Is it really that important for family members to attend?
I already have a student attending college and have been through orientation so I really don’t need to attend again, do I?
Will I be with my student during Lobo Orientation?
Can others besides parents come to the program?
How can I register for the Family Connection Program?
My student has already signed up and I didn’t. Can I still attend the same session?
How can I help my student prepare for orientation?
I am very busy at work and won’t be able to get off two whole days to attend. What can I do instead?
My student thinks that I will just be bothering her at orientation. Are family and guests with students all the time?
Will my student stay in the same residence hall room as I or spend the evening with me?
I am from out of town and have no place to stay while my son stays on campus. Where can I stay overnight?
Where can I find a map?

Is it really that important for family members to attend?
Yes. According to one parent, “This program helped relieve any anxiety I might have had, and actually got me excited to share this college experience with my daughter.”

Research has shown that family is the primary source of encouragement in pursuing a college education and is a big source of motivation for finishing a degree. With college pressures such as finances, maintaining grades, and taking exams, students will need your moral support.

Over 99% of those attending a Family Connection program in the past five years said they would recommend this program. Don’t miss it!
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I already have a student attending college and have been through orientation so I really don’t need to attend again, do I?
Many things have changed on the UNM campus in the last couple of years. Not only do we have a new president and provost, but we also have many new buildings and new programs. Make sure to check out the growing number of choices available through Freshman Academic Choices, a new program specifically aimed at your student succeeding in their first semester.
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Will I be with my student during Lobo Orientation?
No. After check-in, students and parents are separated. Therefore, you should discuss important issues such as class selection before the Lobo Orientation program begins.

Academic advising will be accomplished with the student, the academic advisor, and the Lobo Orientation staff. Family members will not be involved in the selection of classes. You will see each other briefly at an information fair on Day One and you rejoin your student at the end of Day Two during the final lunch
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Can others besides parents come to the program?
Yes. Siblings, aunts, uncles, guardians, and grandparents are all welcome. However, siblings and others under 18 quickly become bored with our detailed presentations. We strongly recommend that children under 12 not attend. The program is not designed for the student’s best friend, girlfriend/boyfriend, or spouses; therefore, they will feel out of place in The Family Connection Program, and will not be allowed to participate in the student program.
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How can I register for the Family Connection Program?
Please let your student to know that you want to attend the Family Connection Program. Your student can sign you up on his/her online Lobo Orientation reservation form. If they have already signed up without you, they can still add you onto their reservation by logging back in and modifying their reservation.
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My student has already signed up and I didn’t. Can I still attend the same session?
Yes! All you have to do is to ask your student to go back online and modify the reservation. They can add your Family Connection reservation to their reservation by updating it online.
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How can I help my student prepare for orientation?
You can review the advisement and Placement Exam information and encourage them to take their placement exams (if needed) before orientation.
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I am very busy at work won’t be able to get off two whole days to attend the session. What can I do instead?
Parents can attend the orientation program as a tag team so each parent will attend one day each. The program is also very flexible in case parents have to leave for a meeting, go to the office or just run a few errands.
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My student thinks that I will just be bothering her at orientation. Are family and guests with students all the time?
Students and family members will go through separate programs and therefore only see each other during check-in, in the afternoon of Day One and at end of the program during Lobo Lunch. Remind your students that you are there to support them, not to interfere while they are at orientation.
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Will my student stay in the same residence hall room as I or spend the evening with me?
No. Families from out-of-town will stay in a separate residence hall, the Hyatt Place Albuquerque Airport, or with friends or relatives.

The Family Connection Program will recess at 5:00 p.m. on Day One so families can explore Albuquerque. Students will work late during Lobo Orientation, so they will not be available until the next day (except for Sessions #11 and #12).
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I am from out of town and have no place to stay while my son stays in the on campus. Where can I stay overnight?
We have secured special rates with the Hyatt Place Albuquerque Airport to accommodate all guests during orientation. You can call (505) 242-9300 or 1-888-492-8847 to make a reservation. Remember to tell them you are with Lobo Orientation. If you would like, you also have the option of staying in the residence halls on campus. Make sure your student includes your residence hall reservations when they reserve your spots for orientation.
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Where can I find a map?
Click here for a UNM map.
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