College Admissions 101: Preparing for the Fall

So—you’ve applied to your top schools, been admitted to most of them, completed the FAFSA, applied for scholarships, discussed your award letters, and made a final decision, paying a deposit at your chosen school. Now what?

The summer after high school graduation can be an odd sort of no-man’s-land, largely without the help of teachers, guidance counselors, or college & career coaches, who are also on summer vacation. It’s especially important to lean on the admissions office for summer guidance.

Here’s what you need to know:

Advising & Registration

Watch for details about meeting with an advisor and registering for fall classes. Like Northwestern, many schools may require additional paperwork before you can do this (for example, immunization records, student account agreements, etc.).

Send Final Transcripts

Verify with your guidance counselor that they will send your final transcript to your chosen school once graduation is over and all your final grades are recorded.

Finalize Housing Plans

Be sure to let your school know whether you plan to live on campus or commute. Double-check on their housing policy first. At UNW, we require students to either live on campus until age 21 or else live with a parent. In the case of a housing application, submitting it earlier than later is always best— we know you’re eager to learn your housing assignment and future roommates!

Apply for Campus Jobs Over the summer, openings for student employment begin to appear at https://jobs.unwsp.edu. Northwestern has nearly 1,000 student jobs!

Shop for Dorm Room & School Supplies

There’s no official supply list for college students, though some classes will let you know if you need something special (like a specific calculator!). Most students use the basics like notebooks, pens/pencils for note-taking, and highlighters for reading. Northwestern’s dorms are some of the best of the best, so we’ve created a dorm shopping list for you here.

Order Your Textbooks

The campus store orders and organizes textbooks in the first half of summer; in mid- to late-July, it will open for textbook purchases. Snag a copy of your fall schedule (including course codes and section numbers; available on myUNW) and use that to determine what books you need at https://campusstore.unwsp.edu. Rent or buy used when possible!

Prepare for Orientation

UNW has four New Student Days available throughout the summer; these function as a half-day pre-orientation. You can sign up for one on your admissions portal. Arrivals begin in August with student leaders and fall athletes coming early; the primary move-in day for new students is Friday, August 23. Check out all the details for orientation here. Classes start on Wednesday, August 28, and we are so excited to see what God will do on this campus!

We are praying for your transition to life at UNW. Find your UNW admission counselor online and connect today!