Fall 2024 Transfer Orientation/Class Registration
This is your Orientation/Class Registration confirmation page.
This confirmation page will cover everything you need to know about your Orientation/Class
Registration session.
Please read the information below thoroughly.
Program Overview
MSU's Fall 2024 Transfer Orientation/Class Registration program consists of a mandatory online Orientation/Class Registration program and an optional in-person Orientation.
Online Orientation
Your online Orientation/Class Registration program must be completed between Monday, May 1, and Wednesday, July 10. Students will continue to recieve access to the online pre-orientation after July 10th and should complete online pre-orientation even if the deadline has been exceeded.
Orientation/Class Registration will teach you how to contact your Academic Advisor and how to register for classes. It will be hosted on MSU's virtual engagement platform called CatsConnect. In CatsConnect, the online Orientation is organized into what is called a "pathway." (The terms "online Orientation program," "CatsConnect," and "Orientation pathway" will be used interchangeably.)
- The online Orientation/Class Registration pathway is broken down into sections, called
modules, which contain items that you need to complete. These items might be videos
that you need to watch or paragraphs that you need to read. The modules are organized
sequentially such that you need to fully complete one module before you will be able
to move on to the next module.
- Module 1 - Welcome to Online Orientation: The ins-and-outs of our online session.
- Module 2 - Understanding MSU Technology: Practice using some of MSU's important technological resources.
- Module 3 - New Student Checklist: Make sure you have completed the items on your Undergraduate Checklist.
- Module 4 - Course Placement: Understand the structure of your degree programs.
- Module 5 - Academics 101: Learn how to utilize MSU technology to register for courses.
- Module 6 - Academic Advising in Your College: Learn about Academic Advising at MSU.
- Advising Appointment: Connect with an Academic Advisor in your area of study! Students will not be able to schedule an appointment with their Academic Advisor until they complete Modules 1-6.
- Students may register for their fall semester courses directly after their advising appointment.
- Module 7 - Paying for School: Understand how to pay and confirm your bill.
- Module 8 - Last Steps & Once You're Here: Complete a few last items before coming to campus.
- Module 9 - Finding Community: Learn about resources and support services on the MSU campus.
- The online Orientation/Class Registration program is self-paced and does not require students to login at specific times. However, do not procrastinate! The sooner you complete the online program, the sooner you can schedule an advising appointment with your Academic Advisor.
- When you reach the point of advising in the CatsConnect Orientation/Class Registration pathway, you will be prompted to schedule a remote advising appointment with your Academic Advisor begining Wednesday, May 1, 2024. You will have the opportunity to discuss your fall semester course schedule during this appointment.
- After you complete the advising appointment, you will be able to register for your fall semester courses.
In-person Orientation
An optional in-person Orientation will be hosted for incoming Transfer students from August 18-20, 2024.
View the August 2024 Transfer and NonTrad Orientation schedule here.
Directions to Campus
Strand Union Building: 751 Grant Street, Bozeman, MT 59717
See here for a campus map and detailed directions to campus.
Parking
Parking on campus always requires a parking permit. A temporary permit is provided to you during Orientation.
Print this dashboard parking credential prior to arriving at your Orientation session to display in your vehicle.
The parking credential is valid from Saturday, August 17 - Tuesday, August 20 only. Please take care to follow all directions or you will receive a parking ticket.
Check-in
Students will check in between 8:00 and 11:00AM on Sunday, August 18 in Norm Asbjornson Inspiration Hall (NAH 201) by having their CatsConnect Event Pass QR Code scanned.
Please follow the steps below and have your Event Pass QR Code ready and accessible during your session.
-
- Electronic: Download the Corq App at https://corq.app/. "Sign into your campus" on the Corq App by entering your NetID and password. Select "Montana State University" as your campus. Tap the arrow in the top left corner and select "Event Pass" to see your personalized QR code. Add to your Apple Wallet, have it pulled up, or take a screen shot.
- Printing: Access your CatsConnect account in your mobile web browser. Log into CatsConnect with your NetID and password. Click on your profile icon in the top right corner and then click the small QR code icon to see your personalized QR code. Print your QR Code.
Before You Begin
Before you begin your Orientation/Class Registration session, you will want to ensure that you have completed several important steps. Learn more about the specifics for each below.
