College Spotlight: Utah State University AND USU-Eastern

Utah State holds an impressive place within the consortium of Utah Colleges:  it is the only Land-Grant University in the state, as well as a research institution.  As a land-grant university, they have a mandate to educate the population of the state of Utah, and as a research institution, they must maintain high levels of professional opportunities and ongoing research run by their faculty.  In addition, Utah State University (USU), isn't just one campus located in Logan, Utah--it also incorporates a specific 2-year campus, (USU-Eastern in Price) and technical campus (USU-Blanding).  

• USU now incorporates the Logan main campus, as well as USU-Eastern (Price), and USU-Eastern in Blanding.  It is the same application and deadline for all of them (January 10), as well as the same deadline for all programs and scholarships
• Students can begin at USU-Eastern at a reduced price ($3,500 / year for tuition and fees compared to $7,000 / year for tuition and fees at USU-Logan).  
• If you go to USU-Eastern, you are still part of the "USU System", and can go to USU after USU-Eastern without having to apply again (as long as your GPA is above a 2.5 GPA)
• You simply fill out a form to continue with your Bachelor's Degree, and that's it!  
• USU-Eastern is OPEN - ENROLLMENT
• Anyone who has completed high school can get in--it's a great option for students who might not have earned good grades in high school, but still want to excel in college.  
• Cost is affordable:  tuition & fees are $3,600 for the YEAR!  
• A good option to start at Price--earn Associate's Degree--then move to Logan, Utah
• Remember...your first two years are mostly made up of earning your "general" credits, which are the same no matter where you go.  
• If you are at USU, USU-Eastern, Weber, or the U--you'll still have to take English 1010, Math 1010, as well as other "general" credits.  Look at which colleges will help you succeed in this goal, and help you move on to earning your Bachelor's Degree
• Utah State (Logan):  does have admissions standards
• 2.5 GPA, 17 ACT, and a 90 Index Score
• Encouragement for Students:  Apply Early!  
• Deadline for ALL Scholarships on ALL Campuses:  January 10th!
• This deadline applies to everything:  Honors College, Academic Scholarships, Aggie Involvement, 
• Last year, the Admissions Department received 700 phone calls after the deadline--there is absolutely nothing they can do!  The deadline is hard and firm!
• They also have more money in their need-based scholarship section.
• Be sure to apply for FAFSA, then complete the financial application, and get everything submitted on time.  
• Utah State hosts 9 Open Houses around the state
• This is a great all-stop-shop.  Students apply before, then receive a scholarship award at the Open House
• If you go to Utah State, call ahead and schedule a tour, a classroom visit, as well as attend a game  (They have tickets for students to attend a football or basketball game)

Here is some advice that not only applies to Utah State, but to ALL colleges!  

• With the application:  the field that asks for the "Driver's License #" is what determines where the student's residency is
• If a Utah Driver's License--they are flagged as a Utah Resident
• If a student doesn't have a Driver's License, they are "flagged" as a non-resident, and will have to pay out-of-state taxes.  You can prove that you are, in fact, a Utah resident, but it takes a lot of work.
• Lesson:  Get your Driver's License!  Or at minimum, a State ID Card
• Utah Colleges really are affordable!
• Before being determined to go out-of-state, check out the price comparison between State Colleges IN Utah and those out-of-state
• Don't sell Utah colleges short!
• They have amazing programs, faculty, and facilities.  Just because it's "here", doesn't mean that you're getting shortchanged with your college experience. 
• In-state / Out-of-state
• If out-of-state is still your #1 goal, then be sure to check out the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) to lower the pricetag.  
• It doesn't matter what the deadline is--80% of students will be applying the night before
• The system can be overwhelmed and crash
• If your application doesn't get turned in--that's final.  They can't open up the application again.
• Every year, USU receives about 700 calls from students that experience this sort of situation.  Every year, they are told, "Nothing we can do."  Don't be that person!  Apply early!
• This is true for all colleges and universities--too many apps on the last night can crash the system!  Plan early, apply early!  
• General Advice worth following:  be comfortable on the college website.
• Be familiar with how it's organized, the terms, and the programs available.  
• It will help when you are filling out the college application, and need to navigate the website quickly.  

Whew!  That's a lot of information!  I'd suggest going back and rereading it as many times as needed, and making sure you use the suggestions specific to Utah State, as well as the advice that can be applied to any college!  Good Luck!