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We can’t wait to see you on campus!

What you should know prior to and during your visit to the Plains…

War Eagle! My name is Josh Huggins and I serve as the Assistant Director of Campus Visit and Events here at Auburn University. We are so excited that you and your family have decided to visit our beautiful campus and we cannot wait for you to see all Auburn has to offer you!

The college search process can be quite daunting if you let it, and we sincerely hope that search will end with us! I vividly remember my campus tour like it was yesterday. Perhaps it was the brisk 19 degree temperatures and 15 mph winds, but all things aside, after my campus tour, I knew I had found my new home for the next four years. Little did I know that it would become my home for much longer!

If you are able to experience all of the things listed below, I am convinced that you will fall in love with Auburn as quickly as I did. Through this post, I will share tips of what to do prior to your visit and things to do while on the Plains!

What to do prior to your visit:

  • Schedule a Campus Tour through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions
  • Find a hotel close to campus…I highly recommend the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center! They are conveniently located right across the street from our campus and walking distance to downtown with full access to campus life.
  • Reach out to your College/School of interest and schedule a meeting to learn more about your intended major.
  • Schedule a meeting with your Admissions Advisor while you are on campus!
  • Make reservations at one of our local restaurants and experience true Auburn cuisine. I recommend looking into Acre, The Hound, or Hamilton’s for the true local experience!
  • Keep in mind…Auburn is in Central Time. We are located just under 2 hours from the Atlanta airport and as soon as you enter into Alabama you are going to gain an hour. But keep in mind, you will lose that hour when heading back into Georgia if your visit requires flying.

By scheduling your Campus Tour, meeting with the college/school of interest, and meeting with your Admissions Advisor, you are bound to gain all of the knowledge you need about our campus, your intended major, and the entire admissions process. By staying at a hotel close by, you set yourself up for a great experience around campus and our downtown area without having to ever move your car! Finally, eating at one of our local dives will give you insight into the delicious food our quaint village has to offer!

What to do during your visit:

  • Walk around campus during a sunset! I am convinced that Auburn offers the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.
  • Make your way to Toomer’s Corner in historic downtown Auburn and get some of their famous lemonade…I recommend the strawberry lemonade!
  • Take a tour of the Recreation and Wellness Center. The use of this facility is paid for through student fees and is a great opportunity for students to get their mind off of their studies!
  • Take a family picture in front of the iconic Auburn sign on Samford Lawn. Don’t be afraid to ask someone walking by to take a picture for you! You will quickly find that Auburn has the friendliest students and residents and makes our campus feel like “home” no matter where you may be from.
  • Eat at Momma Goldberg’s Deli (Momma G’s) on Magnolia Avenue. They steam all of their sandwiches and “nachos” which consists of a bag of nacho cheese Doritos and pepper jack cheese melted on top…don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
  • Take pictures of everything you have seen. If you are visiting multiple schools, it will be to your advantage to be able to look back on your visit and compare pictures and truly remember each experience!

We are truly looking forward to your visit to campus and hope you find your new home away from home.

Safe travels and War Eagle!

Best,

Josh

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Auburn on the Common App

Did you hear the good news? Auburn University has joined the Common App!

The Common App is an online application system that is used by more than three million applicants, teachers, and counselors around the world each year. The Common App platform streamlines the college admission application process for prospective students and their families, as well as high school counselors.

Here at Auburn, we are super excited about this new opportunity for our students. “Auburn is in the business of helping people reach their hopes and dreams. By using Common App, even more students across the country and around the world will have the opportunity to learn what sets us apart and how they can pursue their educational and career goals at Auburn.” Dr. Joffery Gaymon, Vice President for Enrollment, Auburn University.

Starting August 17th, you can apply to Auburn through the Common App. All you have to do is search for Auburn University under the College Search tab. Add Auburn to My Colleges and then complete the application. Pretty simple, right?!?

We want to get to know you during the application process and encourage you to reach out to your admissions advisor with any questions. You can find your advisor at https://www.auburn.edu/admissions/recruitment/index.php.

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What’s it like to be a cheerleader at Auburn?

There is no experience quite like standing on Pat Dye Field, looking up into a stadium of over 87,000 screaming fans and cheering on Auburn’s team to a victory! Being chosen as an Auburn cheerleader was one of the most exciting moments of my college experience. As a cheerleader at Auburn, you get the opportunity to participate in hundreds of on-campus and community-wide events each year. These events range from cheering at basketball games, gymnastics meets, and volleyball tournaments to reading books and doing pep rally’s at elementary schools and nursing homes. Being an Auburn cheerleader means representing Auburn both on and off the field.

My favorite memory as an Auburn cheerleader was in 2011 during my senior year. Cam Newton was the quarterback. Auburn had won every game of the season up to that point, including the SEC Championship. It was January 10th, and we were in Glendale, Arizona, at the National Championship game. The time on the scoreboard slowly ran down from 5, 4, 3, 2, 1….then Auburn University was declared the 2010 National Champions! Confetti fell from the sky; newspapers were passed around with the headline “TIGERS WIN”, and Auburn’s football team, cheerleaders and fans erupted in excitement! I remember feeling so lucky to be there and to be a small part of something so awesome in Auburn’s history.

