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First year guide · College survival tips
The students who struggle in year one usually struggle for the same reasons: they don't know how the money works, they miss the GPA floor for scholarships, they wait too long to ask for help. This guide covers the practical things — financial aid timelines, academic habits, campus resources — that most students figure out only after their first semester.
The #1 freshman mistake — losing scholarship eligibility by letting the GPA slip below the renewal threshold. At ASU, UA, and NAU, most merit scholarships require a 2.5–3.0 cumulative GPA each year. The GPA needed to keep your scholarship is the same as — or lower than — what you earned to get in. Know your number before Day 1.
Before you arrive
Set up your FSA ID and understand your financial aid award
Know the exact breakdown: grants (free money), scholarships (free money), work-study (you earn it), and loans (you pay it back with interest). Accept grants and scholarships; accept work-study only if you want the job; borrow loans last and only what you actually need.
Enroll in orientation — it's not optional even if it feels optional
Orientation unlocks course registration. At ASU, UA, and NAU, registering for classes early matters — popular sections fill fast. Frosh who skip orientation often end up in worse sections.
Get your housing confirmed and understand the move-in window
On-campus housing waitlists move. Confirm your placement and know your move-in date. Off-campus: confirm your lease start date and don't assume the apartment will be ready early.
Set up your student email and access your student portal immediately
Your official school email is where financial aid notices, class changes, and scholarship notifications arrive. Set it to forward to your personal email so nothing is missed.
Academic success in year one
Go to every class for the first four weeks — this is the highest-ROI habit
Professors notice attendance in small classes. More importantly, the first weeks set the structure of a course — assignments, grading style, what the professor emphasizes. Missing early means catching up on context you can't fully recover from notes.
Visit office hours at least once in the first month
Most students never go. The ones who do get better recommendations, better understanding of what tests will cover, and a real relationship with their professor. You don't need a problem — "I want to make sure I'm approaching this course right" is a fine reason.
Find your campus tutoring center and learning center in week one
Every AZ public university has free tutoring — the THINK TANK at NAU, the Student Success Center at ASU, the THINK TANK equivalent at UA. These are underused. Find them before you need them, not after an exam.
Know your GPA requirement for your major and any scholarships
Many AZ merit scholarships require a 3.0+ GPA to renew. Many competitive majors (nursing, business, education) have higher admission requirements. Know your threshold in week one — it's much harder to recover a GPA than to maintain it.
Drop a class if you need to — but know the deadline
The W (withdrawal) deadline is typically 2/3 of the way through the semester. A W on your transcript is visible but not as damaging as a D or F. If you're going to fail, withdraw before the deadline. Check the academic calendar.
Money management
Understand when your financial aid disburses and what the timeline looks like
At most schools, aid disburses 10 days before the semester starts (for returning students) or at the start of the semester (for first-time students). Know your disbursement date — don't assume money is available on Day 1.
Do not spend your loan money on non-education expenses
Loan refunds (money back after tuition is paid) can tempt spending on discretionary items. Every dollar you spend becomes a dollar you repay with interest. Plan your refund for books, transportation, and food — not entertainment.
Apply for the textbook reserve program if your school has one
NAU, ASU, and UA all have some form of textbook lending, reserve copies, or digital access. Check the library before buying. Rent before buying. Older editions are often fine for general ed courses.
Know where campus food assistance is before you need it
Food insecurity affects 30-40% of college students. ASU has the Sun Devil Food Pantry; UA has the Campus Pantry; NAU has the Lumberjack Food Pantry. All are confidential. Don't skip meals — it directly impacts grades.
Health, wellness & belonging
Register with disability services on Day 1 if you have an IEP or 504
High school accommodations do not automatically transfer to college. You must self-register with disability services each year and request accommodations each semester. Do this in week one, not after your first exam.
Use your student health center (it's included in your fees)
Most students don't know their fees include campus health center visits. Walk-in urgent care, mental health counseling (limited sessions), and prescription assistance are available. At ASU: Health Services; UA: UAHS; NAU: Campus Health Services.
Join one organization in your first semester
Research on belonging shows that students who join even one club, group, or sports team are significantly less likely to drop out in year one. Cultural orgs, major-specific clubs, intramural sports — pick one.
Tell someone if you're struggling — before it becomes a crisis
Every AZ university has free counseling sessions. The students who succeed aren't the ones who never struggle — they're the ones who ask for help. Counseling center, advisor, professor, RA — all of these are there for exactly this.
Week 1 priority list — do these before anything else
Set up student email forwarding to your personal email
Find the financial aid disbursement date and amount breakdown
Locate the tutoring center and campus food pantry
Know your merit scholarship GPA renewal requirement
Register with disability services if you have accommodations
Find office hours for at least one professor
Confirm your financial aid award type (grant vs. loan vs. work-study)
Join one student org (browse the club fair in week 1)
Keep your financial aid (SAP guide)
Satisfactory Academic Progress — the requirements your GPA and completion rate must meet every semester to keep your aid.
Understand your award letter
Decode the exact breakdown of your financial aid: what's free, what's earned, and what's borrowed.
College readiness checklist
Everything to do before you arrive on campus — academics, financial aid, housing, and decision milestones.
Campus support resources
Food pantries, mental health counseling, disability services, emergency aid — the resources most students never use.