Parents & Families

Incoming Students

The more your student is prepared to start Dunwoody, the better they’ll be able to stay focused on their studies. Dunwoody has several tools and events to help with that. These include:

New student checklist: there’s paperwork involved in attending college — this checklist walks through everything that needs to be done to be ready for the first day of school.
Orientation: attendance is required; students receive their invite via mail and email. At Orientation students register for classes, complete any missing paperwork, learn about campus resources, etc. Orientations take place throughout the year.
New Student Days: your student will be invited to one of the New Student Days that take place the week before the semester starts. This is when they can pick up their laptop, buy/rent books, pay tuition, etc. During this unstructured time, students are also welcome to stay around campus to learn more about academic and social resources and connect with future classmates.
FERPA waiver (Dunwoody login required): the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act limits the information the College can share with the parents and other family members of students. Student may choose to consent to release information to specific individuals by filling out the linked form and returning it to the Registrar’s Office.

Paying for College

A Dunwoody education is an investment in your student’s future. On average, the starting salary for a Dunwoody graduate is $53,700. But we also know that paying for college can be a challenge. Our Financial Aid and Student Accounts offices are here to help you navigate all the options. The best place to start is for you to ensure your student is applying for financial aid and scholarships.

FAFSA: federal and state financial aid — including grants, loans, and work study — all starts with filling out the Free Applications for Student Aid (FAFSA). We have put together a Step-by-Step Guide to help your student and you work through the process.
Internal Scholarships: Dunwoody awarded more than $3 million in scholarships last year. Many of these scholarships do not need to be directly applied for — but students must have a completed FAFSA on file with Financial Aid to be eligible for them.
Other/External Scholarships: for a list of Dunwoody scholarships that require application as well as resources for finding external scholarships, visit our Scholarships page and scroll down to the First Year Dunwoody Scholarships section. High School seniors should also check with their school administration for any local scholarship opportunities. In addition, incoming and current students should connect with faculty and the Financial Aid office for scholarships that are unique to their major/industry.

Housing, Transportation, & Safety

Every student has different preferences when it comes to housing and transportation. Because of Dunwoody’s central location at the intersection of I-94 and I-394, there are many great options for where students live and how they travel to campus.

Housing: Dunwoody partners with The Quad at Delaware to provide college dorm-style living with private bedrooms and bathrooms. Residential life programming and support are also provided through on-site staff. Student Services can also help students find other urban and suburban living situations based on their location preferences and budget.
Packing List (PDF): wherever your student chooses to life, this packing list helps make sure they have everything they need to move in and get settled.
Transportation: Dunwoody offers free on-campus parking. It’s also easily accessible by bicycle and public transportation.
Safety & Security: the safety and security of our students is very important to us. Our public safety officers patrol the campus throughout our open building hours. All staff, students, and visitors are required to wear badges that provide instant identification and allow entry to secure locations. We also communicate emergencies to the Dunwoody community through a mobile alert system that uses text, email, social media and voice communications.

Getting Involved

Our research shows that students who get involved are more likely to finish their degree and enjoy their college experience. Encourage your student to explore the clubs, organizations, and activities available at Dunwoody.

Clubs and organizations: in addition to the Student Government Organization, Dunwoody offers a variety of co-curricular (related to their major) and extra-curricular groups. Students are especially encouraged to join student chapters of professional organizations that relate to their major.
Explore culture and identity: some Dunwoody clubs and organizations are focused on students’ culture and identity, including Veteran, Women, and LGBTQI+ students. The College also holds a LEAD Lecture every month during the academic year, which help build awareness of how to understand and interact positively with a diverse, modern workplace.
Study abroad/travel study: some Dunwoody programs offer short-term or semester-long opportunities to study abroad. Previous trips include Spain, Italy, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

Academic Support & Accommodations

Sooner or later, every student will need some sort of extra support in order to perform their best. Our goal is to make sure they get it as soon as they need it. Encourage your students to ask for help when needed.

Accommodations: in college, students are responsible for initiating the learning accommodation process. If your student has received accommodations in the past or suspects they may have disabilities that need accommodations, please encourage them to speak up sooner rather than later. We want to make sure they’re receiving the accommodations and support they need to be successful.
Elftmann Student Success Center: the Student Success Center offers everything from peer tutoring and guided study sessions to tip sheets and an online library of videos explaining technical concepts. It’s also a great place to study individually or in groups.
Counseling Resource: Dunwoody partners with Talk One-2-One℠ to offer students free, confidential 24/7 support for any problem that could be challenging their emotional health, well-being, or focus. Students can call 1-800-756-3124 to set up an appointment or speak with a counselor. Green 44 in the Pinska Center is available for students who wish to call from a private space while on-campus.
Other Resources: the Student Affairs team can provide a variety of additional support services. Every student has a unique set of strengths, skills, and challenges. Student Affairs is here to help unlock the strengths and overcome the challenges.

Jobs & Internships

One of the ways Dunwoody is unique is that many of our students find paid internships or part-time jobs in their field of study a year or less into their degree. We encourage students to attend career fairs starting with their first semester on campus. Last year, 99% of Dunwoody’s graduates found a job in the field for which they trained.

The Anthony L. Ferrara Career Services Center provides lifelong employment assistance to students and alumni at no cost, including resume help, networking tips, and mock interview software with personalized feedback.
Career Fairs: Dunwoody hosts a career fair every fall and spring semester. First-year students are encouraged to attend to meet recruiters and research opportunities for future internships and part-time positions. In addition, industry-specific career fairs and on-campus recruiting events are hosted by individual departments and programs.
Handshake: encourage your students to set up a Handshake account to connect with potential employers and search for jobs and internships.
Work Study Jobs: Dunwoody offers a variety of on-campus and community work study opportunities. The Financial Aid Office can assist students in determining their eligibility. Open positions are posted on the Dunwoody job board.

Commencement

Dunwoody holds a Commencement ceremony for fall, spring, and summer semester grads every May at the Minneapolis Convention Center, just a few blocks away from campus. We also host a graduate reception on campus so families and friends can tour the spaces and meet the people who were a key part of their graduate’s college experience.