July 26, 2010

When should I start thinking about college?

One of the many questions we receive in the Admissions office at USU is when should a prospective student start thinking about college.  Our answer to this is NOW!  It’s never too soon for a student to begin the process of researching their future at a college or university.

A common misconception for many prospective students, is that the college selection process starts sometime in their senior year of high school.  While it’s never too late for a student to begin his or her higher education journey, those who begin early have an advantage.   Scholarships usually follow parameters that vary little from year to year.  If a student is aware of what is required for a scholarship well in advance (even two and three years before they apply for admissions), then there is time to prepare for those parameters.  This pertains to students who wish to apply for both academic and involvement scholarships. 

Students, who also start looking at college and universities early, can easily eliminate schools that they aren’t interested in and spend time doing their homework on institutions that interest them.  This added time will allow them to visit campuses, research academic programs, and taste the social life of specific schools.

It’s never too late!  If you are a 10th grader still figuring out high school, or a 12th grader suffering from senioritis, get in contact with the schools that interest you, and we’ll be here to help you decide what’s best for you.

January 11, 2010

Did I Miss the Deadline?

Applying for admission to colleges and universities can be very stressful. There are several dates and important deadlines that applicants mustn't miss. It can get particularly tricky for students applying to several institutions. Here are a few important dates/deadlines at USU:

Admission Deadline (Fall Semester): April 1st
  • Incoming freshmen need to have completed everything on the application checklist by
    this date if they plan on attending Fall Semester of 2010.
Scholarship Deadlines: -Priority December 1st, -Final Deadline February 1st
  • Academic scholarships at USU are based off of an Admissions Index for both Resident and Nonresident students. Students who meet the parameters according to the index, and apply for admission to the University before the Priority Deadline, will be guaranteed their earned scholarship.
  • Awarding of academic scholarships for those who apply after the Priority Deadline will be based on available funding.
  • Academic scholarships will not be awarded to students who apply after the Final Dead Line.
These are some basic deadlines that students should keep in mind. Other deadlines to track include those of Financial Aid and Freshmen Orientation. Most importantly, check your email! Most departments will let students know of upcoming deadlines via email. By checking his or her email regularly, a student can almost always be well informed of important dates on the horizon.

GO AGGIES!!!

December 14, 2009

The Magic of The Spectrum

Ask any student on campus what their favorite activity as Utah State University is, and chances are you will hear, "Going to a game in The Spectrum!" The Dee Glenn Smith Spectrum is home to both the Men's and Women's basketball teams, as well as our volleyball, gymnastics, and other team sports. It is regarded as one of the toughest places for visiting teams to play due to the Aggie Pride and Spirit that exudes from our students.

We want perspective students to feel what it will be like when they are part of the student body by taking them to a game in The Spectrum. Students can sign up for available games here. Enjoy some Aggie Ice Cream before the game, and be ready to cheer on the "Aggie Blue and Fighting White!"


November 16, 2009

How important is the ACT/SAT?

In our travels as admissions counselors, there is one point that we try to get across to students: The ACT/SAT are very important! These tests will help determine not only what scholarship a student may receive, but also if a student may gain entry into the university of their choice.

For admission into Utah State University in good standing, a student must have a minimum of an 18 ACT score or 860 SAT score (CR+M). As our academic scholarships are based off of an admissions index, depending on a student's GPA, scholarships can be awarded to ACT scores starting at 22+.

The priority dead line for scholarships is December 1st. Students who apply before this date, and meet scholarship parameters, are guaranteed their respective scholarship. For students who wish to take the ACT again in the hopes of meriting a scholarship, Utah State University offers a residual ACT on the main campus in Logan, Ut. The results of this test are giving the same day as it was taken and can be immediately applied for scholarship.

If you are interested in taking the residual ACT please contact the testing center at 435-797-1004. For those of you who will be applying for ACT or SAT, plan on taking the test more than once. As is with any standardized test, the ACT/SAT have their own personalities, once a student can figure out the personality of the test, he or she can then show off their own knowledge.

November 9, 2009

Take a Test Drive at Utah State




Utah State University's main campus in Logan, Utah is a sight to behold. Something unique happens to prospective students as they climb the stairs of Old Main Hill, walk the halls of the Taggart Student Center, and enjoy the fresh air on the open Quad; these students envision themselves as actual USU Aggies!


