Congratulations on your admission to James Madison College at Michigan State University! As you prepare to join our vibrant community, we understand you have important questions about starting your JMC journey. Below you'll find answers to the most common questions from newly admitted James Madison College students.
Can't find what you're looking for? Contact jmcadmin@msu.edu.
First, congratulations! Welcome to James Madison College and MSU.
The New Student Orientation (NSO) experience offers a variety of engagement opportunities leading up to the start of classes. New students will complete five NSO Checkpoints, which feature both virtual and in-person components. Students are encouraged to begin their Orientation journey as soon as they receive their first e-communication from the NSO office.
Checkpoint 1 involves completing the Math Placement Assessment, the Access & Technology Survey, and other key assessment and survey tools. These items can be submitted at your own pace as you prepare for the next checkpoints. Additionally, students will begin receiving important information from departments like Housing and Financial Aid. Be sure to regularly check your MSU email to stay on track with deadlines from NSO and other campus offices.
New Student Orientation (NSO) will welcome and prepare students starting at MSU in the fall semester. NSO will occur in stages and begin as students gain access to content in MSU's D2L platform, which typically occurs each year in early May.
Once a student has completed that content, they will be granted access to schedule an academic advising session with a JMC advisor. Please monitor your MSU email for instructions on making this appointment. Students will get one appointment in June or July to discuss their academic priorities and goals with the JMC advisor as they work together to plan the student's first year fall semester schedules (you will enroll for spring semester starting in early November).
New students enroll for their first semester once they have met with an academic advisor. These appointments occur in June and July each summer, and instructions for making this appointment will be sent to students via their MSU email account. Each student will have a one-on-one advising appointment where their unique circumstances will be discussed, and a personalized list of recommended courses will be provided at the conclusion of the meeting. With this list in hand, students can begin to enroll for classes on student.msu.edu.
If you have questions, a good place to start is with any member of our academic advising team. You can read more about the team and find their contact information online.
MSU's Live On website is the best source of information for questions about housing. The Incoming Student Housing page provides timelines for preparing for housing selection, while the Living-Learning Communities page provides information specific to JMC and the other residential colleges.