New Student Orientation

Orientation at Gulf Coast Community College will be launched on June 30, 2008. Orientation will be a total on-line experience and will be accessible from this website. Come back at the end of June and see the GULF COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE ON-LINE ORIENTATION!

What is orientation and why do I need it? Orientation is the opportunity for students to become acclimated to attending college. This includes Gulf Coast policies and procedures as well as resource information that will aid students in making informed decisions.

I already know all I need to be successful in college, why are you making me do this!?! Studies show that students who plan their academic paths are more successful than those who do not plan. You may be well-versed in success strategies and implement these skills in your academic pursuits and, if that is the case, you may just learn something that you didn't already know. You may also learn about other issues that have a direct impact on students. Topics such as cyber security, transportation issues, environmental issues, credit issues, transfer issues, and others will be presented in a case study format. You just might learn something!

Orientation is an opportunity for students to learn about college in general and about Gulf Coast specifically. Many students believe that community college is just like high school. From your perspective it may seem that way. You may still be living at home, you haven't left Panama City and so your perspective hasn't changed. You're just attending a different school. However, you're no longer in high school and the expectation is that you are pursuing a higher level of education. The change is that you have matriculated from a teaching institution to a learning institution. That may not seem like a huge change but it is monumental. This change means that you, the student, carries a greater responsibility for learning.