Meeting New People and Having Fun

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Where do you go as a Freshman besides class? There is a lot to do outside of class. You can join clubs, get a part time job on campus, study in different buildings, or do something fun in the Makerspace. Pretty much you get to decide who you want to be and find people with the same goals.

Get Involved in the NACOE

 
Are there clubs first year students can do? There are so many clubs and lots of things you can get involved in during your first year...especially in engineering. A lot of engineering and computer science clubs find ways to include first year students so they can learn more about what is possible with a degree. Cats Connect can give you some ideas of how to keep doing what you like and try new things. Cats Connect
Where do you hangout ouside of school? There is lots to do in Bozeman either on or off campus - you just have to decide what you want to do. There is the Streamline bus system that will help you get around town. ASMSU has group events like MSU Debut activities and Service Saturdays. The Outdoor Recreation program allows you to rent gear and organizes fun trips. If you want to just hang out, there is the Fitness Center which is part of the Student Wellness Center. 

Outdoor Recreation

Student Wellness Center

 Paying for College

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How will I pay for college?

Paying for college is scary. For me, it was a way of hiring myself to learn and prepare for the types of jobs that were more exciting. The Financial Education office can help create a plan for how to do this in a way that seems possible.

I had to think outisde the box to pay for college because my family couldn't afford it. I joined Air Force ROTC as a studet cadet and got a scholarship that paid for my college. I'm really busy trying to get everything done, but it has been the best thing and allowed me to go to college. When I graduate, I will commission as an officer in the US Air Force for a few years.

Office of Financial Education

ROTC Programs
What's  the best way to earn scholarships? Apply, apply, apply! Even if you think there isn't anything for you. Apply every year becasue some scholarships are dependent on your progress through a degree and involvement as a student in the college. Find ways to get into leadership or committee roles in the college, such as NACOE Student Ambassadors or the Women in Engineering Student Advisory Board. You can be a grader for engineering classes or cover the front desk of your department for a few hours a week. Sometimes just showing you're ready to contribute to the community in little ways will help show you are a great investment. Go talk to your department and let them know you are interested in a scholarship, then get busy with your academics and engagement as a student and show them you mean business!

Undergraduate Scholarships

NACOE Scholarships
How do I find money to pay for college?

There are lots of STEM scholarships from companies, the Department of Defense (DOD), and other places. Be careful that the programs are legitimate places, but you don't only have to look within MSU, you can look outside MSU for scholarships.

Outside MSU STEM Scholarships

Can I Really Do It?

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How do you do it all?

There is always a time during the semester when I think the same thing. To be honest, you can't always do it all and you have to choose. It helped me know what I really wanted and what was really important.

The best answer is to have a really good planning strategy. What worked in high school for me, didn't work in college. I had to treat every class like its own project and plan out how to get it done. Calendars became my friend - I have this awesome Outlook Calendar set up and can print daily, monthly or week-at-a-glance task sheets. Once I learned to do this, then it was easier to have time to do what was important for big goals like graduating from engineering and fun things like going dancing.

College Info Geek
Is it as bad as it seems? Great question! I felt like this a lot at first. Sometimes it is pretty hard and you wonder if it is worth it. I've had to choose to study in the library instead of going to a party or fishing (which I love to do). Everyone has to decide for themselves if it is worth it to do hard stuff for a long time. But when you get to the end like me, it is worth it and I'm really excited about what is next even though I'm still applying for jobs and talking to recruiters. AYCSS

Real Learning Happens OUTSIDE of class!

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Are there clubs first year students can do? There are so many clubs and lots of things you can get involved in during your first year...especially in engineering. A lot of engineering and computer science clubs find ways to include first year students so they can learn more about what is possible with a degree. Cats Connect can give you some ideas of how to keep doing what you like and try new things. Cats Connect
Why are engineers important? Engineers take the latest and greatest research and uses it to make things better. Every discipline is important, but if you like to think outside the box and come up with new ideas then engineering is for you!

Try Engineering

Discovere
Do computer scientists only write code? Computer scientists know how to code and they can code. But really they solve problems in creative ways so computers can help do most of the hard work.  Explore Computer Science

Transfering AP, IB, and Dual Credit Courses from High School

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How do I transfer credit from high school dual credit courses? The Admissions Office can help you with this question. You will provide transcripts for them to review and apply to your student record at MSU. Admissions Enrollment Resources