Freshman Checklist
The items on this checklist will prepare you for your first semester at Cal Poly Pomona. You can track your checklist progress in the CPP Pre-Orientation Modules.
After Accepting Your Admission Offer
Orientation reservations will be available on October 28, 2024. Making your reservation signs you up for both the CPP Pre-Orientation modules and your in-person Advising and Registration session. To make your reservation:
- Log in to MyCPP.
- Go to your Student Center (BroncoDirect).
- Click the New Students Tab.
- Click on Make Orientation Reservation.
- Follow the prompts to confirm your reservation.
Modules 1 & 2 will be available prior to your Orientation Day, and you must complete them before attending your Orientation Day to register for classes.
- Module 1, available starting November 18th, provides an introduction to CPP as well as an overview of important resources and services you need to know to prepare for your in-person Orientation.
- Module 2, available starting November 18th, covers important information about Academic Advising and Registration to prepare you for Orientation Day.
All videos in the CPP Pre-Orientation are closed captioned. If you would like to have the CPP Pre-Orientation modules text read aloud, we recommend viewing the orientation using the Chrome browser with the Read Aloud extension enabled.
The link to the English Directed Self-Placement (DSP) Survey will be sent to your CPP email address. You can search for the subject line Required: CPP Directed Self-Placement (DSP) Survey. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete.
More information on the English Directed Self-Placement (DSP) Survey
In general, the following majors need to take the ALEKS PPL Assessment unless exempt from it:
- College of Science: All majors except Kinesiology.
- College of Engineering: All majors.
- College of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology, Nutrition Science, and Nutrition and Health majors.
More specifically, if your major requires you to take MAT 1140, MAT 1200, or MAT 1300, then you are required to take the ALEKS PPL assessment unless you have achieved one of the following:
- You earned a 3 or higher on the AP AB and/or BC Calculus exam.
- You took College Algebra (as the prerequisite for MAT 1200) or College Algebra and Trigonometry (as the prerequisites for MAT 1140 and MAT 1300) at an accredited college and earned a C or higher.
- You earned a 4 or higher on IB Mathematics HL.
NOTE: Your SAT math score and/or your ACT math score do not make you eligible to take MAT 1140, MAT 1200, or MAT 1300, regardless of your scores. You are only exempt from taking the ALEKS PPL assessment if you meet the conditions stated above.
You are strongly encouraged to take the ALEKS. ALEKS is designed to be a guided learning experience. This will give you time to complete the learning modules to do your best on the proctored assessment. You will spend about 15 hours in total on ALEKS.
The Bronco One Card is the official Cal Poly Pomona photo identification card for all Cal Poly Pomona faculty, staff, students and affiliates. It can also be used for dining services and convenience store locations, as well as access to campus services, buildings, and laboratories.
In order to receive your Bronco Card at your in-person Orientation Day:
- Visit the Bronco Card website.
- Review the requirements.
- Follow the instructions to upload your photo AND government-issued Photo ID (e.g., driver’s license, passport, military ID, etc.).
Before Orientation Day
Protect your Cal Poly Pomona account security by installing 2-Step Authentication, which will verify your identity before allowing access to campus systems. 2-Step Authentication will be required to access CPP online services so don't delay in setting it up!
Set-up eduroam on the device you are bringing to Orientation Day so you can quickly connect to campus wifi.
Download the CPP Mobile App for access to an orientation campus map, orientation schedule, and quick access to the orientation website and checklists.
After downloading the app, be sure to update your persona to New Student Orientation to access the orientation information.
- From the home screen, tap on the person icon.
- Tap on My Persona (the gear icon).
- Tap on New Student Orientation.
Your orientation guests can view their schedule by changing their person to Family.
During the academic year, you can access the BroncoExpress Shuttle updates, class information, Bronco Athletics, and much more on the CPP Mobile app. iOS and Android versions are available, plus a web interface.
Beginning June 1, you will have access to BroncoDirect Academic Planner and Schedule Builder. Accessing these tools and learning how to use them will help ensure that you are well-prepared for advising and registration. At this workshop, you'll:
- Learn about Schedule Builder and Academic Planner
- Learn how to use Academic Planner for your major and plan out your first year
- Learn how to use Schedule Builder to create potential weekly schedules and import into your Shopping Cart to finish enrolling
- Learn about your other academic planning tools
Need help? Attend one of our virtual help sessions, led by the Bronco Advising Center and your Orientation Leaders, prior to your Orientation Day.
If you need services through the Disability Resource Center, it's important to apply early to ensure your accommodations are in place by the time the semester starts.
Incoming military-affiliated or veteran students should plan on attending a Veterans Resource Center (VRC) Orientation Workshop hosted by the VRC, prior to their Orientation Day. During this session, you will learn about the services offered by the Veterans Resource Center and receive documents which will be needed during orientation in order to begin utilizing VA Educational Benefits. This informational workshop is open to all incoming veteran and military dependent students and is held in addition to Orientation Day.
When selecting your VRC workshop date, please refer to the email you received from the Veterans Resource Center to determine which VRC workshop you should attend. Attendance for this workshop should be one week PRIOR to your Orientation Day.
For questions about the VRC workshop, or to schedule a time to meet outside of your scheduled workshop, please contact the Veterans Resource Center at 909-869-6994 or vetquestions@cpp.edu.
In addition to the orientation enrollment requirement, international students must also complete their Onboarding Checklist to avoid any registration holds. For more information about the Onboarding Checklist and studying at CPP as an international student, visit the International Students and Scholars Office website.
Having up-to-date information in BroncoDirect ensures that the campus can contact you if needed. Plus you'll be able to use BillyChat! Log in to MyCPP to access BroncoDirect.
Visit the BillyChat website for a tutorial on how to update your contact information in BroncoDirect.
During Orientation Day
Attend, participate, and enjoy your Orientation Day! More information about Orientation Day will be included in your reminder emails that are sent to both your CPP and personal email addresses. Read these emails carefully and keep them for future reference.
If you do not attend your reserved Orientation Day, your admission to CPP will be withdrawn. If you wish to be considered for a reinstatement after being withdrawn, you must file an appeal with the Office of Admissions.
If you can no longer attend your reserved Orientation Day, contact the Office of New Student Programs & Family Engagement AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Be certain to include your Bronco ID number so we can assist you quickly.
After Orientation Day
You must finish module 3 prior to the start of the Fall 2024 semester to avoid having the ROS hold re-applied to your student account.
- Module 3 covers important information about student life to prepare you to start your first semester at CPP!
All videos in the Pre-Orientation modules are closed captioned. If you would like to have the Pre-Orientation modules text read aloud, we recommend viewing the orientation using the Chrome browser with the Read Aloud extension enabled.
All new students must complete two mandatory trainings:
Even if you are receiving financial aid, it is important to check your student account after the disbursement date to see if you have an outstanding balance. Ensuring your fees are paid on time will help you avoid any holds on your student account for non-payment. Visit the Student Accounting and Cashiering Services website for complete information on fee due dates and payment options.