Savannah Tracy, of Canton, was among the 116 students who filled SUNY Oneonta's sunny, quiet campus quad this summer as accepted students arriving early to learn what to expect as a new first-year student. But this was no tour; these students moved into the residence halls for four weeks.

Designed to make the huge transition to college a little less intimidating, the AOP (Access and Opportunity Program) Summer Academy has been welcoming new students since the 1990s. From morning to night, the students' days are designed to familiarize them with collegiate academic and social expectations, school policies, student services and learning resources at SUNY Oneonta.

Throughout the week, there were presentations and tours of departments including Financial Aid, Counseling, Academic Advisement, Career Planning & Networking, Global Education and Student Accounts. Students were able to ask questions about internships, studying abroad and course selections.