Frequently Asked Questions

Account questions

It may take up to one week after submitting your application for your MyMountaineer portal to become available.

Your MyMountaineer portal is used to track the status of your application once you submit an application. You can view what documents are missing, what has been received, view your test scores and submit your résumé and/or essay and interest statement to be evaluated holistically.

The AppalNet portal is different than the MyMountaineer portal. It is a portal for admitted students that they continue to use through their time as a student at Appalachian. In AppalNet, students can register for courses, see financial aid and access their student bill, among other things. Access to this portal will be granted after admission.

MyMountaineer portal
Your portal username is the email address you used to create your account. If you are still having trouble finding your username, contact your admission counselor for additional help. 

AppalNet portal
You can look up your username. If you are still having trouble, you can contact your admission counselor.

To reset your MyMountaineer password:
Access your account login here and click "Forgot your password?" to reset your password.

To reset your AppalNet password:
If you know your username, you can reset your password using the password manager.

Once admitted, you'll have an Appalachian email account. Check out our page for admitted students for detailed login instructions.

Find your student identification number here.

General questions

Complete the online request form to find out more information about Appalachian and to join our mailing list!

You can find your admission counselor based on your location. Visit our Connect With Us page.

Your admission counselor is your personal contact at Appalachian throughout your college search and application process. Contact your counselor if you have any questions about Appalachian or how to apply.

At this time, Admissions doesn't coordinate meetings with academic departments. We recommend coming to events that include departmental visits like Open House. Otherwise, to schedule a visit with an academic department, you will need to contact the department directly. You can view our directory of majors for contact information.

Unfortunately, we currently do not have the capacity to grant discounts for children of alumni, faculty or staff of Appalachian.

Students admitted to Appalachian may request an admission deferral of up to one year (fall to fall, spring to spring, etc.) should they wish to pursue enriching experiences outside of postsecondary education before enrolling at Appalachian. Requests should be submitted in the MyMountaineer portal. If the defer is approved, you are required to submit an application for the appropriate future term for re-processing.

Yes, Appalachian accepts applications for the spring semester for first-year and transfer students.

You can receive credit for AP, IB, CLEP, Cambridge International and college courses. In order to receive credit, you must take the exam and have your scores sent to Appalachian. Your score on the exam will determine if you are awarded credit for the course. You can view our AP, IB, CLEP,  and Cambridge International policy to determine the score that you need to have to be awarded credit.

The Cambridge International A-AS level exams now count as transfer credit for many courses at Appalachian. Students entering with this coursework will be articulated in the same way as AP and IB scores are considered. The Cambridge curriculum, similar in concept to the IB curriculum, is offered in many high schools throughout the country as well as internationally. Learn more about the curriculum and course offerings. 

Of course. You can view our Transfer Equivalency Course Search to determine which course credits from other institutions will transfer to Appalachian.

We do not participate in free college application week, however, we do accept fee waivers for certain circumstances.

One calendar year means 365 days beyond the last day of class in the last semester in which a student receives grades for a course at Appalachian. For example, a student who is last enrolled in the spring semester won't be eligible to apply for re-entry on one year forgiveness until the summer term of the following year.

You can view our available campus visits and register here. There are even special visits that cater specifically to admitted and transfer students.

Application and admission questions

We understand that natural disasters can impact your plans to apply to college as well as your community's ability to support you in the application process. We make every attempt to remain flexible to support you in these events and will do as much as we can to be lenient on deadlines, policies and/or procedures related to submitting an application or supporting materials. To the extent that you are able, please inform your admission counselor of your situation as soon possible.

Admission to Appalachian is highly selective. Due to our competitive application process, and experiencing the largest applicant pool in the history of App State, some students will receive a spot on the waitlist. Students placed on the wait list are those we believe would be successful at Appalachian, if space is available. Read below for more information about being on the wait list.

What does it mean to be on the wait list? 

If you are on the wait list, it means that you are a qualified student, but due to the competitiveness of our applicant pool and space availability, we are unable to admit you at this time. You must indicate your interest to remain on the wait list by responding to our offer in your MyMountaineer portal by April 15. If you indicated interest of being on the wait list in your MyMountaineer portal, you will be notified, by May 31, if space is available for the fall semester you had applied to. 

What are the outcomes of being on the wait list?

There are three potential decisions that can result from being on the wait list: fall offer, spring offer and denial. You will be notified of your decision by May 31 if you respond to your wait list offer in your MyMountaineer portal by April 15

What are my chances of getting admitted from the wait list?

At this time, it is difficult to anticipate how many students we will be able to offer acceptance from the wait list. We encourage you to consider other schools you have applied to, and plan accordingly. If you are offered a spot off of our wait list for the fall semester, and choose to confirm, it is expected that you withdraw your enrollment at the named institution.

