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First-Year Students

Who is a First-Year Student?

Helping ensure that you are on the correct path helps ensure that you find the best information.

You are a first-year student if you wish to enroll at WCU to earn an undergraduate degree, and:

  • You are still completing or have completed high school or its equivalent
    AND
  • You have not attempted college coursework since completion of high school (with the exception of the summer immediately following spring graduation from high school)

NOTE: Earning advanced standing or dual-enrollment college courses while in high school does not change your student type from first year to transfer; the timing of high school completion determines the student type, not the amount of college coursework completed (including early college or other dual-enrollment students who may have earned an associate’s degree while completing high school).
Your amount of college credit (and other advanced credits such as AP or IB) affects your student classification (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) rather than your student type.

Applying as a First-Year Student

Whether you are considering making an application or have already done so, you have come to the right place—a place to help you navigate the application process.

Because of the keen interest in attending WCU and the varied credentials of applicants, WCU has established more than one path to admission. Learn about four different admission paths for first-year students through First-year Admission Options.

What is considered in the admission decision? First-year Admission Requirements sheds light on factors that affect admission decisions and details Minimum Course Requirements (MCR) and other requirements that have been established by the UNC Board of Governors or WCU. Have you earned advanced or college credit? Are recommendations required or preferred? Can you submit an essay? Check out the Records for Admission section to be sure that you submit all required records as well as supplemental information that best supports your application for admission.

The admission process is competitive, so the more timely and comprehensive the submission of an application and supporting documentation, the greater chance of a favorable admission decision. When a prospective first-year student applies, he or she promptly will receive an acknowledgment letter (be sure to keep the letter as reference), the applicant’s best way to track his or her progress and status through the admission process is through Catamountportal.wcu.edu.

We hope you will visit. We hope you will apply if you have not done so already. We hope that you will return to these resources often as an applicant to guide you on your path to WCU.

Tracking Your Application Status

Shortly after you submit your application, you will receive a mailed letter of acknowledgment that it has been received by the Office of Admission. A week after your acknowledgment letter is sent you will receive an email providing instructions on how to activate your MyWCU  account. Once activated, you will be able to log into MyWCU and track your application status through the My Application Status and To Do List section. This section will reflect all items which you are required or encouraged to go through the enrollment process.

Admitted students can access and follow the online path through the enrollment process, submit deposits (tuition and housing) to reserve a space in the entering class, and submit orientation fees once registration for orientation is open.

Note: The Office of Admission can send you instructions on how to activate your account, should you no longer have that email handy. However, once your account is activated, the Office of Admission cannot retrieve your password. You would need to contact the IT Department to have your password reset, in order to regain access to MyWCU.

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