|
School Psychology Program -
New Student Guide
Welcome, and congratulations on being accepted to the School Psychology Program at University of South Florida. We are so excited to have you here with us!
Important Things for New Students to Know
The information in this guide was compiled by the 2003-2004 first year cohort and the 2005-2006 first year cohort. It is information that current students believe is important for new students to know. It is being passed on to you in the hope that it will make your first semester a little easier than it otherwise would have been. Please note that the views expressed in this guide are the opinions of past and current first year students and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Program or its faculty.
Please read this as carefully as possible as it is all important for you to know!! This web site is not meant to overwhelm you. We understand that you probably have a million questions, and this is our way of trying to provide you with all the answers to read at your leisure. There are several things included in this site that you can take care of before you arrive to make a smoother transition to graduate school (e.g. getting a USF parking permit). DO NOT PANIC if you are not able to complete all of these things. You will have time during orientation and the first few weeks of class to complete anything you have not done. However, orientation is busy so you might be happier if you get it done now. Contact your mentor if you have questions.
Here is a CHECKLIST of tasks to accomplish
BEFORE orientation starts.
These are strong suggestions.
q Be in contact your student mentor. Remember, we have all been in your shoes. We understand that you will probably have a new question everyday, so don’t be afraid to e-mail or call your mentors.
q Have your immunization records delivered to USF health services by the first day of orientation (or hand deliver them when you get here).
q Take
care of any Financial Aid paperwork
.
q Have
your social security card. You need the actual card, not
just your number.
q Find an apartment. We suggest doing this at least 3 weeks before orientation starts. We also recommend making a trip to Tampa ahead of time in order to secure an apartment. Talk to your mentor about your options.
q Buy
a parking permit
for USF. This info is included in the "car and
parking" section of this guide.
q Get your Florida Driver’s License ASAP. This should be your number one priority besides finding a place to live.
q Budget
your money carefully. Unexpected
expenses are going to arise.
Orientation Week
A number of activities occur during your first week of orientation, including some fun outdoor activities and a number of program information sessions. Later in the summer you will be receiving e-mails and information on a schedule of activities.
During the first week of orientation, first year students will be required to take a measurement exam in order to waive students out of a graduate statistics course. We have provided a link to a Review presentation in PowerPoint format (also available in .pdf format) and a Measurement Review Guide.
We also highly recommend talking to your mentors about this exam. We know the thought of taking an exam the first week of graduate school may sound overwhelming, and talking with your first year mentors can help ease those anxiety and fears.
USF
Links
School Psychology Program - http://www.coedu.usf.edu/deptpsysoc/psych/
The School Psychology Student Association (SPSA) - http://www.coedu.usf.edu/schoolpsych/student_information/spsa/
The SPSA is an
organization that provides social and professional development activities for
all school psychology students. You
are already a member!! Here is the web site. Check out the events this past year.
USF Graduate Studies - The GPSO is another organization for graduate students. You can sign up for their listserv on this web site.
|
