Counselor Connection

Freshman

Encourage Students to:

• Work on Getting High Grades:  Most institutions’ admission requirements will require a minimum high school GPA in their 6-semester transcript.  A-State requires a minimum of a 2.3 GPA for grades 9^th through 11^th.

• Get Involved:  Encourage students to find something they enjoy doing and get involved—sports, student council, music, art, community-based activities, etc.  They will develop skills and would be great experiences to add to their student resume.

• Start a Student Resume:  Some institutions and scholarships require a student resume.  This is a great time to start building a resume and keep it updated for the years to follow.

• Read Every Day:  According to bigfuture by The College Board, reading at least 30 minutes every day, in addition to studying and doing homework will help students when they take tests with timed reading sections, such as the ACT.

Discuss Advance Placement and Concurrent Classes:  Discuss Advance Placement and Concurrent classes that your high school offers with your students. This will help them start thinking about their options.

Sophmores

Encourage Students to:

• Begin Researching Universities:  Students can request information by visiting websites, calling the institutions, and attending college fairs when possible.  Students can request information by calling A-State Office of Recruitment at 870-972-ASU2 or by visiting our website listed below.  Request Information About A-State>>

• Take the ACT and/or ACT Prep Course:  Most institutions’ admission requirements will require a minimum ACT score.  This is a great time to take the ACT for the first time.  Statistically, students will not score as high as they would like the first time they take the ACT.  ACT Prep Courses could help students improve their ACT score.  A-State requires a minimum of a 19 ACT score for admissions.

• Start Thinking About Their Academic Interest:  There are various resources online that will allow your students to explore their academic interest based on their personalities and interests.  The following document contains a Career Interest Survey that can help your students start exploring their academic interest.

• Continue to Work on High Grades:  Most institutions’ admission requirements will require a minimum high school GPA in their 6-semester transcript.  A-State requires a minimum of a 2.3 GPA for grades 9^th through 11^th.

Meet with Students to Review Academic Plans:  Discuss with students their high school academic plans and go over the classes they will need to graduate.

Discuss Advance Placement and Concurrent Classes:  Discuss Advance Placement and Concurrent classes that your high school offers with your students and remind them they could earn college credits this way and could possibly graduate early from college.

Bring Your Students to Camp College:  Camp College is specifically designated to introduce 10^th grade students to basic concepts about college in a fun and engaging format.  Topics include: ACT Prep, Academics, Campus Life, Financial Aid & Scholarships, and Residence Life.  Register for Camp College by visiting >>

JUNIORS

Encourage Students to:

• Continue Their Research of Universities and Select Top Choices:  Encourage students to attend College Fairs and speak with the recruiters of students’ top choices.  Encourage them to compare these institutions by factors that are important to them (e.g. cost of attendance, facilities on campus, academic programs, size and culture, distance from home, campus involvement, etc.).  We have created the document below that your students can fill out to help them with this process!

• Visit Campus:  We offer General Campus Visits, showcasing Arkansas State University's campus. We also provide students the opportunity to meet with an academic advisor or faculty member in their intended area of study through our Academic Campus Visits.  While on campus, students will meet with our Campus Experience Recruiter and take a tour led by a Chancellor Ambassador.  For those that registered for an Academic Campus Visit, the tour will be followed by a visit with an academic advisor or faculty.  Encourage students to inquire about scholarships given by the department or college while visiting with the academic advisor or faculty during the Academic Campus Visit.  Schedule a campus visit >>

• Be Familiar with Institutional Scholarships Requirements and Deadlines:  A-State’s admission application is also the application for institutional scholarships at A-State (with the exception of the ASTATE Scholar, which requires a separate application, an essay, a student resume and two reference letters). Remember: Students must be fully admitted to the university by December 1 of their senior year to be considered eligible for most of our institutional scholarships! Learn more about ASTATE scholarships >>

• Attend an A-State Junior Preview Day:  On Junior Preview Days, students will gain valuable information about admissions, financial aid and scholarships, opportunities outside the classroom, campus life, and expectations in the classroom.  Learn more about Preview Days>>

• Update Their Student Resume:  Students might need a student resume when applying for admission and scholarships.  This is the time to brag about achievements, awards, honors, etc.  At A-State, we do not require a resume for admissions or scholarships, with the exception of the A-State Scholar.  We do encourage students to include their student resume when applying for Privately Funded Scholarships.