Being a cheerleader at Auburn University holds so many wonderful memories that I will be able to cherish forever!

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Packing for college- 10 Things You Need and 10 You Definitely Don’t!

By now I’m sure you’ve read one of the hundreds of packing lists on the internet, and you’ve hopefully read the policies for your residence hall or apartment (if you haven’t- go do that first). You’re either confident in your packing list or more confused than ever.

And that’s where this list comes in! Hopefully this will clarify some of the items you should and shouldn’t bring for a successful freshman year move-in.

10 Things You Definitely Need-

  1. Headphones- and back up headphones for when you lose the first pair
  2. Portable fan
  3. Collapsible drying rack- for the things you can’t dry/don’t want to shrink
  4. Handheld clothes steamer
  5. Portable charger for your backpack/bag
  6. Mini stapler/staple remover combo- this will be a life saver if you forget to staple your work before arriving to class
  7. A comfy mattress topper
  8. 6 foot (or longer) phone charger- you never know how close your bed will be to the outlets
  9. ALL the command strips- think you’ve got enough command strips? Buy more
  10. An extra set of bed sheets- go ahead and swap your sheets before you throw the dirty ones in the wash. There’s nothing worse than being ready for bed and your sheets are still in the washer  

Honorable mentions: Spare car key, Ethernet cable, hanging shoe organizer (bonus points if it’s double sided- hang over the bathroom door for toiletries on one side and shoes on the other), insurance cards

10 Things You Definitely Don’t-

  1. Iron/Ironing Board- steaming clothes is easier anyways
  2. Your entire wardrobe- swap your clothes when the seasons change, you don’t need 15 sweaters in August  
  3. Every pair of shoes you own- how many pairs of shoes do you actually wear?
  4. All of your high school t-shirts/hoodies- Free t-shirts are a huge perk in college. Student organizations, programming, giveaways- you’ll wind up with entirely too many t-shirts and not enough drawer space
  5. Lots of dorm decor and knickknacks- you won’t spend as much time at your desk as you might think and you’ll probably never use your dorm decor again once you move out
  6. Dress clothes- outside of sorority/fraternity recruitment and events or class presentations, you won’t really need these
  7. New hardback textbooks- if you can opt for a used paperback or even downloadable electronic version, it’ll save you money and weight in your backpack
  8. Duplicates of things provided by housing- chairs, desk, furniture
  9. A printer- there are plenty of places to print things on campus, save your money and your desk space by leaving the extra printer at home
  10. A tool kit- You won’t need a hammer and nails to decorate your space, and any other repairs likely need to be handled by campus maintenance anyways. If something needs fixing, contact your RA or the maintenance office

Honorable mentions: notebooks/binders- check your syllabus to see if your professor requires these since most things are digital nowadays

Of course, you should still read through those detailed packing lists and policies to know exactly what is allowed in your residence hall/apartment. This is not intended to be an all inclusive list, but after speaking with current and former students, these were the most common answers. I hope you find this helpful and we can’t wait to see you on campus soon!

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Best Food in Town

By Jan Miles

I’m a self-declared foodie. Having grown up near the Gulf Coast and traveled to several countries, I’ve had some of the best food on the planet. The video below outlines some of my favorite places in Auburn to frequent for my next meal.

*Disclaimer: these places are my own personal opinion, not the opinion of Auburn University as a whole. I’m not sponsored to talk about any of these restaurants (although I’m completely open to the idea 😎 )*

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Incoming Freshmen, Your Gift is on the Way!

I know you are just as excited as we are for you to receive your special gift…and it is in the mail this week! Be on the lookout for it and be sure to post a photo on social media or in our ZeeMee community to show it off. #wareagleready

See you on campus next month!

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To Transfer or Not to Transfer? That is the Question…

So you’re thinking about transferring to a university such as Auburn University but still not sure of when?   You begin to wonder: “Should I do it now, later, in the future – am I ready?  What about my job?  Will they allow me to attend school while working full time?  My family?  How much can I devote to school and my family? Being active duty in the military – will my JST’s transfer?  Can I use my ASVAB for my test scores?”

There is so much to think about.  A recommended first step is to contact a Transfer Advisor and request a meeting to speak with them.  When you do call Admissions, be sure to ask your advisor what would they like for you to bring to the meeting and be sure to write that down!  And also ask for their name so when you go you have their name!  Being prepared is a major step when meeting with an advisor. That is your first step to entering your new institution to continue your education.   Before you meet with your advisor write down the questions that you would like to have answered.  Of course, you may not know what to ask at that time.  Talk with other students that have transferred – they are an excellent source.

