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'HE development of orientation work for freshmen in colleges and universities is in its embryonic stage. A survey of this kind of work made at this time certainly can not be expected to be exhaustive and conclusive. In the first place, while some colleges and universities have definite programs for orientation work, many others do not have any well made plans. When orientation is done through ordinary college work, it is hard to compare it with the work of a distinctive orientation nature. Secondly, since there is no generally accepted form for orientation, it is hard to address the inquiry in specific questions. In making the present survey, a general inquiry was made to different colleges and universities instead of using a definite questionnaire. Thirdly, because of the lack of information, it is mechanically difficult to include all the colleges and universities in the country. Inquiries were made by the author to places which were reported as having some orientation work.

Incomplete and limited as it is, the survey may, nevertheless, serve two or three purposes. First, it may indicate the general trend of the development of orientation work. By having before our eyes what is being done at present, we can point out the direction to which the work is going. This is just the time when we can hope to direct and shape this new line of work by detecting its tendency. Secondly, we hope that this survey may reveal to us the relation of orientation work to college education in general

and thus justify the place it occupies in education. To those who are in doubt about the value of orientation, it may prove most helpful. Thirdly, this study may serve as a reference for colleges and universities on the subject of orientation.

The survey is divided into three parts: (1) Orientation Lectures, (2) Orientation Courses and (3) Advisory Systems.

1. Orientation Lectures.

In many colleges and universities, lectures on different subjects are given to the freshmen by members of the faculty or men from without at the beginning of the year or during the year with the purpose of assisting the new comers to college to adapt themselves to the new environment. Table I shows the subjects covered by the lectures to freshmen at the different colleges and universities. A check mark is placed under a certain subject if it is covered by a certain place. Although the number of checks can not be taken as exact, for the simple reason that many others may have the subjects and have not yet reported, it at least indicates to a certain extent the popularity of the different subjects.

It will be noted that the most popular subject seems to be the "Method of Study." Perhaps it is because the method of instruction in college is so different from that of the high school that this subject receives so much attention. As the main work of a college student is to study, naturally it is in study that he encounters the most difficulty and

Branches of Knowledge" is next in popularity. This is meant to give the beginners in college a bird's eye view of the content of the different branches of human knowledge or that of the different departments of a large university so that they may know which to take up. The high school is usually so busy with preparing the students to meet the college entrance requirements that it does not have a chance to present to the students the vast field of knowledge that they might stretch into and so the survey has to be left over for the college to

college are given in many places. This is only natural and necessary if the students are expected to adapt themselves to the new environment. So long as the college can not be identical with the high school in purpose, organization and regulations, this part of orientation seems inevitable and necessary. Lectures on health and student activities occupy an almost equally important place. This is an evidence of a need to give attention to matters other than intellectual development. This need ought to be more fully recognized. The use of the library is

taught in a number of places. This is to be expected since the library is the chief source of college study and most high school graduates are not familiar with the different library systems. Subjects that are rarely lectured upon are "School Record," "Use of Leisure Time," "Difference between College and High School" and "Intelligence Tests." Most of these are included or touched upon in the other subjects and perhaps it is not necessary to have them as separate subjects. It seems strange that "Personal Finance" should be also so unpopular. A college student certainly ought

to know how to take care of his own money and the general principles of finance, no matter which line of work he is going to follow later in life, but this is generally neglected in the college curriculum.

Having viewed the range of subjects of orientation lectures, it seems safe to say that the present tendency in such lectures is to acquaint the new comers to college with its history, organization, purposes and rules, to enable them to get the best result of their study, to participate in community life and to take care of their health. Table II shows how the lectures are given

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6. Engineering

at the colleges and universities under our study. Since the purpose of the orientation lectures is to enable the new comers to adapt themselves to the new environment, it is desirable and necessary to have them given when they first come. Table II seems to indicate that the most popular time for giving these lectures is during the first semester and a large number of places seem to favor the plan of having the freshmen report a few days or a week before the school year begins. The latter plan has the advantage that concentrated attention may be given to the problems of freshmen and more adequate orientation can be done. Many colleges and universities are adopting this plan in spite of its minor objections, namely, that it shortens the vacation of the faculty and administration staff of the college and that it increases slightly the expenses of the entering students.

Required attendance seems to be favored in a number of places. Perhaps it is better for a stranger not to choose his own way. A high school graduate is usually unable to stand on his own feet and is not quite prepared to evaluate things for himself. Perhaps it is necessary to require attendance to these lectures if their full benefit is to be expected. In general, it is not favored that credit should be given to lectures of orientation nature. This seems to be justified in view of the fact that the content of these lectures does not rank on the same level as other academic studies and it does not take as much effort on the part of the students in getting it.

In most places the lectures are given by the faculty and the administrative staff. Subjects relating to the different branches of knowledge and also to academic studies are usually given by the members of the faculty, and those concerning the different phases of the college and other administrative matters are usually given by the president, the dean, and other members of the administration. Men from without are usually called upon to lecture on professional subjects, when such subjects are discussed at all. It seems that more should be done in getting men from

without not so much to give professional advice as to enable the students to have more contact with life outside of college and thus to have a wider outlook of life.

The arts and science students seem to be the favored group to whom orientation lectures are given. In addition to those specified in the table, many, almost all of those unspecified give the lectures to the undergraduates of liberal arts and science. This situation seems to the writer rather hard to explain. If the content of the orientation lectures means general information which enables one to adapt oneself to a new environment, other students than those of liberal arts and science need just as much. If the lectures aim at giving a general cultural background to the students, it is the students other than arts and science who need most. The curriculum of the different professional schools is as a rule confined to the subjects relating to that particular field and there is little opportunity for the students to come into contact with the content of the so-called cultural courses. The arts and science students, by nature of their studies, have more chance, incidental it may be, than the other students to get what is aimed at in orientation lectures. It is a hopeful sign, however, that many colleges and universities are awakening to the fact that orientation is needed by all students, no matter which department they may be in, and an effort is being made to meet the need of students in other departments than arts and science, such as engineering, law, agriculture, pharmacy, and education. We shall look forward to the day when orientation work is given in every department of a university.

II. Orientation Courses

As a report has been made by a committee of The American Association of University Professors on Initiatory Courses for Freshmen, there is no need to duplicate the effort in the present study. We shall in the following give the names of the special courses designed for the orientation of freshmen given by the different colleges and universi