Science Intensive Orientation for Students

ScIOS is open to incoming FAU freshman who will take Biology 1011, and to those freshman who will take Psychology 1012, in the Fall of 2018. We will accept any student whose intended major requires them to take BIOL 1011 or PSY 1012. The program is only offered to freshman because it is geared toward making a rapid and successful transition to college.

If a student has an ACT score below 23, the University requires them to take Chemistry 1201 prior to enrolling in BIOL 1201. We do allow these students to participate in BIOS, even though they won’t be taking BIOL 1201 until the spring.

You may register for ScIOS before you are officially registered for fall classes. We will check shortly before the program begins to make sure each student is enrolled and eligible to participate.

Registration will start on 23 May 2018, and continue through the end of July 2018. Participants will be selected from the list on 31 July 2018.

Program fee: $295. A credit card is required for registration, but you will not be billed until you are selected as a participant. At the time of registration however, your credit card company will put a $295 hold on your account, that will disappear in 72 hours.

This fee includes:

• Two meals on Sunday 12 August and three meals a day on 13, 14, and 15 August.
• BIOL 1011 or PSY 1012 electronic textbook with access code to accompanying online materials
• A binder of program materials

Housing for the week of ScIOS is available only if you are signed up for campus housing in the fall.

We offer a special session for parents that addresses some of your concerns about SCIOS and freshman year in general. This program is held from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. on the Sunday of SCIOS check-in (12 August).

Parent SCIOS is designed to:

• Inform you about what will happen during the different parts of ScIOS
• Answer questions about how you can help your student during their first semester at FAU
• Discuss what you can do if your student has problems while at FAU

We will send more information about this program to parents of registered students.

There is an Awards Ceremony on the closing Wednesday, August 15 of ScIOS that parents are welcome to attend. The ceremony begins around 6:30 p.m.; it is a great chance for parents to see how the students spent their week, as well as to meet some of the Biological Sciences faculty and graduate assistants. It is a casual and fun closing to a busy few days!

ScIOS is a program based on the work of Dr. E. Wischusen, and Dr. S. Wischusen at Louisiana State University. The following material is their discussion of the goals and rationale for their program (SCIOS). Our program, ScIOS has adapted their approach to suit it to FAU, and been broadened to include Psychology.