• Take and Retake the ACT:  Statistically, students that take the ACT more than once tend to improve their ACT score.  The higher their ACT score, the more money in scholarships they will be awarded.  Students should register to take as many ACT test as they can.  They are allowed to take the ACT up to 12 times.  The October ACT of their senior year is the last opportunity to raise test scores for our institutional scholarships. Note: December tests do not count toward scholarship decisions at A-State! Register to take the ACT >>

• Continue to Work on High Grades:  Most institutions’ admission requirements will require a minimum high school GPA in their 6-semester transcript.  A-State requires a minimum of a 2.3 GPA for grades 9 through 11. This is the last year to work on their GPA!

• Apply for Admission Once (or during) 11^th Grade is Completed:  The application is not complete until we receive all related documents. Remember: The application deadline for scholarship eligibility is December 1. Students must meet the ACT and GPA requirements and be admitted by December 1 to be eligible.  Students that qualify for the A-State Scholar Scholarship must submit an additional application.

          To apply to A-State, a student must:

• Complete an online application
• Submit a $30 application fee that can be paid at the end of the online application or to the Cashier’s Window at 870-972-3847
• Submit official high school transcript
• Submit official ACT test scores
• Submit copy of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) shot records

• Send all documents to: Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration, P.O. Box 1570, State University, AR 72467.   To be admitted to A-State, a student must meet the minimum admission criteria of a 19 ACT and a 2.3 GPA in their 6-Semester High School Transcript.
• Register to Take AP Exams if Applicable:  Students could get college credit for some of their Advanced Placement courses. Remember: The deadline to register for AP Exams usually falls between February and March. Keeping students informed of the procedures, deadlines and requirements for credits is important.

Discuss Student’s Academic Interest:  If you have students that already know what they want to study, you can help them review their academic interest. For the students that have not committed to an academic major, remind them that the most popular major for incoming freshman is undecided!  Learn more about A-State’s Degree Programs >>

Remind Students to Continue with College Preparation and Plans Throughout The Summer

SENIORS

Fall Semester

Discuss College Plans and Review Application Deadlines and Requirements with Students:  if a student is applying to a university that requires an essay for admission or scholarships, remind students to finalize their essays. High school English teachers are great resources for the editing process. A-State does not require an essay for admission or for institutional scholarships, with the exception of A-State Scholar Scholarship.

Encourage Students to:

• Visit Campus:  We offer General Campus Visits, showcasing Arkansas State University's campus, and we also provide students the opportunity to meet with an academic advisor or faculty member in their intended area of study through our Academic Campus Visits.  While on campus, students will meet with our Campus Experience Recruiter and take a tour led by a Chancellor Ambassador.  For those that registered for an Academic Campus Visit, the tour will be followed by a visit with an academic advisor or faculty.  Encourage students to inquire about scholarships given by the department or college while visiting with the academic advisor or faculty during the Academic Campus Visit.  Schedule a campus visit >>

• Attend an A-State Senior Preview Day:  On Senior Preview Days, students will have the opportunity to meet with an advisor or faculty member in their academic area of interest, speak with financial aid, take a campus tour, eat lunch in the Acansa Dining Hall, speak with current students and much more.  Learn more about Preview Days>>

• Take and Retake the ACT:  Students should take the October ACT - the last opportunity to raise test scores for our institutional scholarships. Remember: December tests do not count toward scholarship decisions at A-State!  Register to take the ACT >>

• Ask for Recommendation Letters:  These letters will be handy when applying for scholarships for which they are required. Letters should come from counselors, teachers, employers or organization leaders. Remember: Students should give people plenty of time to write letters of recommendation letters for them.  Recommendation letters are required for our A-State Scholar Scholarship and highly encouraged for our Privately Funded Scholarships.