What, if anything, should I provide to increase my chances of being admitted from the wait list? 

Updated transcripts, letters of recommendation, and evaluative interviews are not required, but can still be submitted. However, we have fully reviewed your application, and no additional information you provide, at this time, will increase your chances of being admitted.

Can I appeal being placed on the wait list?

You cannot appeal being placed on the wait list. You should indicate whether you are interested in remaining on the wait list for future consideration in your MyMountaineer portal by April 15

Do you have a ranking on the wait list? 

The wait list is not based on a ranking system. If you accept a place on our wait list, we will consider you for any space available in the first year class after we have heard back from admitted students by the May 1 confirmation deadline.

No, first-year students who are denied for a fall term must wait until the next academic year to apply. We encourage you to start or continue your education prior to reapplying to Appalachian, and apply as a transfer student once you have satisfied transfer admission requirements. You can transfer from another four-year institution or a community college. Wherever you choose to attend, apply early to make sure you have the best selection of courses. Refer to our transition advice document for guidance on selecting courses.

In North Carolina, we are approved to accept the HiSET and GED exams. Beyond these exams, however, you must still meet UNC Minimum Course Requirements (either from partial high school transcripts or college courses). You are exempt from UNC MCRs if you are at least 21 years of age or have 24 transferable college hours.

University of North Carolina System policy requires prospective students to disclose if they were found responsible for academic or behavioral misconduct at any educational institution. The same policy requires that we consider this information during the admissions process. Prospective students are offered the opportunity to explain the circumstances and reflect on lessons learned from such experiences. We carefully consider the information in every student’s application. It is important to note that Appalachian values civic engagement and will not reject the applications of students solely on the basis of disciplinary action resulting from peacefully exercising their rights under the First Amendment.

First-year students
We have two admission deadlines for first-year students in the fall. The early action deadline to submit an application is November 1, with all supporting materials (like transcripts and test scores) due by November 15. The regular decision deadline to submit an application is February 1, with all supporting materials due by February 15. Admission for spring semesters and for transfer students in the fall is offered on a rolling basis until the class is full. We recommend applying as early as possible for best likelihood of admission.

Transfer students
Transfer admission operates on a rolling basis, meaning we accept transfer students until the class is full. However, we suggest that transfer students apply by October 15 for the following spring term and February 15 for the following fall term for the best chance of admission.

Appalachian accepts official application fee waivers  from the College Board, ACT and National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

If you've attempted college coursework after you graduated from high school or if you have military services, you'll apply as a transfer student. Otherwise, you'll apply as a first-year student. Early college students apply as first-year students and will receive transfer credit once a transcript evaluation has been completed.

You can update your social security number in your MyMountaineer portal.

SAT Code: 5010, ACT Code: 3062

We do not require or recommend the submission of letters of recommendation for the admission application.

Yes, Appalachian calculates a new total ACT or total SAT based on the highest section scores or subscores from each exam. With the SAT, old SAT section scores are concorded individually before superscoring. The College Board provides a tool for converting section scores.

Admission to Appalachian is competitive, so there isn't one GPA or test score that will guarantee admission. Our profile fluctuates slightly each year – see our Admissions Process page for our most recent profile. Transfer students with at least 30 hours should have at least a 2.25 college GPA.

No difference here. Although, because we don't have any history with your school, we strongly recommend you submit a résumé, essay and interest statement to give us the most information about you.

There are different requirements for first-year, transfer, military and international students. Check out the How to Apply page for this information.

While we will accept your application materials at any time in any order, we encourage you to submit your application first.

All application materials can be submitted electronically to processing@appstate.edu or mailed to the address following address: Appalachian State University, Office of Admissions, Appalachian Box 32004 Boone, NC 28608. If mailing application materials via FedEx, UPS, or another shipping service, please mail to: Appalachian State University, Office of Admissions, 287 Rivers Street, RM 165, Boone, NC 28608.

We will update your MyMountaineer portal with your decision.

If you have ever attended Appalachian, you will apply for readmission through the Registrar's Office. If you've never attended Appalachian, you will apply as a transfer student.

These documents are only required if you are under 21 and have less than 30 transferable hours by the time you intend to enroll at Appalachian. If you are unsure how many of your hours will transfer, please go ahead and submit these items.

TOEFL: 78

IELTS: 6.0

Duolingo English Test: 100

You should apply as a non-degree seeking student and have letters or emails of permission from a parent, professor of the course you wish to take, and your high school guidance counselor or principal sent to our office.

To secure a position at Appalachian after being accepted, all students must make an advanced non-refundable payment of $200. As a courtesy, we ask that you submit the advanced non-refundable payment only if Appalachian is your school of choice for enrollment.

