Great Start

 

Great Start Logo Congratulations, and welcome to the University of Miami! Each summer, the Department of Orientation & Commuter Student Involvement invites newly admitted commuter students (first-year students beginning in the fall or spring semesters as well as transfer students beginning in the fall semester) to participate in the Great Start program.

Great Start is an overnight pre-orientation program designed to create a college adjustment and campus involvement experience for new students who will be living off campus in their first year at the University of Miami. The mission of Great Start is to facilitate a smooth transition to college for new commuter students by orienting them to the campus and its resources, challenging them to explore academic and co-curricular opportunities, and empowering them to be active members of the ’Canes family. Students who participated in Great Start have said the program greatly contributed to a positive transition into the University of Miami.

The Great Start team looks forward to seeing you in the summer.  Please take some time to explore the information on this website.  If you have any questions, contact our program staff via email at greatstart@miami.edu or by phone at (305) 284-5646.

“Great Start really helped me see another perspective of the college life. It helped me realize that I could experience all the benefits of a ‘typical’ college life without feeling left out simply because I would be a commuter.” –Great Start 2018 Participant

 

Meet your Great Start Staff

Great Start 2020

  • 2020 Dates

    Session I: June 27-28

    Session II: July 18-19

    Session III: August 1
    This is a one day program specifically designed for incoming off-campus transfer students

    Students may only select one of the three sessions

  • Cost of Attendence

    Early-bird registration price:

    February 4 – May 21

    $75.00

    Regular registration price:

    May 22-July 8

    $85.00

    The registration fee includes weekend housing, all meals during the program, a t-shirt, and other spirit items. Students who register will receive a separate confirmation email in the weeks leading up to Great Start outlining what is provided and what they will need to bring.

    Scholarship Opportunities

    If you would like to attend a Great Start Program, but have challenges with financial resources, please contact the Great Start professional staff at greatstart@miami.edu. Limited scholarship application opportunities are available. Scholarship applications must be completed by June 21st.

  • How to Register

    Online registration is available via CaneLink starting Monday, March 2nd at 9:00am.  The online registration system accepts credit card payments only. Students are encouraged to sign up sooner than later, as these sessions fill up quickly. Admitted students in Miami-Dade and Broward counties will receive an email notice about the program in the Spring semester.

    Once you have logged into the system, you will click on the "Great Start Application" link, located in the middle of the page under "Admissions."  You will be taken to the registration site where you will confirm your information and select the session you wish to attend.

    Because the Great Start program is tailored to the specific needs of first-year commuter students, only first-year students who have paid the enrollment deposit and are from Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach counties will be able to see the "Great Start Application link" in CaneLink.  Additionally, this link will only appear if you are living off-campus your first year and have not opened a housing contract with the University of Miami.

    If you do not see the link to register on your CaneLink account, please e-mail greatstart@miami.edu

  • Changing Your Session

    If, after registering for the program, you wish to change the date of your session, you will need to log back into CaneLink and click on the "Great Start Application" link. You will be taken to a screen that will allow you to change the date of your session.

  • Scholarship Opportunities

    If you would like to attend a Great Start Program but have challenges with financial resources, thanks to donations from generous community members, we have been able to secure funding to provide scholarship opportunities.

    Please contact the Great Start professional staff at greatstart@miami.edu for more information. Scholarship applications must be completed by June 21.

  • Cancelling Your Session

    If you need to cancel your registration for any reason, you will need to log back into CaneLink  and click on the "Great Start Application" link. You will then click on the button to cancel your registration and request a refund. All cancelations must be submitted by the registration date. You will receive an email confirmation when this has been successfully completed.