• Apply for Admission (if the student has not yet applied): The application is not complete until we receive all related documents. Remember: The application deadline for scholarship eligibility is December 1. Students must meet the ACT and GPA requirements and be admitted by December 1 to be eligible.  Students that qualify for the A-State Scholar Scholarship must submit an additional application.

          To apply to A-State, a student must:

• Complete an online application
• Submit a $30 application fee that can be paid at the end of the online application or to the Cashier’s Window at 870-972-3847
• Submit official high school transcript
• Submit official ACT test scores
• Submit copy of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) shot records

• Send all documents to: Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration, P.O. Box 1570, State University, AR 72467.  To be admitted to A-State, a student must meet the minimum admission criteria of a 19 ACT and a 2.3 GPA in their 6-Semester High School Transcript.

• Apply for Institutional Scholarships:  The application for admission to A-State is also the application for institutional scholarships at A-State (with the exception of the ASTATE Scholar, which requires a separate application, an essay, a student resume and two reference letters). Remember: Students must be fully admitted to the university by December 1 to be considered eligible for most of our institutional scholarships!   Learn more about ASTATE scholarships >>

• Apply for Housing:  Because 1100 freshmen live on campus, it is important for students to apply for housing early to ensure that they are placed in the Residence Hall that is their first choice. The application process for housing at A-State opens in October for admitted students but the $100 Pre-Payment could be paid as soon as the student applies for admission.  The $100 Pre-Payment can be paid via phone by calling the Cashier’s Window at 870-972-3847 or online while filling out their Housing Application.  Remember: Students should be honest when completing their "Profile" in the Housing Portal in order to choose a roommate. Learn more about Residence Life at ASTATE >>  Space is limited in all of our residence halls, so it is important to complete this process as early as possible

Help Students Locate and Apply to Additional Scholarship Opportunities:  There are various scholarship opportunities for graduating high school students.  You can help students locate additional scholarships that are offered in your community as well as nationally and throughout the state, such as the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarships!

SENIORS

Spring Semester

Encourage Students to:

• Apply for Privately Funded Scholarships:  All students are eligible to apply for a variety of privately funded scholarships administered by Arkansas State University and the ASU Foundation Inc. Students are highly encouraged to this application and submit supporting documentation (resume, letter(s) of recommendation, essay, etc.) to strengthen their application.  The privately funded scholarships application is available in December for the following academic year and the deadline is February 1^st.  Learn more about Privately Funded Scholarship >>

• Register and Attend New Student Registration (NSR):  At New Student Registration, students will have the opportunity to meet an academic advisor, register for classes, and learn more about their new university. Remind students that the earlier they attend an NSR session, the more likely they are to get into the classes they want to take at the times they want to take them!   Learn more about New Student Orientation >>

• Apply for Financial Aid:  Encourage students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  A-State's federal school code is school code is 001090. The priority deadline for completing the FAFSA is February 15^th.  Apply for Financial Aid >>

• Register to Take AP Exams if Applicable.   Students could get college credit for some of their Advanced Placement courses. Remember: The deadline to register for AP Exams usually falls between February and March. Keeping students informed of the procedures, deadlines and requirements for credits is important.

• Accept Scholarship:  Encourage students to accept their A-State Institutional Scholarship even if they are still thinking about what institution to attend.  The deadline to accept scholarships is May 1^st.  Remind them that once a scholarship is denied, they cannot go back and accept.  It is easier to accept and deny it later on if necessary. Click here to for instructions.

• Select Room & Residence Hall:  Mid to late April, students will receive an email from Residence Life letting know how and when to log in to the A-State Housing Portal to select their Residence Hall and room.  Their time slot is based on the date their $100 Housing Pre-Payment was received.  Remind students to check their A-State student email regularly.  Learn more about Residence Life at ASTATE >>

Send Students' Final Official Transcripts to the Office of Admissions Records and Registration P.O. Box 1570, State University, AR 72467