ScIOS: Science Intensive Orientation for Students (Planning 2019)

FAU’s College of Science recently launched the  Science Intensive Orientation for Students (ScIOS)  to help freshman Biology and Psychology students succeed in science! Prior to the start of the semester, freshman can get a head start and enroll in a four-day program designed specifically to help students pursuing Biology and Psychology majors succeed in introductory science classes.  ScIOS  prepares new college students for a rapid transition to the expectations of college level coursework before the start of the semester.

Incoming Fall 2018 freshman who enroll in Biology 1011 or Psychology 1012 are eligible to join the  ScIOS program. Students will benefit from ScIOS by earning a higher grade in introductory courses through learning strategies. ScIOS also enables new students to meet with peers, upperclassmen, and faculty – forging a relationship with professors and fellow classmates from the outset.  ScIOS  will help students take a stronger first step toward their careers.

Similar science intensive orientations prove students benefit from the program. FAU modeled its ScIOS program after Louisiana State University’s (LSU) science orientation program called BIOS. LSU’s BIOS program demonstrated that students who enrolled in the program had significantly higher exam scores and final grades compared to students who did not enroll in the science orientation program.

The  ScIOS program  runs from Sunday, August 12 to Wednesday, August 15, and costs $295 to attend. Students can register until the end of July, 2018. ScIOS includes meals on each day of the orientation, electronic textbooks for either BIOL 1011 or PSY 1012, as well as a binder of program materials. In addition, students who have a housing contract to live on campus can move in early if they are attending ScIOS.