen password at truview.truman.edu. If you have not previously logged in, go to myaccount.truman.edu to set up your password.
  3. If you cannot remember your password or if you still cannot successfully login to TruView, go to the Password Reset website.
  4. If you have attempted items 1-3 and continue to receive an error message, contact the Office of Admission at 660-785-4114 or admissions@truman.edu.
The Academic Interest area on the Pre-Orientation Questionnaire asks you to identify and allows you to change your major. You can access the Pre-Orientation Questionnaire on your Accepted Student Tab on TruView.
We do not want to inadvertently recommend that you enroll in a course you have already taken, so we need to know what courses you have earned or will earn college credit for before the fall. So, we need you to list all the courses in the College Credit Section of the Pre-Orientation Questionnaire and send official transcripts after your final grades have been posted. You can use the College/University Transcript Request Form.

 

Summer Orientation FAQs

All first-year students are required to attend Summer Orientation. You will benefit greatly from attending orientation because it is during this time that you will enroll in classes for the fall semester. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to take care of many logistical details, such as having your picture taken for your student ID card. You will also be able to familiarize yourself with campus and meet some of your future classmates.
Yes. However, if you live in a state other than Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, or Nebraska, or were accepted to Truman after June 1, you have the option of attending the August session. International students will also attend the August Orientation Session. Please contact the Office of Admission if you have questions regarding your eligibility to attend orientation in August.
Of course! Orientation is designed to help you meet new people, starting with fellow incoming students. Take a chance by introducing yourself to people during orientation. You’ll probably find that a lot of people, like you, don’t know anyone on campus and are looking to make new friends or even just someone to say hello to.
You should register online (via TruView) for a Summer Orientation session preference as soon as you receive instructions by mail.
All sessions will provide you the same information, so please request the session with open seats which works best for you. Please do not make travel arrangements until you receive your session selection confirmation at the end of the online registration process.
Choosing an earlier Summer Orientation session will not give you access to more diverse course options. All orientation session provide the same course availability.
The student orientation fee is included within required fees. Students will see a charge of $350 that covers both Summer Orientation and Truman Week costs. (See Tuition and Costs for more information on these fees). No additional fees will be assessed for guests attending Summer Orientation with a new student.
It is optional for your parents or guardians to attend Summer Orientation. During orientation, guests participate in a parallel program during which they have the opportunity to have their questions answered about various university resources available to students including Student Financial Services, Health and Wellness, and Student Life.
Summer orientation is a one-day event designed so you can drive to Kirksville in the morning and leave for home at the end of the day. If you are interested in spending the night in Kirksville, you and your guests may choose to stay in a local hotel. A list of local hotels may be found on the Visit Kirksville website.
You may park in any blue or green lot on campus, with the exception of handicap spaces. A campus map is available online.
We will do everything we can to make your visit to Truman for Summer Orientation a wonderful experience. For information regarding available accommodations for you or your guests, please contact Truman’s Office of Student Access and Disability Services at 660-785-4478 or ds@truman.edu.

 

Foreign Language Placement FAQ

Please take and submit all placement exams online (via TruView) a minimum of two weeks before your Summer Orientation session date. Accepted students receive information in March about accessing their online placement tests and the Pre-Orientation Questionnaire via TruView.
Yes. Our experience has been that many students change their minds and decide to continue with their studies in the same language. If this should happen to you, the placement score, your high school foreign language experience, and any college language courses you have completed will be used to place you in the appropriate level language course.
Students who have completed three or more years of foreign language courses have acquired skills above the entry level and therefore may not enroll in the Elementary I class of that language to earn credit at Truman.

If you do not feel prepared for Elementary II, you may choose to audit Elementary I or review Elementary I material over the summer before taking Elementary II.

There are several ways for you to demonstrate elementary or intermediate proficiency in a foreign language.

