Our New Student Orientation program is designed to welcome first year, transfer students and their families to the Montserrat College of Art community. This days are full of important information, imperative to making a smooth transition to campus and college life! Since it is so important, attendance is required at all events.

During Orientation, you will meet your classmates, upperclassmen, faculty and staff. You will also be introduced to life at Montserrat and in Beverly through workshops and activities.

This is an exciting time for you and our Orientation program aims to provide you with the springboard to your success at Montserrat!

An outline for Orientation will be posted in August.

If counseling or psychotherapy has been a part of a student’s wellness package, it is strongly recommended families find local providers prior to the start of the semester.  A list of local clinics, within walking distance of the campus, can be found on the Montserrat website at montserrat.edu/health-wellness.

Required Health Forms
The completed immunization form or a copy of immunization record is required prior to move-in.  All immunizations must be up-to-date and the form must be signed by health care provider.

Please pay particular attention to tetanus immunization, as this vaccine is recommended every ten years for adults.

The meningococcal vaccination is strongly recommended within five years of move in/start of class for students attending college in Massachusetts. A  waiver may be signed indicating that the student has received information about the dangers of meningococcal disease, reviewed the information provided and elected to decline the vaccine.

Included in the required health form is the TB risk assessment form. If you are considered “high risk”, please have required TB testing done prior to start of school.

Health Insurance
Per Massachusetts law, all students enrolled in the college for 9 or more credits MUST be enrolled in a comprehensive health insurance plan. All students are automatically enrolled in the College’s Student Health Insurance Plan, provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield. If you are already covered by a comprehensive plan, you can opt out of the Montserrat plan. The waiver can be accessed at universityhealthplans.com.

If a student has chosen to waive the college health insurance, please make sure the student’s comprehensive health insurance provides access to health care in the Beverly area and that the student keeps the insurance card on hand in the event the medical care is needed during the school year.

If you have any questions about any of these issues, please do not hesitate to reach out. During the summer months, you can email our great Wellness Team who will be checking email periodically over the summer until they return to campus in August:

Sheryl Max
College Nurse/Director of the Health Center
sheryl.max@montserrat.edu     

Janet Dauray
Counseling Psychologist/Director of Counseling
janet.dauray@montserrat.edu

Maureen Wark, the Dean of Students can be reached by email (maureen.wark@montserrat.edu) or by telephone at 978-921-4242, ext. 1130 and can assist you with questions.

1. I enjoy reading, and read often.
2. I wrote many papers in high school.
3. I read more books than magazines or newspapers.
4. My grades in high school English averaged a C+ or better.
5. My SAT scores for the verbal and written portions of the exam were over 500.
6. I understand terms such as “thesis,” “theme,” and “development” in regard to writing.
7. I am confident in my writing skills and ability.

After considering your responses, review the two course descriptions below. If you answered “No” to three or more of the questions, consider registering for the Writing and Study Skills course a class that will help you develop your writing and reading skills for the college level.

Reading and Critical Thinking
In this course, students learn to think, read, and write critically and to express themselves articulately in written form and discussions through close reading and analysis of a variety of texts. Students practice the writing and analytical process through generating and supporting ideas, writing drafts, and using critiques as a basis for revising and editing. They further their editorial skills through offering peer commentary on each other’s work. Critical thinking and communication skills learned in this class form a vital foundation for students’ success in future studio and liberal arts courses and for becoming an active participant in their own learning.

Writing and Study Skills
The goal of this course is to raise the level of students’ performance in the skills necessary to succeed in classes at the college level in the liberal arts. In classes sufficiently small to permit individual attention from the teacher, students read and write essays; practice peer critiques; study grammar, vocabulary and punctuation. This course is on a Pass/Fail basis; a Pass is necessary before students enroll in Reading and Critical Thinking. The three credits earned in this course do not count towards graduation requirements.

If we don’t hear from you, you will be automatically enrolled in Reading and Critical Thinking. If you prefer to enroll in Writing and Study Skills, please notify Laura Ives, Associate Dean Academic Affairs, at laura.ives@montserrat.edu or 978.921.4242 x1603.