August will be here before we know it! On-campus the grass will be green and the halls will be full of students; our online students will be signing in on their laptops and taking advantage of flexible programs… August is such an exciting time at Mo State! No matter what stage you’re at in your academic journey, the fall semester is undeniably an important term. Whether you’re stepping into your freshman year as a new student, beginning your senior year classes, or transferring from another institution you’ll find steps below on starting off strong.

Newly Admitted Adult Students

First, welcome to Missouri State University! Your first semester can feel daunting, and that’s normal! Take a deep breath and review our next steps checklist to be sure you’ve handled on the important elements: setting up your My Missouri State account, completing the FAFSA, meeting with your advisor, etc.

While optional, we recommend attending the Adult Student Orientation taking place on the Saturday before the start of the semester. It’s held on-campus and is a great opportunity to receive an introduction to Missouri State, take a tour, and meet other nontraditional students. If you’re unavailable or an online student – don’t worry! We’ll post the orientation materials on the Adult Student Services Community page in Brightspace for you to review at your convenience.

New Transfer Students

We are so happy you’ve chosen Missouri State on the next step in your academic journey! Review Transfer Student Checklist for guidance on activating your account, reviewing your transfer credits, finding your advisor, and more. Prior to registering for your classes, you’ll need to complete the online transfer orientation. It will give an overview on Missouri State policies, resources, services, and more.

If you’ve earned fewer than 24 transferable hours after graduating from high school and are not a nontraditional student, head to the admitted freshman checklist for your next steps.

Continuing Students

Congratulations on another semester completed and continuing to make progress toward your degree! By now, you may feel confident navigating next steps… but we’ve provided a quick list below (just in case!).

1. Complete the FAFSA, if you haven’t already done so. Be sure to use Missouri State University’s federal school code: 002503.
2. Meet with your advisor, if necessary.
3. Register for classes.
4. Purchase necessary supplies (textbooks, parking permits, etc.).
5. Welcome your fellow Bears!

Welcome (back), Bears! It’s going to be a great semester!

Have a specific question or need a little more support? Connect directly with Adult Student Services.