FIRST-YEAR STUDENT
Earned Admission
We Want You at USU
Not only do we want to welcome you to Utah State, we also want to help you succeed as an Aggie. Please take time to review your next steps which will help qualify you for admission and ensure you’re prepared for academic life at Utah State.
Your Next Steps
- Apply for admission to USU (if you haven't already done so).
- Read the full terms & conditions for the Earned Admission pathway.
- Schedule a meeting to talk with your assigned admissions specialist about the Preparing for College Workshop.
- Complete the Preparing for College Workshop (opens October 2, 2023) by the deadline for the semester you plan to enroll. This allows you to confirm your enrollment, sign an on-campus housing contract, and start orientation.
- Be admitted and become an Aggie. Visit usu.edu/whatsnext for more information.
Deadlines & Timeline
Start today – While you can complete the Preparing for College Workshop at your own pace, keep the following deadlines in mind to avoid having to adjust your admission term to a later semester.
| Deadlines | Summer | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete USU application and begin Preparing for College Workshop | MAR 15 | JUN 15 | OCT 15 |
| Complete Preparing for College Workshop | MAY 1 | AUG 1 | DEC 1 |
Benefits
- Qualify for Admission — Upon completion of the workshop, you will be admitted in good standing to a four-year program at USU.
- Develop Skills — Identify your own strengths and challenges as it relates to college success.
- Receive Support — You will work with an Aggie Advocate who will help you identify and register for USU classes.
- USU Class Registration — You will be able to complete orientation and register for USU classes on time, with your class.
- Student Life — You can sign a contract for on-campus housing if you’d like, so you’re ready to live on campus your first semester and experience Aggie life. Make sure to sign up early to get a spot. (See the housing FAQ for more information.)
Terms and Conditions
Please note that by accepting this Earned Admission pathway you are agreeing to the following:
- I understand that my admission to the university is contingent on my completing the Preparing for College Workshop by the deadline. I am not officially a Utah State University student until I begin my first semester.
- I understand that I need to enroll in and begin the Preparing for College Workshop by the posted deadline for the semester I wish to enroll.
- I understand that my USU courses will be dropped if I do not complete the Preparing for College Workshop by the deadline for the semester I wish to begin classes at USU.
- I understand that I can work with USU to change my admission offer to the next available semester if needed.
- I understand that I should only sign an on-campus housing contract if I feel confident that I can complete the Preparing for College Workshop prior to the deadline for the semester. See the housing FAQ for more information.
Eligibility Requirements
To participate in the Earned Admission path students must:
- Have a cumulative high school GPA below 2.8
- Be a domestic U.S. student (International students are currently not eligible for this path)
- Be an incoming first-year or transfer student with less than 24 post-high school credits
- Have applied for admission to USU within the past year (Apply at applynow.usu.edu)
- Receive a formal offer from the Admissions Office to participate in the Earned Admission path
Contact Information
For more information, please contact the Admission Office at 435-797-1079 or admit@usu.edu.
For detailed information about the Earned Admission pathway, schedule a meeting to talk with your assigned admissions specialist.
Program FAQ
The Earned Admission path is for students with below a 2.8 high school GPA. In addition, students must meet the following eligibility requirements
- Be a Domestic U.S. Student. (International Students are currently not eligible for this path.)
- Be an incoming first-time freshman or a transfer student with less than 24 post high school credits.
- Have applied for Admission to USU within the past year. (Please apply at applynow.usu.edu.)
- Have received a formal offer from the Admissions Office to participate in the Earned Admission path. (While lower high school grades will not disqualify a student from being considered for the Earned Admission path, applicants are still required to demonstrate that they meet all non-academic university admissions requirements such as meeting the university’s English proficiency requirement and demonstrating that they can behaviorally be a good citizen at USU.)
No. There is no cost to take the Preparing for College Workshop.
No credit is given for the Preparing for College Workshop.
No. You will take the Preparing for College Workshop prior to the beginning of classes at Utah State University, so you are not considered to be an enrolled (or matriculated) student while you take this workshop. You are allowed to prepare for your intended starting semester, right along with your fellow classmates, by registering for classes. You may also choose to sign up for either on-campus or off-campus housing if you feel confident you can complete the workshop on time (see housing FAQ for more information). Please note that you will be unenrolled from classes if you don’t complete the Preparing for College Workshop by the deadline for a given semester, and you will be responsible for any housing contracts that you sign.
