Get Connected

One of your first New Student checklist items is to activate your McDaniel Student Account. You will need to do this in order to complete most of the tasks on that list, so it's important to do this as soon as possible.

Get your Credentials

Once you receive your Welcome Home email, you’ll be able to login to your personal McDaniel Admissions Portal to retrieve the credentials you need to activate your McDaniel student account.

Activate your McDaniel Student Account

Be sure to make note of your McDaniel username and the password you set.

Access the McDaniel Portal

You will find many of the New Student Checklist items require you to access the Portal. Please note it can take up to 24 hours to be able to use your account credentials to access campus systems.

Get Tech Ready

Having the right technology is important to a successful college career. The Getting Tech Ready Guide below includes useful information and suggestions from our technology faculty and staff to help with your planning.

Getting Tech Ready

Having the right technology is important to a successful college career. While McDaniel has nine computing labs on campus, students are generally expected to bring their own laptop with them to support their academic goals. Below, we’ve gathered a list of useful information and suggestions from our technology faculty and staff to help with your laptop buying decision, along with some other helpful tools. We’ve also included devices that won’t necessarily fit your needs during your time on the Hill.

What to Bring

Laptop computer (with highly suggested specifications below):
- Age: less than 2 years old
- Operating System: Windows 10 or higher; Mac OS Mojave 10.14.6 or higher
- Storage: Ideal: solid-state; size: 125 GB minimum
- RAM: Minimum: 8 GB, Ideal: 16 GB
- Wireless capability
Power strip/surge protector (recommended surge rating: 1100 joules or higher)
- Recommended to protect electronics against unexpected power surges

Free access to Microsoft 365

Most classes will expect you to use Microsoft products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook). For this reason, all McDaniel students can download and use Microsoft 365 on their personal computer for FREE. Simply follow the instructions below.

Login to the portal.
Log into the Microsoft 365 home page.
You should now see the Microsoft 365 home page. Here you can see all the different apps you can use directly through your browser.
Next you should search for the “Install apps” button. It will likely appear near the top right of the window.
You can then install these apps directly onto your computer. This will allow you to easily access them even without an Internet connection. Plus, they will have all the useful features that you can use inside and outside of class.
After selecting “Install apps”, you will see a .exe file download onto your computer. Click to install that .exe and follow through the rest of the installation process.
After you have installed the apps, open them up and start using them. You should consider logging in on the apps so that files can be saved directly to your OneDrive accounts in the cloud.

Discounted Pricing

Laptops can be expensive; however, by using your McDaniel email address, you can take advantage of discounted pricing from Apple and Dell. See the links below:

Additional Technology Considerations

Chromebooks are not supported by McDaniel IT and are NOT suggested.
Phones and tablets are not sufficient as devices to complete assignments and are not suggested as a replacement to a laptop.

Mobile E-mail Setup

The McDaniel College I.T. Help Desk recommends all users use Microsoft's Outlook Mobile App which can be downloaded for free on Android and iOS. More information and instructions can be found on the McDaniel Portal.

Mobile E-mail Setup Instructions

Connecting to Wi-Fi

Make sure to connect to McDaniel Secure Wi-Fi network with your McDaniel username and password. McDaniel offers Comcast XFinity streaming service soyou can steam on your computer or Smart TV.

McDaniel 1Card

Your McDaniel 1Card is your official identification card as a McDaniel College student. McDaniel 1Cards are issued to all members of our college community and are required for identification and access to essential campus services. Your 1Card also offers a convenient account— McDaniel Bucks— for making purchases on and around campus.

How to submit your photo:

Go online to: apps.campus.mcdaniel.edu/photos.
Log on with your McDaniel username and password.
Follow the step-by-step instructions.
BEFORE YOU START, MAKE SURE THE PHOTO YOU’VE SELECTED MEETS THE SPECIFICATIONS.
- The picture must be in color.
- Use a plain light color background.
- No hats, sunglasses, jewelry or garments that obstruct the view of your face.
- Eye glasses should be worn if normally worn.
- Eyes should be open and looking at the camera.
- The head and neck should be centered in the frame taking up approximately one-third to one-half of the center.
- There should be a small space between your head and the top of the image.
- Your head should be positioned directly facing the camera, not leaning or anything.

What to do after receiving your McDaniel 1Card

Once your picture is submitted and accepted as meeting our requirements, our team will get to work on creating your McDaniel 1Card.

You’ll pick up your McDaniel 1Card when you’re on-campus.
Register your McDaniel 1Card to activate McDaniel Bucks. To do so, go to mcdaniel1card.com.
Request 24/7 access to Charlson Computer Lab (Hoover Library, first floor) by emailing the last 5 numbers found beneath the magnetic strip on the back of your McDaniel 1Card to Campus Safety at campussafety@mcdaniel.edu

1Card

Coming to campus with McDaniel Bucks already loaded on your 1Card can makes satisfying those midnight pizza cravings much easier.

Say Cheese

We’re pleased to allow you to select the photo you’d like to use for your McDaniel 1Card. Please submit your preferred photo by the June 1 deadline.

Printing

All students receive an allotment of $20.00 in lab printing per semester (about 400 pages). Additional funds for printing can be added to a student’s account online.

Help & Support

Email the IT Helpdesk IT Portal