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International Student Information |
 
WHEN
SHOULD I ARRIVE?
Orientation begins Sunday, September 3rd. We request
that you arrive at Whittier College between 8:00
a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 2nd.
Please proceed directly to the Office of Admission
at Weingart Hall (please see map) so that we may
greet you and check you in to your residence hall.
If you arrive after 5:00 pm you will need to go to
campus safety to receive your room key.
If you plan to arrive in Los Angeles prior to
September 2nd, you will need to provide for your own
accommodations, as your residence hall room will not
be available early. You may wish to make
arrangements with the Whittier Radisson Hotel for
those additional days. The Radisson is within
walking distance of the College. Advance
reservations can be made by calling (562) 945-8511,
or by writing directly to the Whittier Radisson
Hotel at 7320 Greenleaf Avenue,Whittier, California
90608-0901. Be sure to ask for the Whittier College
discount!
Please fax or e-mail your travel plans by Friday
August 18th so that we know when to expect you on
campus. You may send your fax or e-mail to the
attention of Darryl Foy at (562) 907-4238 or
dfoy@whittier.edu.
HOW DO I GET TO WHITTIER COLLEGE FROM THE
AIRPORT?
We recommend that you take either “Prime Time” or
“Super Shuttle,” an airport shuttle (minibus type
vehicle) service, which will pick you up from the
airport terminal and drop you off at the College (or
the Whittier Radisson). The shuttle services runs 24
hours a day and serve all of the major Los Angeles
area airports. (Note that you do not need to know
the directions to the College, just tell the driver
your destination and s/he will find the directions).
You can make advanced reservations with Super
Shuttle by calling (323) 775-6600 or with Prime Time
by calling (310) 342-7200. If you are coming into
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), you can
reach Super Shuttle via a courtesy phone in the
baggage claim area (dial 56735 on the courtesy
phone). The fare to Whittier College from LAX is
around $40.00 with Super Shuttle and is likely to be
cheaper with Prime Time.
Cabs and rental cars are also available at the
airport. Cabs are more expensive than the shuttle
services. However, if you are coming with family and
want to have a car for the few days that they will
be here, you may rent one at the airport. The driver
must hold an International Driving License (a
license from your own country will not be accepted)
and the person must hold a credit card valid in the
U.S. (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and
Discover are the major credit cards).
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN I ARRIVE?
Saturday, September 2nd has been left open for you
to arrive at Whittier, move into your room and
settle in. A current International Student and the
International Admission Counselor will be at the
Office of Admission to assist you in moving in. If
you have relatives in the area or family members who
will accompany you, you are free to make your own
plans once you have checked into your residence hall
room.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN THE FIRST DAY?
On Sunday, September 3rd, you will start Orientation
by attending a special session designed to address
the special needs of International Students as the
transition from one setting to another. This session
will be held early Saturday morning. We will inform
you about the location once you arrive to school. At
that time, you will have the opportunity to meet
current International Students and become acquainted
with your fellow entering International Students.
Later in the day you will be joining the entering
domestic students for the rest of your Orientation.
WHERE WILL I LIVE?
Housing arrangements will be mailed to you in early
July. You will find out which residence hall you
will be living in, your room number and your
roommate’s name, home address and telephone number.
HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I BRING WITH ME?
You should bring the equivalent of $1,000 US when
you first arrive. You should carry at least $300 in
cash and the remainder in traveler’s checks.
Remember that you will need the money for books and
personal expenses, as well as to open a bank account
after your arrival. You can exchange foreign
currency at local banks or at the airport (confirm
this with the bank when you open your account).
Please know that your passport will function as your
primary form of identification until you obtain a
College ID card at registration. If you have other
forms of identification, such as an International
Driving License, you may want to bring that with
you.
WHEN DO I REGISTER FOR CLASSES?
Orientation will continue through Wednesday,
September 6th and you will register during
orientation. During this time you will meet your
assigned Faculty Mentor and go through the mentoring
and advisement process prior to registering for
courses. If you have any questions regarding majors
and classes, be sure to talk to your faculty mentor
before you register. Classes will begin on Thursday,
September 7th.
WHEN AND HOW DO I PAY MY BILLS?
You will need to pay the balance on your account by
September 4th. By the time you register, you will be
expected to have paid your fall semester charges to
the College: tuition and fees plus housing minus any
financial aid you have received and the tuition and
housing deposits you have sent. Detailed information
on billing amounts and procedures will be sent to
you by the business office in July. Upon receipt of
that information, you may contact Ayca Cakmakli in
case you have specific questions pertaining to your
bill.
