Photo Courtesy of Isacc Brekken/AP

When thinking about your dream university, does it include incredible athletics? If so, then look no further, USU might be the place just for you. The Aggie’s just finished up, yet another incredible basketball season! On March 12th, the Aggie’s finished up their regular season by winning the WAC Championship in Las Vegas, NV against Boise State! Final score, 77-69! Congratulations to Tai Wesley who received the “WAC Player of the Year”! Also, a huge congratulations to Head Coach Stew Morrill for winning “Coach of the Year”. Can you believe it’s his 3rd straight win! The Aggie’s had an incredible season with a record of 30-3 and 15-1 in the WAC Conference.

So that means, the Aggie’s are going dancing! The Aggie's will take on Kansas State on Thursday March 17th , 7:55 MST. Good Luck Aggies! Future Aggies, it’s NEVER to early to join in on what ESPN calls, “One of the Smartest Student Sections in the entire country” So, put on your Future Aggie shirt and cheer on the Aggies! And if you don't know any of the cheers yet, don't worry, here's a video to help you out. Start with the most popular USU chant! I believe that we will win....I believe that we will win....

Home Stretch....3 short months to go!

Can you believe it? Seniors you are on the home stretch, the final 3 months of your entire high school career! What a huge milestone; one you should be very proud of. Hopefully, this is just the beginning. T he majority of you have settled into making one of the most important decisions of your life. Where to attend college! You’ve gotten your applications in {if not, it’s not too late! www.usu.edu/admissions/applyonline} and now you are sitting back weighing the pro’s and con’s for each institution. Don’t worry, that’s exactly what you should be doing right now. For those of you that might need some help, here’s just a few of the pro’s of attending USU:

*A GREAT SIZE: At USU we have 15,000 students that attend our main campus. You will be getting the best of both worlds. You will be getting the benefits of attending a big university {Division 1 Sports, 170+ majors, 2nd Oldest Undergraduate Research Program} mixed with the benefits of attending a small liberal arts college {A faculty to student ratio of 17:1, Average class size 20-29, 10 of the last 16 Carnegie Professors for the State of Utah teach at USU}.

*A GREAT LOCATION: You know what the say, Location, Location, Location! Ask any fellow Aggie and then will tell you that there’s nowhere on the planet quite like Logan. Logan is a 2 minute drive to Logan Canyon, an hour drive to 4 ski resorts and a days drive to 7 National Parks! Also, with Logan being the largest residential campus is Utah there’s always something going on on our campus. No wonder AIER College Destination ranked Logan as the #13 Best College Town! Still not convinced? USU also has over 200 clubs for you to get involved in, 12 intramural sport programs, and 7 fraternities and sororities to get involved with!

*AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES: Have you always dreamed of “Running with the Bulls” in Spain? Ever wished to pass the Eifel Tower on your way to class? Or take a weekend trip to see the Great Wall? If so, USU just might be the place for you! Our Study Abroad program has over 150 locations to choose from, it might be tough choosing just one! You can follow one of our students, Dexter Summers’ incredible study abroad experience online at www.usuabroad-dexter.blogspot.com

We would absolutely love for you to come and see what Utah State University has to offer you in your future. It's not too late to take a look at USU. One of the greatest ways for you to find out if USU is a great fit for you is to come and visit our campus. We offer campus tours Monday-Friday at 10:15 and 1:15 daily. You can sign up for them online at www.usu.edu/admissions/campustour As always, if there’s ANY question in your mind regarding Utah State University please do not hesitate to get in touch with your representative {http://www.usu.edu/admissions/territory/}

As always, GO AGGIES!!!

Aggie Basketball...what's all the buzz about?

You've heard about Aggie Basketball at USU right? But, have you actually experienced it? There are still four more opportunities to attend an Aggie basketball game this season! Sign up today!

For two of the games, we are hosting our popular “Bring-A-Date to Utah State!” The cost is $20 per couple and includes dinner for two, famous Aggie Ice Cream, two game day t-shirts, two “A” beanies, and two tickets to the game. We will meet at 5:00 pm for dinner and game time is 7:00 pm. The dates are, Thursday, 20 January 2011 or Saturday, 12 February 2011

The other two games are being broadcast on ESPN so expect a Spectrum atmosphere at its finest! There is no charge for either of these games. We will meet at 7:30 pm for the distribution of tickets and game day t-shirts and, of course, some famous Aggie Ice Cream. Game time for both games is 9:00 pm. The dates are: Saturday, 22 January 2011 or
Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Sign up at the following site: http://www.usu.edu/admissions/freetickets/. Any questions, call Tad Sorenson at 435-797-1378.

We hope to see you there! GO AGGIES!!!

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 10^th grader still figuring out high school, or a 12^th 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.

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!!!

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!"

Check out the Aggie Basketball Blog!

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.

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.

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!

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!!!