To help students catch the vision, the Admissions Office holds several events that give a glimpse of what USU has to offer. Hosting leadership conferences, campus tours, and even tickets to Aggie football and basketball games, students are presented with several opportunities to take a trip to Logan and see what being an Aggie is all about. And of course students will enjoy some world famous Aggie Ice Cream!

To see available dates and sign up for these events, please visit http://www.usu.edu/admissions/freshmen/aae.cfm.

October 16, 2009

Academic Scholarships

As if the stress of being accepted to a university wasn't enough, students are also faced with the pressures of paying for their post high school education. At Utah State University, we try to make the whole process as simple and stress free as possible. We use our admissions application jointly for academic scholarships.

Students who apply for undergraduate admission to Utah State University will automatically be considered for academic scholarships. Decisions for academic scholarships are based off of an
academic index. A student's cumulative grade point average (GPA) is paired with the his or
her respective ACT or SAT score. Students with a minimum of a 2.5 GPA and 18 ACT or 860 SAT (with out the written section) will be admitted into USU in good standing.

Academic scholarships are based off of the academic index scores that a student merits through his or her GPA and test score. For a complete list of scholarships and the required academic index score please visit the USU Scholarship Page. As long as students apply before December 1st (the priority dead line for scholarships), and have an academic index score that merits a scholarship, then they will be guaranteed said scholarship.

Please feel free to contact the Admissions Office at 800-488-8108 or by Email: admit@usu.edu. Let us help make the college application process as simple and stress free as possible. Go Aggies!

September 24, 2009

Helping Future Aggies Find Their New Home



The grass underneath the thick green trees around campus is peppered with yellow leaves. The morning air is a bit crisper, and 700 North has been painted blue. This can only mean one thing: Homecoming!

Homecoming is just that, a coming home for all Aggies! Perpetuating your Utah State heritage and tradition has now become a bit easier for USU alumni living outside of Utah. The Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship allows graduated Aggies to send their child/children to USU and the nonresident portion of tuition will be waived.

This is a fantastic help in bringing your future Aggies to their new home! Check out the website and contact the USU Admissions Office for complete requirements.

GO AGGIES!!!

June 5, 2009

It's Never Too Late to Visit!

What are you looking for in a college? Whether it is student involvement, academics, caring staff, a safe environment, or great outdoors, seeing is believing when you visit Utah State University and enjoy the majestic beauty of Cache Valley. We invite you to experience Utah State's historic campus first hand by participating in a campus tour. Our University Ambassadors will personally escort you around campus, answer questions, and treat you to some Famous Aggie Ice Cream.

You can experience Utah State daily Monday-Friday at 10:15 a.m. Your campus tour will be approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, but we invite you to spend the whole day here on our campus. Academic advising appointments and on-campus housing orientation and lunch add to the time of your tour and they also add to your experience.

At Utah State the possibilities are endless but you can enjoy some of the following opportunities when you come for a campus tour:

* Meet with an academic adviser and/or professor (if available)
* Walking tour of campus - Bring your camera!
* Learn about scholarship and financial aid opportunities
* On campus housing orientation and a free lunch at the Marketplace
* Free famous Aggie Ice Cream

To ensure you have the very best experience please register here. Please allow at least two working days to process your request. For special tours and groups of 10 or more please call our office at least 10 days prior to your visit, at (435)-797-8676.

June 1, 2009

Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship


Did you earn a degree from USU? You can now send your child to Utah State and the nonresident portion of tuition will be waived. Stay connected through the next generation of Aggies. We'd love to have them here!

To qualify for the Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship, a future Aggie must:
-Be admitted.
-Have at least one parent who earned an associate degree or higher from Utah State University
-Enroll at USU as a first-time student to the Utah system of higher education.

Time spent in Utah on the Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship cannot be counted towards establishing resident student status. If you would like to discuss other options, please email Corey Mikkelsen at corey.mikkelsen@usu.edu.
*Note: Other requirements may apply. For further scholarship information, please contact the USU Admissions Office at (800) 488-8108 or visit us in person at the Taggart Student Center, Room 102.

May 22, 2009

Discover What Brought These Students To Utah State University

Students from all 50 states and 74 countries call Utah State University home. This site is dedicated to showing what brought these students to USU. What will bring you to Utah State University?