  • Successful completion of a higher level course can waive the prerequisite courses. For example, credit for Elementary II will waive Elementary I. You can take these courses at Truman or transfer the courses from an accredited college or university (including through dual credit during high school).
  • Once you arrive on campus, take the appropriate local waiver exam in Latin, Classical Greek, Russian, or German. If you pass the exam at the elementary level, you will satisfy the elementary proficiency requirement, but you will not receive any credit. Likewise, if you pass the exam at the intermediate level, you will satisfy the intermediate proficiency requirement. Note: The waiver exams are not the same as the online Pre-Orientation foreign language placement exams.
  • Take the appropriate CLEP, AP, or IB exams to earn college-level foreign language credit. A wide selection of advanced college credit programs can be applied toward Truman’s foreign language requirements. To learn more, see Advanced Placement.
Yes. We prefer you still take the foreign language placement exam. Foreign language courses through different institutions can vary and we want to ensure that you are placed at the appropriate level of foreign language courses at Truman.
If you have taken Ancient Greek, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, or Russian, we do not have an online placement exam for you to take. Once you are on campus, we will arrange for you to meet with faculty members from the Classical & Modern Languages Department to determine your appropriate placement.
If you have not had any foreign language experience, you do not need to take a foreign language placement exam. However, you will have to take a foreign language at Truman as there is a foreign language requirement in the Liberal Studies Program.
Yes. If you receive a grade of a C or better on your first attempt, start the language at your placement level, and not have earned credit through transfer or credit by examination, you can earn credit for the courses skipped. The cost is $25 per credit hour for the skipped courses.

 

Mathematics Placement FAQ

Your placement recommendation will be determined by the Mathematics Department. The scores from your placement exam I, placement exam II,  self-placement assessment, high school transcripts, and ACT/SAT math subscore will be used in the evaluation of your abilities. If after learning your placement you believe you have been inappropriately placed, you may discuss your options with the Mathematics Department during your Summer Orientation.
Every student at Truman must earn college credit for mathematics. Please reference the Degree Requirements page for information about specific classes that are required.
Yes. In a traditional calculus course, there is a great deal of emphasis on learning formulas and methods for solving special types of problems and a variety of concepts are covered in a semester. In MATH 194 (Liberal Arts & Science Calculus), the emphasis is on gaining a deeper understanding of the central ideas of calculus, learning how they can be used to understand the physical world, and understanding the role calculus has played in Western intellectual history. You can expect less emphasis on memorizing formulas in MATH 194 and there will be fewer “example” problems to imitate.
Successful completion of MATH 186 (Pre-Calculus) or equivalent (MATH 156 and MATH 157, College Algebra and Plane Trigonometry) is required for MATH 194 (Liberal Arts & Science Calculus), MATH 192 (Essentials of Calculus) and MATH 198 (Analytic Geometry and Calculus I). Even though MATH 194 (Liberal Arts and Science Calculus) places less emphasis on computation skills than would be expected in a traditional calculus course, you must have these skills in order to succeed in the course. The Mathematics Department will use your scores from your placement exam I, placement exam II,  self-placement assessment, high school transcripts, and ACT/SAT math subscore to determine your placement.
Whether or not you are required to purchase a calculator for this course depends on the particular instructor. Many, but not all, of the professors teaching calculus will want you to have a programmable graphing calculator. The Mathematics Department recommends the TI-86 for those classes that require a calculator. It is suggested that you check with your instructor before purchasing a particular model.
Students who have earned credit in College Algebra with a grade of C or higher are ready to take MATH 157 Plane Trigonometry.
No. The Math Placement Exam is not required in this case. However, you may take the exam to get an assessment of your current skills in pre-calculus mathematics. If you’re requesting a waiver, you must contact the Center for Academic Excellence at <AdvisingSession@truman.edu>
Yes. The AP results will not be received by Truman until after Summer Orientation and after you have registered for fall classes. If necessary, there will be time to make changes to your course selections after the AP test results are received.
Any course that transfers in as a calculus course will satisfy the Mathematics Mode of Inquiry requirement of the Liberal Studies Program. In addition, a score of 3 or better on the Advanced Placement AB or BC Calculus exam will satisfy the Mathematics Mode of Inquiry requirement of the Liberal Studies Program. Specific CLEP, AP, and IB exams can be taken to earn credit. To learn more, see Advanced Placement.