American Collegiate Live
Before You Start
Welcome to American Collegiate Live!
Soon you’ll be starting your American Collegiate Live classes. Before you start, complete the steps below to avoid any delays with the start of your program.
Contact Your Advisor
We have a team of dedicated personal advisors whose job it is to make sure all your questions are answered and to ensure you have a smooth transition to American Collegiate Live.
Before you start on any of the steps below, contact your local personal advisor. Simply select your region of the world below, and send your advisor an email, Skype, WhatsApp, or WeChat message. We look forward to meeting you very soon!
Africa
China
Latin America
Middle East/North Africa
North America
North Asia
Russia/Central Asia/Eastern Europe
South Asia
Southeast Asia
UK and Western Europe
BEFORE YOU START CHECKLIST
1. Sign up for your MANDATORY orientation
- To ensure your success with American Collegiate Live, it is essential you attend your mandatory orientation session on May 26th or May 27th. There are a few different time options, and you only need to attend one. Please be sure you make note that the time zone listed is Eastern Standard Time, so you may need to convert that to your local time. The orientation will last a maximum of three hours.
- Please click here to register for orientation. If a time slot is full, it will no longer appear as an option. Please be sure to check your personal email a few minutes after submitting the form. You will receive a confirmation of your orientation time and the zoom ID you will be required to use to attend orientation.
2. Activate your University of Massachusetts, Boston (UMB) email
- This will be available one week after you confirm your enrollment to AC Live, and it must be completed no later than two weeks before orientation.
- In order to ensure you have access to UMass Boston systems, you will need to set up your email address. This gives you access to WISER, which is the platform UMB uses to house your courses, grades, placement tests, and more. Please use this guide, which has step-by-step instructions to set up your email and login to WISER.
3. Take your English and Math placement tests
- This should be completed as soon as you set up your UMB email. The latest possible date to take the test(s) is 10 days prior to orientation, but you should aim to complete the test(s) as soon as you have your UMB email address.
- Depending on your track, you will have to take one or more placement test(s). This is important because it ensures that you are placed in the Math and English courses most appropriate for you.
- Students in all tracks must take the English placement test
- Students in tracks 1, 2, and 3 must take the Math placement test
- If you cannot remember your track, you can find it on your welcome letter for AC Live.
- A complete guide that demonstrates how to take the placement tests can be found here.
4. Pay your tuition
Please refer to your statement of fees to make the tuition payment. Instructions for payment, as well as a flywire link to submit the payment, will be included on that statement of fees.
5. Submit your address for delivery of your second monitor
- As part of the program for Summer 2020 starters, you will receive a complimentary second monitor. In order to receive the monitor, you must have paid your full fees as listed on your statement of fees. Once you have paid your fees, you can submit your address for shipment of the monitor. Please reach out directly to your Enrollment Services Advisor to arrange for shipment.
6. Download Google Chrome
- Download no later than one week prior to orientation
7. Complete your UCommons profile
- Complete your UCommons profile no later than two weeks prior to orientation
- UCommons is the platform you will use for all Live lectures. Within one week of confirming your enrollment to AC Live, you will be able to set up UCommons. Please utilize the guide here to complete the setup.
8. Download Zoom
- Download Zoom no later than two weeks prior to orientation
- In order to attend your orientation, you will need Zoom. Additionally, Zoom is the audio and video technology used as part of the AC Live experience. If you are in China, you can download the zoom link here. If you are not in China, you can download the zoom link here. You do not need to sign up for an account. As long as you have downloaded Zoom, you will be able to access the Live lectures.
9. Register for a Hoylu Sketch account
- Register no later than one week prior to orientation
- Hoylu Sketch is the software we use for our interactive white board. You will be able to interact on the whiteboard with your professor and any other student in the classroom. You can register for Hoylu Sketch here.
10. Download the UCommons Live app
11. Ensure you have the proper equipment to take Live lectures
- Complete no later than one week prior to orientation
- To ensure the best experience for you and your fellow students, there are certain technology requirements you must follow. Please ensure that you have:
- Either a Mac or Windows machine to participate in Live lectures. Please note that our technology is not compatible with phones or tablets.
- A camera on your laptop—it is a requirement to be on video to get credit for class.
- The Google Chrome browser
- Headphones with a microphone
- Strong bandwidth (ie internet speed). You can test your bandwidth here. Please ensure that your internet bandwidth is a minimum of:
- Receiving 1080p HD video requires 3.0 Mbps (up/down).
- Sending 1080p HD video requires 3.0 Mbps (up/down).
- a second monitor: For summer 2020 starters, this will be given to you as part of the program. Please refer to checklist item number 5 for more details
12. Order your textbooks
Once you receive your course schedule, you will also get your textbook list. Please note the all textbooks will be available as e-books, and it is the responsibility of the student to purchase the textbooks. Depending on track, the cost for e-books generally ranges from about $50 to $200 total.