Parent & Family Orientation 2026
Welcome to the Wildcat Family!
Even if you went to college, Northwestern is a unique place, and we feel strongly that parents and families need orientation too! Parent and Family Orientation (PFO), will take place Tuesday, September 15 - Wednesday, September 16 and is designed to introduce you to the people and resources available to help support you and your student during their time at Northwestern. PFO is for the parents and families of both 2026 Transfer Students and the Class of 2030. Move-in for all new students takes place on September 15 and programming for families starts at 4 pm that day. Parent & Family Orientation will end by 5 pm on September 16. Orientation leaders, called Family Ambassadors, will guide you through the program, answer your questions, and give you some insight into student life on campus.
While we encourage family members to attend all PFO events, we understand that may not be possible due to many factors. While many families stay until the end of PFO, some families leave right after moving in their student, after Tuesday evening programming or after March through the Arch which takes place on Wednesday and will conclude by 11:30 am.
The 2026 schedule will be available in June. If you have any questions, please email family@northwestern.edu or call us at (847) 467-2751. Go ’Cats!