Advising Resources

K-State First At-A-Glance Enrollment Guide 2026

Video:
If you would like to include the video overview of our program, the YouTube link for that is below:



Learning Assistant Messages:
Each of our CAT Communities and Residential CAT Communities also has a video message from the Learning Assistant peer mentors on their individual pages, so if there is a specific one that you are recommending to a student, you might consider including that peer-to-peer connection!

We created a draft message below, and you are welcome to edit it as needed to fit your student cohort:

"Consider enrolling in a K-State First CAT Community or First-Year Seminar during your first semester! They are a great space to find your place and people at K-State as interactive, supportive, and challenging classes and learning communities, where you will discover your passion and build your community. Find peers and professors who are interested in and excited about similar topics to you, connect to unique research and outside of the classroom opportunities, engage in and connect to your learning through hands-on in-class activities, and make friends that just might last a lifetime.

CAT (Connecting Across Topics) Communities each have a unique theme that is focused around your major, pre-professional track, or your general academic interests. In them, you take two general education classes and a one-hour once a week connections course which offers academic and social support. All courses count towards your degree. Explore over 40 options and find the right fit for you at www.k-state.edu/first/cat/.

First-Year Seminar Classes are small, hands-on classes in a range of fields where you engage in your learning, ask questions, interact with professors, and feel comfortable in an academic environment. You receive personalized attention from exceptional faculty while earning credits towards your degree. Explore over 40 options and find the right fit for you at www.k-state.edu/first/fys."

• Colleges and Academic Units

• College of Agriculture
  
• College of APDesign
  
• College of A&S
  
• College of A&S - Residential CAT Communities
  
• College of Business
  
• College of Education
  
• College of Engineering
  
• College of Health and Human Sciences
• Exploratory Studies

• they will already have three courses on their schedules
• Navigate: the CAT Community will be listed under Categories indicating their enrollment (located under the Overview tab): Example below:
• 

• KSIS: they will have a group code indicating their enrollment (located on KSIS under the General Info tab and under the Student Groups category). Example below:
  
  

Students are welcome to enroll in any open Residential CAT Communities throughout the enrollment period when working with you, as we will be holding room spaces for them as well as spaces in the classes. Whether they have already selected their hall space or still need to do so, we can get them enrolled in a Residential CAT Community throughout the spring and summer.

Just send us an email or give us a call at 532-1501 with the following info and our team will get them enrolled in all three courses:

• Student's name (first and last)
• Student's eid
• Name of Residential CAT Community they want to be in

CAT Community Enrollment Chart (PDF)

Linked above (and shared at the top of this webpage) is a detailed enrollment document with information that might be beneficial as you consider students' schedules and academic needs. The pdf chart lists all classes that are a part of each CAT Community and includes info like residence hall locations, CAT themes, course numbers, class days/times, K-State Core categories, and instructors.

If a student is pre-enrolled in a Residential CAT Community and already has the courses on their schedule, and you need to drop them, please let us know right away by emailing kstatefirst@ksu.edu. It will affect their Housing and they will be removed from their room as well as the three CAT Community classes. We crosscheck twice weekly and note students that drop any of the three CAT classes. If they drop one of the CAT courses, the process is as follows:

• the student and their advisor will be contacted to double check that their drop was on purpose. If the drop was on purpose or if we do not hear back...
• the student will be dropped from all three courses that are a part of the CAT Community
• they will be removed from the room space that they chose as part of their Residential CAT Community selection
• there is the possibility that the student can re-enroll in the general education courses connected to the CAT if they need to and if there is still space available outside of our saved CAT seats. We can help with that.
• we can also work with our Housing partners to help students find space available based on when they drop the Residential CAT Community

Getting students connected to a CAT Community is easy. Just send us an email or give us a call at 532-1501 with the following info and our team will get them enrolled in all three courses:

• Student's name (first and last)
• Student's eid
• Name of CAT Community they want to be in

Please do not try to enroll students in the CAT Community classes on your own, as doing so will not take the reserved seats we already have set aside for those students in those classes.

For a full list of the CAT Communities, their classes, and descriptions that will help students decide, visit our CAT Community page. Students are required to be enrolled in all three courses and should not have credit for any of those that are connected to the CAT Community.

CAT Community Enrollment Chart(PDF)

Linked above (and shared at the top of this webpage) is a detailed enrollment document with information that might be beneficial as you consider students' schedules and academic needs. The pdf chart lists all classes that are a part of each CAT Community and includes info like residence hall locations, CAT themes, course numbers, class days/times, K-State Core categories, and instructors.

We crosscheck twice weekly and note students that drop any of the three CAT classes. If they drop one of the CAT courses, the process is as follows:

• the student and their advisor will be contacted to double check that their drop was on purpose. If the drop was on purpose or if we do not hear back...
• the student will be dropped from all three courses that are a part of the CAT Community
• there is the possibility that the student can re-enroll in the general education courses connected to the CAT if they need to and if there is still space available outside of our saved CAT seats. We can help with that.

As the enrollment season progresses, we will keep an updated list of which CAT Communities fill so you are able to share that information with your advisees. The closures will be noted on the chart on the Residential CAT Community and CAT Community pages themselves, but we will also keep an updated list below:

Residential:

• Animal Health and Nutrition
• APDesign (Wefald Section; Goodnow and Marlatt still open)
• Engineering Futures

A student can enroll in one CAT Community AND one First-Year Seminar class. If you have a situation where a student might really need two FYS classes, please send us and email or give us a call, and we will work with you to get the student the best schedule possible.

Just send us an email or give us a call at 532-1501 with the following info and our team will see if we can open up a seat to get them enrolled:

• Student's name (first and last)
• Student's eid
• Name of First-Year Seminar they want to be in

Linked above (and shared at the top of this webpage) is a more detailed enrollment document with information that will be beneficial as you consider students' schedules and academic needs. The enrollment course guide includes a full list of our First-Year Seminar offerings along with info about course numbers, days/times, K-State Core categories, and instructors for each class.

As the enrollment season progresses, we will keep the FYS page updated with closures, as well as an updated list below of which FYS courses fill so you are able to share that information with your advisees.

Honors Sections:

• DAS 100 (D) - Rudd Scholars section

EDCEP 111 Foundations of College Student Success is an excellent option for students admitted by exception, and is the course we highly recommend. Our assessment data repeatedly indicates how much of an impact this course has on student success and retention.

We have a flyer you are welcome to share with your students if you feel like EDCEP 111 is a good fit or a requirement for them: EDCEP 111 Flyer

Thank you for the work that you do to connect students with high impact opportunities that support their success. We appreciate your collaboration!

1. In the student's KSIS student center, click on General Info, and the first option has Service Indicators. The exceptional admit indicator is "Academic Achievement Center"
   
2. In the student's Navigate profile under the "Overview" tab, look for the "Categories" information, and the exceptional admit category is also "Academic Achievement Center."
3. Run an "Advanced Search" in Navigate, under "Student Information" -> "Category (in any of these)" -> "Academic Achievement Center (P4SS)"

We are especially eager to support students who might have financial need where tuition could be a barrier to selecting a CAT Community, and we would love your advisor input on selecting the students for these scholarships. You may nominate students on our form by answering three short questions: CAT Community Scholarship Nomination Form