Transitions Program

Being accepted into UMaine means you have an opportunity to live and study at a major public university, one known for its high level of academics and friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Students at UMaine have the advantages of a public research institution combined with a high quality of life. Our graduates launch successful careers and enjoy enriched lives thanks to their UMaine experience. Our mission is to help all our students to realize their potential.

Our commitment is to invest our resources into helping all students succeed in life. The Transitions program is part of that commitment. Transitions is an opportunity to study in an intensive, supervised and supportive program specially designed to help you make the most of your college experience. It's your chance to succeed!

Here's what Transitions is all about...

At the beginning of the fall semester every Transitions student will be required to participate in a special New Student Orientation prior to the Fall Welcome Weekend. This will help you learn more about the program's expectations and become familiar with the campus and your fellow Transitions students.

Every Transitions student will:

• attend every class in all courses in the program.
• meet the academic advisor five times each semester.
• be reviewed at the end of the first five weeks and at mid-semester. maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 at the end of the first semester. If a GPA is below that, the student will be placed on academic probation. If a GPA is below 1.5, the student will be suspended.
• successfully complete TRS 100 and TRS 105. GPAs lower than 2.0 at the end of the first year will result in suspension. Suspended students will receive counseling and may be referred to another institution in the University of Maine System or Community College Systems.

Those students who successfully complete their second semester in the Transitions program will transfer to a major within one of the five colleges at UMaine.

General Studies Curriculum

All Transitions students will take a maximum of 10 credits their first semester. Here's what you'll be required to study in your first fall semester at UMaine:

ENG 101-College Composition (3 cr. hrs.)
  or
ENG 001-Placement Exam. Placement will depend on individual results of the English placement exam.

MAT 103-Elementary Algebraic Models in our World (3 cr. hrs.) Placement will depend on individual results of the Math Placement Exam.
PSY 100-General Psychology (3 cr. hrs.)
TRS 100--College Success Seminar (1 cr. hr.)

Students who continue in the Transitions program in the second semester will take a second semester of the College Success Seminar (TRS 105) and be able to enroll in other General Education Core Requirement classes with a total of 12-15 credit hours.

Advisors will work with students in the Transitions program to help them identify possible majors and further programs of study.

Barron's ranked UMaine as one of the top 100 best values among public universities.

The Transitions Program Coordinator, Julie Loppacher (far right) and Lauren Viles, the Transitions graduate assistant (left), are seen here presenting an award to a Transitions student at the last TRS 105 class in April 2008. According to Julie, “We hope to awaken the potential in all students to succeed academically. Hopefully, students' experience with the Transitions Program will open doors to success in life.”

The Transitions program will let you show what you can do. It can be a stepping stone to a fruitful and rewarding college life.

Student Life at UMaine

With only rare exceptions, all UMaine first-year students live on campus.

All residence hall rooms have high-speed digital internet and e-mail, plus cable TV. UMaine classrooms and most public spaces are wireless.

Be part of a great tradition!

The University of Maine is the only big-time Division I athletic program in Maine. And UMaine's legendary men's hockey team is a powerhouse in national hockey.

And with over 100 student groups and organizations to join, plus 112 club sports and 20 intramural sports, there's always something to do on campus. Check out the Student Resources page for more information on life at UMaine.

Contacting Transitions

Transitions is a unit of the University of Maine College Success Programs, located in East Annex. For further information on Transitions contact Julie Loppacher at 207-581-1824.

For general admission information contact:

UMaine Office of Admission
5713 Chadbourne Hall
Orono, ME 04469-5713

207-581-1561 or 1-877-486-2364

e-mail: um-admit@maine.edu