College Foundation of North Carolina. A website where students and their parents plan, apply and pay for college. Visit www.cfnc.org for further information.

Accept – Offered a space (for a particular term) to become a student at Appalachian. Student must continue to meet eligibility requirements as presented by the Office of Admissions.

Wait list – Unfortunately, we don't have enough room for every qualified student who applies to be a Mountaineer. If you are offered a place on the wait list, you have a deadline to hold your place that will be indicated in your MyMountaineer portal. Some students who hold their place on the wait list may be offered admission for the next available term based on space availability.

Spring Offer - Students are guaranteed admission for the following year 's spring term. Students who are spring offered can be considered for the wait list for the fall term for which they applied. Spring offer students will need to indicate their interest of being on the wait list in their MyMountaineer Portal. 

Deny – Not eligible for admission to Appalachian at this time. Students are encouraged to attend or continue attending another accredited institution and apply for a later term. Contact Transfer Admissions & Engagement to learn more about our transfer opportunities. 

Rescind – Administrative withdrawal of an applicant who, as determined by the Office of Admissions, does not continue to meet eligibility requirements or standards.

Rolling admission begins after the completion of our early action and regular decision releases. Acceptances offered through rolling admission are based on space availabilty. This applies to first year students only. If you are an international or transfer student, rolling admission applies year-round.

Simultaneous enrollment at a high school and an appropriately accredited college or university.

Credit questions

You can use our Transfer Equivalency Course Search to determine if your coursework will transfer to Appalachian. Though all of your coursework will be used in the consideration of your application for admission, only courses with a grade of "C" or better will transfer to Appalachian.

You will need to have at least 30 credit hours of transferable coursework and at least 12 of those hours graded and on a transcript for admission review. You can be in progress of the remaining credits.

See the answer to this question in the Military section.

The awarding of credit varies from college to college, depending on how similar the class curriculum at the respective college is to the curriculum at Appalachian. To determine if your classes will transfer, please see the Transfer Equivalency Course Search. Please contact Transfer Admissions & Engagement if you have any questions about courses that are not listed on the equivalency search.

Residency questions

U.S. citizens and permanent residents, as well as holders of certain VISA types (e.g. H-4) may apply for North Carolina residency. F-1 student VISA holders do not qualify for North Carolina residency. For more information, please visit the Residency page.

Appropriate tuition charges are determined centrally by North Carolina's Residency Determination Service (RDS) and rest upon whether a student is or is not a resident for tuition purposes. Special rates are available for active-duty military and veterans. See an overview of this process on the Residency page.

There is a military tuition rate available to some students. Please see the Military page for more information.

Military/veteran questions

If you are active duty at the time of applying, we will waive your application fee with the receipt of your Leave Earnings Statement. If you are not active duty, we will require a $65 processing fee that can be paid online with a credit card near the end of the online application. You may also send a check or money order (please include your full name and date of birth) to the Office of Admissions.

You can call toll free 1-888-442-4551 (1-888 GIBILL1) 24 hours a day and seven days a week. This automated system provides a wide array of information about VA educational benefits including details about individual accounts. You can also go to the GI Bill website.

Please review the NC Choice Act webpage for details about North Carolina residency.

Yes, with the submission of your Joint Services transcript (JST), which is required as part of your application, we will award up to eight hours of military elective credit, two of which can be applied toward PE credit. Credit may be awarded optionally, depending on whether it benefits the student. We will also review other credit on your JST to see if additional credit may be awarded.

Appalachian does not currently participate in the program, but there are a variety of benefits available for military members and their dependents and or spouses. For more information, please see the Financial Aid Veterans/Military Education page.

NC provides a military tuition rate to qualified service members of the U.S. armed forces and their qualified dependents that is less than the non-resident tuition rate. Applicants must meet the criteria established for qualification in order to be eligible. Learn more (PDF, 96KB)

Spring offer questions: I applied for fall but was offered a place in the following spring class.

We will begin mailing acceptance letters to those admitted to a spring term by mid-August.

No, accepting your spring offer does not increase your chances of being admitted for the fall. Fall offers are made based on space availability.

Enrollment deposits will open up by August 15 for those who accept the offer to attend for spring and the deadline to confirm is October 1.

Official transcripts should be submitted as soon as they are available, over the summer for high school and at the end of the term/semester for college/university.

At this time, we have reached capacity for the fall. Should space become available, you will be notified.

New student Orientation is a time when you will be given information about Appalachian's academic requirements, general education courses, and many useful resources to help you become a knowledgeable and successful student. You will have time to learn more about your major or begin the process of exploring majors. Orientation is a required program for new undergraduate students. Students will attend spring orientation in early January.

No, there is no need to reapply. You will see an additional application created (switch tabs in the top-right corner of your MyMountaineer portal) in mid-to-late August.

