Private Career Colleges often have a high proportion of students who have been out of secondary or post secondary education for more than five years. Therefore, an effective orientation should be built on three pillars: a thorough student understanding of the college’s expectations of them, the inclusion of a student calendar and/or handbook and a Student Success Strategies course.

Many private career colleges have discovered the importance of communicating attendance requirements, dress code and other common workplace expectations to students. A well designed student handbook can be of great value in communicating such student responsibility. Colleges who clearly communicate such expectations tend to have higher graduation rates.

Orientation sessions/modules can be an effective way to ensure that students have the information required to help them succeed in their chosen program of study. For example, information about college attendance policies, personal budgeting, effective time management strategies and study techniques can help provide a solid foundation for student success. Typically, Student Success Strategies are presented in a stand alone module that is incorporated into the academic calendar.