• Prepare Your Student
  • What to Expect at Move-In and Orientation Webinar
  • Campus Engagement
  • Campus Traditions
  • Student Employment 
• Today’s Parent Tips
  • Rochester Weather
  • 2023-2024 Academic Calendar
• Ask Your Student About

Webinar:  What to Expect at Move-In and Orientation
Join staff from Orientation, Parent and Family Programs, Residence Life, and RIT Housing for an overview of what to expect on Welcome Days. We will cover the move-in process, Welcome Days schedule, and Orientation highlights. Participate in one of the two webinar sessions on Aug. 8 and Aug. 10 from 7-8 p.m. 

Campus Engagement
Students arrive on campus with a variety of hobbies and interests. Your student might choose to connect with a club similar to one they participated in during high school or join one in search of a new interest or activity. Campus involvement has many benefits including building friendships, better academic outcomes, and the development of “soft” skills. With over 200 clubs and organizations on campus, there is something for all interests. 

Your student will have the opportunity to learn about campus involvement during the Tiger Activities Fair, which takes place during TigerFest (Aug. 27-Sept. 1). Students can start searching for clubs now using RIT CampusGroups.

The Student Life Team (SLT) offers programming specific to RIT’s deaf and hard-of-hearing students, including late-night educational programming, spiritual/religious and civility exploration workshops, self-advocacy and community accountability mentoring programs, social and cultural programs, fraternity and sorority event collaborations, and club/organizations.

Campus Traditions
At RIT, we celebrate our tiger pride through many campus-wide events and traditions. Encourage your student to learn more about our campus traditions and save the dates on their calendar. Don't forget to save the date to return to campus for Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend!

Student Employment
There are many benefits to working during the semester, including making friends, earning late-night pizza money, and engaging in the campus community. Additionally, students who work have been found to do better in classes and often develop strong time management skills. Students seeking on-campus employment will need to produce several forms of unexpired, original identification. A driver’s license AND social security card together or a passport on its own are commonly acceptable forms of ID. Find a complete list of acceptable documents and information on how students can apply to jobs on campus on the Student Employment Office website. 

Rochester Weather
Rochester experiences the whole range of seasons, so make sure your student has light summer clothing, warm winter clothing, and everything in between! Good winter clothing includes a heavy coat, winter boots, a hat, mittens, and scarves. Remember, however, that your student will not need winter clothes right away, so don’t stress out if it doesn’t get packed in August. 

If your student will have a car on campus, it’s good to keep a small shovel and an ice scraper in the trunk. If you are from a warm climate, don’t fear-there are many ways to have fun in the cold months! For example, sledding, skating, hot chocolate, and one of our favorite campus traditions — FreezeFest.

To get a glimpse of what winter is like, you can watch the Rochester Weather and Winter at RIT videos. Check out the RIT Family Facebook page for winter clothing tips from other RIT parents. 

2023-2024 Academic Calendar
The 2023-2024 Academic Calendar includes all important dates, including breaks. Before booking a trip home for your student over a break, make sure your student checks their schedule for exams and project due dates. This information will be available in their course syllabi.