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Getting Connected & Frequently Asked Questions about First-Year Seminars:
The purpose of the First-Year Seminars (FYS) program is to help you make the transition to university courses and college-level learning. As a place to ask questions about the University, find support from peers and professors, and practice the skills needed to succeed as a first-year student, our First-Year Seminars help you build your intellectual skills that you need to flourish at the university.
How do I Sign-Up?
Space is limited as each First-Year Seminar only has 22 seats available. Students may only sign up for one First-Year Seminar, though you can also sign up for both a FYS class and a CAT Community if you are interested in doing so.
If you are interested in enrolling in a First-Year Seminar, follow the directions below.
- Read through the First-Year Seminar options to find the best fit for your academic needs and interests.
- Talk with your advisor during your advising appointment in the spring/summer to get enrolled. Learn more about how to make your advising appointment online.
- Your advisor will help you enroll directly in the First-Year Seminar class of your choice.
- If you are admitted by exception to K-State, we highly recommend the EDCEP 111 Foundations of College Student Success course, as it will help you build the skills necessary to succeed and connect you to excellent resources across K-State.
If you have any questions or any trouble enrolling, please let us know by e-mailing kstatefirst@k-state.edu and our team is happy to help.
Frequently Asked Questions:
These are small seminars of 18-22 students that provide an opportunity for you to take small, exciting classes that are taught in a lively, interactive way. Do more than just go to class. Ask questions, interact with the professor and the other students, and challenge yourself with personalized, hands-on attention.
With their small size and community-focus, the First- Year Seminars (FYS) invite and encourage an active learning environment. The seminars devote significant portions of class time to- hands-on learning
- group discussions
- problem solving
- inquiry-based learning
- activities that develop your critical thinking and communication skills
They also provide you with the opportunity to engage in at least three co-curricular outside of the classroom activities that encourage community-building.These classes are academic spaces that encourage you to collaborate, interact, and develop relationships with your peers and professors.
Many of the courses meet the program of study requirements for most students and most majors, and all of the FYS courses fall into one of the K-State Core categories that count towards your degree.
- Any student who is in their first-year at K-State, including first-year students coming from highschools, as well as incoming transfer students from other universities and community colleges.
Also, any student who started in the spring semester can enroll in a First-Year Seminar (or CAT Community) in the fall semester.
If it is your first year at K-State, these classes and communities are designed to support you!
Classes:
- Yes! We have courses that are discipline specific that fulfill various K-State Core requirements for all degrees, Honors sections, and student success focused FYS sections, which emphasize college student success skills such as time management, study skills, critical thinking strategies, and more.
Maybe you need to take an Intro to Sociology course for your major, but the large lecture seems a bit daunting. Or, you are coming from out-of-state and want to get to know people as soon as you start the semester. Then our First-Year Seminar classes might be the right fit for you!
Each First-Year Seminar is a special section of a regular, academic, general education class. Each seminar focuses on a distinctive, college-level academic subject. The content is the same as any larger section, but the way that it is taught is more active and focused on hands-on learning and engagement. The most important goal of these seminars is to provide fundamental support to you as you begin your K-State journey. We have over 40 different discipline-specific FYS courses in every College, so you can likely find a class that fits your needs no matter what your degree might be.
Learn more here!- In addition to helping students make the transition to university courses and college-level learning, our First-Year Seminar Foundations of College Student Success courses emphasize college student success skills such as time management, study skills, critical thinking strategies, and more. As a place to ask questions about the University and practice the skills needed to succeed as a first-year student, these courses provide support for the transition into college life and the K-State community.
Learn more here!
Student Impact:
- Students consistently indicate how much they enjoy their CAT Communities and First-Year Seminar classes for a variety of reasons. These small classes provide opportunities for you to be an integral part of your learning, incorporating your knowledge, perspectives, and experiences into the content of the course itself. The thought-provoking discussions, varied assignments, and support of passionate, caring, and engaging professors and peer mentors make these unique spaces and create the conditions for the most positive impact on your learning.
Students consistently demonstrate high levels of mastery in our four core student learning outcomes (applying learning, building community, communicating effectively, and thinking critically). Below are the percentages of students who achieved mastery in those four categories in Fall 2024:
- Applying learning: 91%
- Building community: 93%
- Communicating effectively: 92%
- Critical thinking: 93%
K-State First helps you persist at K-State! Students in our CAT Communities and First-Year Seminars are more likely to return to K-State for their second semester and second year here. You start out on a path to success with the academic and social support that you need.
General retention rates:- K-State First first-to-second-year retention rate (excluding Student Success courses): 87.1%
- compare to University-wide first-to-second-year retention rate: 85.8%
First-generation:- Retention for first-generation students enrolled in a K-State First First-Year Seminar or CAT Community: 79%
- Compare to University-wide retention of first-generation students: 76.2%
Admitted by exception:- Students admitted by exception enrolled in a K-State First Student Success First-Year Seminar, (primarily EDCEP 111: Foundations of College Student Success): 80.0%
- Students admitted by exception enrolled in any KSF First-Year Seminar: 72.7%
- Compare to University-wide retention of students admitted by exception: 67.7%
K-State First also supports students that, on average, might enter with greater academic risk factors yet we achieve equal or higher retention rates than the university overall. If you are admitted to K-State by exception, are unsure of what your major is, or just want to explore a bit more, we are here to help you find your place, space, and people so you can succeed!- K-State First first-to-second-year retention rate (excluding Student Success courses): 87.1%
- K-State First has strong, skilled, and caring cohort of teaching faculty and staff. These faculty/staff members are part of a team of instructors who are coordinated at the university-level and work with each other to plan, design, teach, and assess our program. These instructors, drawn from all over campus, are pedagogically excellent, experienced, and interested in undergraduate education at K-State.
They are among the best instructors at the university and they are dedicated to helping you succeed.