In order for the payment to take place, you should
wire your funds to Whittier College through the
international banking system. We strongly recommend
you wire your funds by Monday August 23rd. Wiring
funds is usually the most efficient way to meet
payment deadlines, since it can be done prior to
your arrival. To do this, contact your local banker
to inquire about the availability of this service
and please allow enough time for this process to
take place. You will need to provide them with the
following information:
The amount of dollars you wish to wire
Wire to:
Bank of America Credit to: Whittier College
San Francisco, CA Account No.: 14598 06083
ABA No. 121 000 358 Credit for: (your name)
Paying your bills by credit card is also an option
that is available to you. Although you need not
present the actual credit card, we will require the
following information: type of credit card, account
number, expiration date, and the name of the account
holder as it appears on the card. Whittier College
accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards and you
are advised to check with the bank issuing the
credit card for validity in the U.S.
As a final option you may bring a cashier’s check
with you, payable to Whittier College.
WHEN WILL I OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT, GO SHOPPING,
ETC?
You will have plenty of time throughout Orientation
to open bank accounts, set up your telephone service
and get yourself settled. Bank and telephone
representatives will also be on campus Sunday
September 3rd to assist new students so you can open
a bank account and set up your phone service right
here on campus that day. You will have time during
the course of Orientation Week to attend to personal
business and go shopping. It is advisable that you
wait until your roommate has moved in before you
decide what to purchase for your room and other such
matters. Residence hall staff at the College often
organizes shopping trips for entering students
during Orientation Week.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
You might want to bring with you a few essentials
for the first few days. See enclosed list for items
to probably have in your possession at College.
Below is a list of things suggested by past
International Students:
Linens, sheets, pillow cases Bath Towels
Personal grooming items Essential medications
Calculator, Stationary items Personal items
(photographs, journals, etc)
Alarm clock
There are other items that you will probably need
that you may not be able to bring with you. You can
send these things ahead in a box or buy them after
you get here:
Pillows, mattress pads Blankets, comforters
Hangers Umbrella
HOW CAN I SEND MY BELONGINGS AHEAD OF TIME?
If you wish to send a box ahead so that you do have
excess baggage when you travel, please address and
ship to:
(Your name)
(Your residence hall, room number)
C/o Physical Plant
Whittier College
13406 East Philadelphia St.
Whittier, CA 90608
USA
WHAT IF I GET SICK AFTER I ARRIVE?
Most health insurance plans you have in your home
country will not be valid in the United States. The
College requires you to obtain a health insurance
policy through our contractor, which will cover you
from August 23, 2006 through August 23, 2007. You
will be billed for this with your other fees due to
the College and an estimate is included in the fees
previously mentioned. (Your July mailing from the
Business Office will have the details).
WHO IS MY CONTACT PERSON AT THE COLLEGE?
You may contact Darryl Foy, International Admission
Counselor. She can be reached at (562) 907-4238
during normal business hours (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.).
If an emergency should arise, you or your family can
reach Campus Safety 24 hours a day at (562)
907-4211. See you in September!
WHAT SHOULD I BRING FROM WHERE?
Use this list as a guideline of things to possibly
bring from home or buy in the U.S. Keep in mind the
size of your room and that you will be sharing it
with your roommate.
You will be loaned linens, sheets, pillow,
pillowcase, and blanket upon your arrival at school.
This will give you time to go purchase some for your
own room.
FROM HOME
Passport, visa, I-20
Money as previously described
Clothes
Personal grooming items (comb, brush, toothbrush,
toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, feminine hygiene
etc)
Personal items (photographs, journals, memorable
items from home, music, CD player, alarm clock,
watch, etc)
Essential medication
Bath towel
Backpack
AT SCHOOL
Linens, sheets, mattress pad, pillow, pillowcase,
blanket
Books
Stationary items (pens, paper, notebook, calculator,
etc)
Lamps
Hangers
Jacket
Umbrella
Other clothes
Computer supplies (optional, the school has computer
facilities)
Fan
Laundry detergent, fabric softener
A few places you can buy things once you get to
school (we can get you directions):
Bookstore
Target- a one stop shop, has everything from
clothes, food, office supplies, etc
RiteAid- pharmacy, drug store
Ralphs- grocery store
Old Navy- clothing store
Keep in mind that the residence halls are usually
pretty warm during the start and end of school
especially. Whittier averages about 75-85 degrees
during summer days but can drop down to 50 degrees
at night. During the winter, there is some rain, no
snow, and the temperature is around 60 degrees
during the day and 38-45 degrees in the evening.
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