New Student Orientation Schedule

9:00 am-12:00 pm Check In and Resource Fair | Lower Student Center

Move-in Times
9:00-9:30 am Family Name starting with A - C
9:30-10:00 am Family Name starting with D - L
10:00 - 10:30 am Family Name starting with M - R
10:30 - 11:00 am Family Name starting with S - Z

11:00-11:45 am Campus Tour (optional) | Meet at Andrew Schwartz Parlor, outside of Admissions in the Barn

12:00-2:00 pm  Lunch | Commons Dining Hall

12:00-1:00 pm Family Name A-L

12:45-1:45 pm Family Name M-Z

1:00-1:45 pm Campus Tour (optional) | Meet at Andrew Schwartz Parlor, outside of Admissions in the Barn

2:00-2:30 pm Welcome | Greenwall Auditorium, Visual and Performing Arts Center

2:30-4:45 pm Meet Your House Chairs and Your Peers | End of the World and Commons Lawn                                            

*The following three sessions are designed for families:

2:30-3:30 pm Myths and Realities: What a Bennington Education is Really About | Greenwall Auditorium, VAPA

3:45-4:45 pm The Whole Person Approach: Keeping the Student at the Center of Education | Greenwall Auditorium, VAPA

4:45-5:00 pm Family Send-Off | Greenwall Auditorium, VAPA

*All events after this are for students only.

5:30-6:30 pm Dinner and Check-in | Commons Dining Hall

8:00-9:00 pm House Coffee Hour | House Common Area

 8:00-8:45 am Breakfast | Commons Dining Hall 

9:30-10:30 am   The Plan: Understanding Academic Life at Bennington | Greenwall Auditorium, VAPA

10:30 am-12:00 pm Mindfulness and Getting the Most out of Your Co-Curricular Experience | Greenwall Auditorium, VAPA

12:00-1:15 pm Lunch | Commons Dining Hall

There are three concurrent afternoon sessions. Please go to the session according to your academic standing/program.

1:30-3:00 pm First-Year Forum Introductory Class (for students with first- or second-term standing) | Your FYF classroom’s location is in your folder 

1:30-3:00 pm The Transfer and Exchange Student Experience and Academic Resources (for transfer and exchange BA students with 3rd-7th term status) | Commons 319 (3rd Floor)

1:30-3:00 pm The 3rd-7th Term BFA Experience (for BFA students with 3rd-7th term status) | Commons 303



3:30-4:30 pm We’re All in This Together | Starting at Greenwall Auditorium, VAPA, and ending at your house

5:30-6:30 pm Dinner and Check-in | Commons Dining Hall

8:00-9:00 pm Story Circle | House Common Area 

8:30-9:30 am Continental Breakfast | Commons Dining Hall 

9:30-10:00 am Incoming First-Year Survey | Greenwall

10:00-11:30 am Community Standards and Restorative Justice | Greenwall Auditorium

11:30 am-12:30 pm Brunch | Dining Hall

1:00-4:00 pm Excursions to Bennington/N. Bennington and Campus Activities

5:30-6:30 pm Dinner and Check-in | Commons Dining Hall

8:00-9:00 pm Game Night | Student Center (optional)

  8:30-9:30 am Continental Breakfast | Commons Dining Hall 

10:00-11:00 am Resource Scavenger Hunt | Tishman Auditorium

11:30 am-1:30 pm Brunch | Commons Dining Hall 

2:00- 5:00 pm Faculty Workshop (for all students, including first year, exchange, and transfer students) | Designated Classrooms

5:30-6:30 pm Dinner | Commons Dining Hall

8:30-10:30 pm Movie Night & Student Craft Fair | Commons Lawn (optional)

 8:00-9:00 am Breakfast | Commons Dining Hall 

There are two concurrent morning programs. Please go to the sessions according to your academic standing/program.

9:00-10:00 am Faculty Advising (for first-year students) | Individual Faculty Member’s Office

9:00-10:00 am Working On Campus (for transfer students with 3rd-7th term status) | Tishman Auditorium

10:30-11:30 am Academic Resources (for first-year students)  | Location based on First-Year-Forum section

10:30-11:30 am Understanding the Bennington Plan Process (for transfer BA students with 3rd-7th term status)  | Commons 319 (3rd Floor)

10:30-11:30 am Free Time for Exchange Students and transfer BFA students with 3rd-7th term status  

12:00-1:00 pm Lunch | Commons Dining Hall

1:00-5:30 pm BFA Dance Preview Workshop | Lower Student Center

1:30-3:30 pm Faculty Advising for all BA students | Individual Faculty Member’s Office

3:30 pm Add/Drop opens

5:30-6:30 pm Dinner | Commons Dining Hall

8:00-10:00 pm Contra Dance Party | Deane Carriage Barn  

8:00-9:00 am Breakfast | Commons Dining Hall

There are three concurrent morning sessions. Please go to the session according to your academic standing/program.

9:30-10:45 am First-Year-Forum Class 1 | Your FYF classroom location is in your folder

9:30-10:45 am Field Work Term Planning (for transfer BA students with 3rd-7th term status) | Tishman Auditorium

9:30-10:45 am Free Time for Exchange Students and transfer BFA students with 3rd-7th term status  

11:00 am-12:00 pm Convocation | Greenwall Auditorium

12:00-1:00 pm Lunch | Commons Dining Hall

2:00-5:00 pm Open Office Hours

2:10 pm Classes Begin

Information about Drama, Dance, and Music auditions and language placement can be found in the Digital Coffee Hour online under “All Things Academic for Fall Term” under Auditions & Placement Tests.