Within 24 hours of completing Pre-Registration Engagement Project (PREP), you will be able to register for your courses at Appalachian. ERA opens in the mid-November and class registration begins in the first week of December.

View the academic calendar to find the semester start dates. Spring classes begin early January and Fall classes begin in mid-August.

You can indicate your interest in attending Appalachian in the spring by completing the response form in your MyMountaineer portal by August 1. In August, after you indicate your interest in attending Appalachian, we will mail you your official acceptance packet.

Requests for deferred enrollment will be considered on a case by case basis. Deferrals are commonly approved for situations such as military service, gap year experiences, or medical reasons.

While not required, we encourage you to start or continue your education prior to enrolling at Appalachian. You can transfer from another four-year institution or a community college. Wherever you choose to attend, apply early to make sure you have the best selection of courses. Refer to our transition advice document for guidance on selecting courses.

If you choose to enroll at another institution, be sure to successfully complete your college courses with a C or better, and have your official final transcript sent to Appalachian as soon as the semester ends. We will need your final transcript before Orientation.

Transition Advice 

Yes, Appalachian accepts a variety of credit by exam from Advanced Placement, IB, CLEP and Cambridge. Be sure to send your official test score information to Appalachian, in order for the appropriate transfer credit to be applied to your record. This credit is used during your advising sessions prior to your registering for classes in January. If you have questions about how this credit might affect any courses that you choose to take in the fall, please contact Transfer Admissions & Engagement.

Unfortunately, you are no longer being considered for signature scholarships but may still qualify for financial aid via completing the FAFSA. At times, we do have scholarships available to students beginning in the spring term and will notify you if any of these become available for application.

If you change your mind, reach out to your admissions counselor to request that we reinstate your application. Requests are considered based on space availability.

To apply for financial aid, complete a 2022-23 FAFSA at studentaid.gov. If you have already done your 2022-23 FAFSA, be sure to add Appalachian's school code (002906). 

Some forms of financial aid are offered on a first come first serve basis, so please submit your FAFSA as soon as possible. 

You will be notified when your financial aid is available in Appalnet. Once available, check the Financial Aid tab on your portal and your App State email at least once a week. If we need any additional information, we will reach out to you there.

Spring financial aid offers will be made in late September. Until then, one of our financial aid counselors may be able to help you estimate your financial aid offer, just reach out to us by phone (828-262-2190) or email (financialaid@appstate.edu).  We would be happy to schedule a virtual meeting!

Typically spring semester bills are available mid-November. After bills have been generated, email notifications will be sent to student ASU email addresses and authorized user email addresses available in the New Billing and Payments Center by Touchnet.

  • The application for spring housing (click on the Spring Housing tab) is available beginning September 1.

  • Housing preferences are not available in the spring due to the limited spaces available.

  • Housing is required and guaranteed for first-year students and all transfer students less than one year out of high school so take care not to sign a lease lasting beyond classes starting at Appalachian in January.

At this time, Appalachian is unable to offer you admission for fall from our wait list. Because of your impressive credentials, you have been selected for admission to Appalachian beginning spring!

Cost and aid questions

Beginning with the fall 2016 semester, tuition rates at all UNC institutions will be fixed for eight consecutive semesters for all resident bachelor’s degree-seeking freshmen. Tuition rates for other currently enrolled resident undergraduates and eligible transfer students will be fixed for an appropriate number of consecutive semesters. Learn more.

First-year students
In order to be eligible for fall merit scholarships, students must complete the admission application by November 1 and submit all supporting materials (like transcripts and test scores) by November 15, and also complete the scholarships application by November 15. 

Transfer students
To be considered for scholarships for the fall semester, transfer students must first complete the admission application. After completion of the admission application, transfer students can review the current available scholarships and  complete their scholarships application for the following fall term by March 15.

You can view the current cost on the Student Accounts website. The Student Accounts Office can be reached at 828-262-2113 or studentaccounts@appstate.edu.

You can find your Financial Aid tab on your MyApp account. The Office of Student Financial Aid can be reached at 828-262-2190 or financialaid@appstate.edu.

Appalachian is known for its affordability. We encourage you to apply for financial aid as early as possible to see what state and federal financial aid is available to you.

Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid for a detailed list of financial aid application steps.

Anyone who is not related to you that can speak to your special gifts and qualities that would make you a great fit at Appalachian. Teachers, coaches, employers, church or community leaders make great recommenders.

Advising questions

Once you see what courses transfer in the Transfer Course Equivalency SearchTransfer Admissions & Engagement can help guide you in what courses you can take before enrolling at Appalachian. We also recommend this for our early college students.

A unit of measurement used in determining the quantity of work in an academic course. Each credit hour is roughly equivalent to one hour of class time per week.