1. Know Your NetID and Student ID
Your NetID is a unique seven character identifier composed of a combination of letters and numbers. It follows the format x99z999.
- If you do not know your NetID, please follow the instructions on the Claim/Reclaim NetID webpage.
Your Student ID (sometimes called MSU ID or GID) is a unique eight-digit number preceded by a dash. It follows the format -02345678.
- If you do not know your Student ID, you can find it on your acceptance letter or in MyInfo. Once you log in, click on the "Personal Information" tab and then click on the "View IDs" link.
2. Fulfill All Immunization Requirements
Students cannot register for their fall semester courses until all immunization requirements are met.
Please submit all required documentation well in advance of the start of your Orientation/Class Registration session to allow time for the documents to be processed and any immunization holds to be lifted.
Visit the Student Health Partners website for more information about these requirements and for helpful tips on how to find and submit your documents.
3. Review Your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist
Review your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist in MyInfo and take care of any items you have not already completed.
Some items on your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist include:
- Application Requirements
- Financial Aid
- Housing
- Immunization Requirements
4. Submit All Final, Official Transcripts to MSU
All college level, degree applicable credits recorded on official transcripts from institutions that are regionally accredited at the time of your attendance will transfer.
Official transcripts must be requested and sent directly from the institution to: MSU Office of Admissions, 201 Strand Union Building (SUB), P.O. Box 172190, Bozeman, MT 59717-2190. Your transcripts must be received before your academic advising appointment.
Please note that all faxed out-of-state transcripts are considered unofficial. However, those faxed directly from another Montana University System in-state institution with a macrao-fax stamp are accepted as official.
Evaluations:
- An UNOFFICIAL self-evaluation of course work can be accessed through our Transfer Course Equivalency Guide. This information can be printed from the web and is for reference only, but will be a helpful resource when you are being advised. The equivalencies listed are the most current and are subject to change. If a course or institution is not listed, it does not necessarily mean that the course will not transfer, just that the information is not yet in our database system.
- OFFICIAL evaluations of transfer credits will be processed by your Admissions Evaluator in the Office of Admissions only after ALL FINAL, OFFICIAL transcripts have been received. A final transcript is one that posts ALL graded coursework through your final term of attendance at each institution. The Office of Admissions also determines which courses fulfill University Core requirements. Please note that an evaluation will not be done for students who have previously earned a U.S. baccalaureate degree. University Core requirements are complete for these students.
Advising Information
Instructions about how to schedule your advising appointment will be available through CatsConnect after you meet your online Orientation/Class Registration requirements.
Start Your Session
The below videos will guide you through logging into CatsConnect and how to find your Orientation pathway. Feel free to watch these videos ahead of your Orientation program, but please keep in mind that you will not be able to see the online Orientation pathway in CatsConnect until mid-morning on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
Logging into CatsConnect
A CatsConnect account will be created for you prior to your Orientation/Class Registration session. When your Orientation/Class Registration session begins, you may log into CatsConnect using your NetID and password. The below video will review how to log in.
How to Participate in Online Orientation
The below video will walk you through how to find your online Orientation program in CatsConnect and how to progress through the modules.
Technology Information & Help
How Can I Get Help?
If you have a question for MSU Admissions, need Usability Support for CatsConnect, need IT Help for Webex, or need NetID login, user account, or password support, please call (406) 994-1777.
Please note that Admissions and CatsConnect support is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Mountain Time.
IT Help is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Mountain Time.
If your issue is not urgent, you can email a request for help.
- For Admissions questions - [email protected]
- For CatsConnect questions - [email protected]
- For IT Help for Webex and NetID/login issues - [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
That truly depends on the student and how much they have done in advance. Students can complete the pathways in a day if they are really sitting down and chugging along but we also encourage students to break up these items so that they are getting the most out of their experience. There are important items included in your online Orientation/pre-Orientation such as the writing assessment and math assessment. Students should be prepared to dedicate about an hour to each (in addition to the modules).
Please login to view your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist in MyInfo to confirm or change your major. We recommend confirming your area of study is listed correctly on your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist prior to the start of your Orientation/Class Registration session.
The first day of the Fall 2024 semester is Wednesday, August 21, 2024.