USU ID cards are given to incoming students during the orientation process, so some students participating in the Preparing for College Workshop may receive their card during orientation as they prepare for their first semester at USU. However, ID cards are not activated and cannot be used to access USU services unless the student is enrolled in classes during a given semester. Being in the Preparing for Colleges Workshop is not considered being enrolled or matriculated at USU.
Since you are not an enrolled student at Utah State University until you successfully complete the Preparing for College Workshop and begin your starting semester, you are not able to live in on-campus housing or use various student services that are available to enrolled students while you are taking your Preparing for College Workshop.
If you need a little more time to complete your workshop, you can request to have your admission moved to the following semester. If applicable, you will be unenrolled from classes. Please note that you should consider the likelihood of your completing the workshop by the deadline prior to signing any housing contracts (see housing FAQ).
Yes! You will be admitted in good standing to a four-year program upon completion of the workshop. Once you begin classes you will be like any other student at the university. It is important to note that all students enrolled at USU follow the same “academic standing” policies, which state that if your institutional GPA falls below a 2.0 the university will provide extra support and accountability during subsequent semesters. If your GPA remains below a 2.0, you may ultimately be suspended from the university so you can take time to reassess your educational plans and needs.
The Earned Admission path is for first-year students. It is typically NOT available for transfer students and returning USU students, although exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis as determined by the Admission Committee. Prior approval from the Admissions Office is required of all participants.
After you apply and are offered the Earned Admission pathway, you will be sent an email with the Preparing for College Workshop registration information. Registration for the workshop opens October 2, 2023.
Upon completion of the workshop, you will be admitted in good standing to Utah State University.
Most students can be admitted to their chosen major after completing the Earned Admission path. Some departments such as those within Engineering, Physics, and others have requirements above basic university requirements. For those majors, you will be placed in Undeclared/Exploratory and can work with an advisor to discuss admission requirements and work toward possible admission to your desired major at a later time.
Yes, the Preparing for College Workshop must be completed by the deadline for the semester you plan to enroll at USU. If you are not able to complete the workshop by the completion deadline, you can request to move your admission to the next available term. If you are not able to complete the Preparing for College Workshop by the deadline, you will be dropped from your USU courses.
Contact the Admission Office at 435-797-1079 or admit@usu.edu to request to move your admissions to the next available term.
No. You will receive a USU email account when you register for your first credit-bearing course at USU.
Housing FAQ
You can begin the Preparing for College Workshop right away. It is a self-paced workshop, so if you feel more comfortable starting the workshop or completing it prior to securing housing, you can do that. If on-campus housing is full, you can add yourself to a notification list. If a bed space opens up, you will be notified and you can accept or reject the space.
Some off-campus apartments may have availability close to the start of the semester, and you can also buy a contract from another student (make sure the landlord or apartment manager is aware of and approves of the transaction).
Some off-campus apartments may have availability close to the start of the semester, and you can also buy a contract from another student (make sure the landlord or apartment manager is aware of and approves of the transaction).
Students participating in the Earned Admission path are allowed to reserve a spot in on-campus housing for the semester they plan to begin at USU, however, no rooms are reserved specifically for this program. All housing is booked on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage students to complete the housing sign-up process early if they feel confident they can complete the Preparing for College Workshop by the deadline for the semester.
On-campus housing deposits are non-refundable after May 1 for fall semester and December 15 for spring semester. If you cancel your housing contract prior to these dates, it is refundable. If you cancel after these dates, the deposit is not refundable. You can contact the housing office to discuss deferring your housing contract from fall to spring semester (this is not available from spring to fall semester).
Off-campus housing is not affiliated with the university, and most landlords and apartment complexes enforce contracts regardless of whether a student is enrolled in classes. In some cases, students can sell their contract to another student prior to the start of the semester. If you plan to buy or sell a contract, always make sure the landlord or apartment manager is aware of and approves of the transaction.
You are not allowed to live in on-campus housing while you complete the Preparing for College Workshop.