Tennessee Tech University is reporting strong growth in SOAR (Student Orientation, Advisement and Registration) sign-ups, with more than 2,000 incoming freshmen already registered for the summer sessions. To accommodate the increased demand, the university is expanding overnight housing options by offering on-campus residence hall lodging in South Hall for July orientation sessions, in addition to the existing June sessions. This gives more incoming students the chance to experience campus life before the fall semester begins.

SOAR provides new freshmen with a high-energy, immersive introduction to university life, including class registration, meetings with academic advisors, and information on financial aid, student success services, campus dining, organizations, and other resources. University leaders note that space is limited and encourage admitted students to register promptly for their preferred dates.

“SOAR is about more than just signing up for classes—it’s about setting students up for success from day one,” said Courtney Brehm, director of New Student and Family Programs. She emphasized that the expanded lodging helps ease financial barriers for families and allows students, including those from the local Upper Cumberland region, to build connections, gain confidence, and start the semester strong. The positive trend follows a record 2025 enrollment year with Tech’s largest freshman class in a decade.

The 2026 SOAR schedule includes 11 sessions running from May 27–28 through July 29–30. For more information and to register, visit www.tntech.edu/soar.