So now it’s time to meet with your admission advisor – a good question to ask is if the school(s) that you have/had attended are accredited?  Some schools that students had previously attended, are not accredited (the credits will not transfer).  When meeting with your advisor, bring your list of questions and suggestions from your friends who transferred in. You will need to know what your curriculum will consist of.  With that you will also need to know what classes will transfer, what will come in as electives and unfortunately what will just come as hours.  The admissions advisor can help you with the majority of the questions but in regards to what will “actually” transfer in and how long it will take you to graduate that is up to your academic advisor.  We can discuss that in another time. 

Now comes the money!  There are many of us who do not have easy access for financial needs so now you must learn about going to the  Financial Aid Office.  Ask your advisor to tell you the location of this office.   From grants, loans, work study, and of course what we all wish for — SCHOLARSHIPS! The Financial Aid Office can inform you of the details of tuition and how you can use their services to pay for some or all of your tuition.  For those that are veterans or currently on active duty, you have the Veterans Resource Center to assist you.  Your admissions advisor can inform you about scholarships and you may also want to visit the Office of Scholarships for further information.

Just remember one thing and that is this; transferring from a community college or another university does not need to be overly complex.  The key is communication – that is, communication with your admissions advisor.

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7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting College

Many of you reading this today are probably headed to college in the fall. You’re excited, nervous and everything in between. So was I. Actually, so is everyone about to begin their college career. It’s normal. You’re going to learn a lot as you go, but I’m hoping this post can give you a good head start. Here are my top 7 things I wish I would’ve known freshman year: 

  1. Coffee. Coffee. More coffee. 

Coffee is there for you when nothing else is, so go ahead and learn to love it. And pro tip? Avoid the fancy stuff and stick with the basics (a.k.a black coffee with cream and sugar) to save yourself some $.

  1. Making friends is different in college.

Friendships are not a “given”. You aren’t in the same classes, with the same people, everyday like high school. This means you have to be proactive and intentional in making friends. Yes, new friendships can be awkward, and yes, that is normal. Asking someone you barely know to hangout after class or grab a coffee is not always easy. Just remember, everyone else is lonely and looking for friends, too. Go ahead and put yourself out there. I promise you’ll be glad you did.

  1. Don’t wait to get involved.

I went into freshman year with the mindset that I needed to keep my schedule open until I got “settled in.” News flash, settling in is boring. Do that after you graduate. Go ahead and get involved in campus clubs and organizations. If you overload your schedule, you can always scale back. Involvement can give you connections you’ll have for a lifetime, practical leadership and teamwork skills, and make Auburn start to feel like home. Before you know it, you’re a part of something bigger than yourself, you’ve made some friends, and you’re having a lot of fun.

  1. It’s OK to change your major. 

Some people start college knowing exactly what they want to do in life, ten year plan and everything. From what I’ve noticed, that’s the exception, not the rule. Changing your major doesn’t mean you failed. It means you are growing and learning more about yourself. Future you will sing your praises for making that change sooner rather than later. 

  1. Professors are great resources. 

In all my time at Auburn, I never encountered one professor who wasn’t willing to help . Get to know them. Go to office hours (yes, even when you don’t have to). Ask good questions. Talk to them about your dream job and what you need to do to get there. They are more willing to help than you realize. 

  1. Learn to study smart. 

Many of us have never been challenged academically the way college challenges us. The academic rigor of those first few semesters can sometimes feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Find someone who has taken the class before and ask for help. Form a study group with other students in the class. Take advantage of Study Partners on campus. The earlier you form good study habits, the more success (and less stress!) you will have.

  1. Soak it up now. 

Drink the Toomer’s Lemonade, go to the football games, see an AU Theater production, eat way too much Momma G’s, roll the trees. After you graduate, life will go on and I hope it’s wonderful. But nothing quite comes close to your college years. You only go to college once, so soak up every moment.

There you have it. My top advice for anyone about to start college. Remember, it’s not just about getting a degree. It’s also about making amazing memories, gaining invaluable experiences, finding yourself, and forming friendships that will last a lifetime. So, give it all you have. Take risks, have fun, and work hard.

War Eagle!

Brenna

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ZeeMee Community? What is that?

ZeeMee is the App for your phone, you didn’t know you needed until now. This is a great way to connect with other prospective and incoming students, through a group chat, pictures and videos; think GroupMe meets Instagram. The unique thing about ZeeMee is these group chats, pictures and videos are all from prospective students and ZeeMee Influencers (current students). This really allows for an authentic glimpse at Auburn.

We have so many ways for you to connect with students like your self, all through the admissions cycle. There are group chats for applying, admitted, Camp War Eagle and so much more. A few counselors are available to answer questions you may have through direct messages, but the group mainly consist of prospective and incoming students and Influencers. You can hear more about ZeeMee from a current Auburn student and Influencer, Asia Howard, so make sure you check that out.

We launched ZeeMee in January of this year and already have over 5,000 members in just the 2024 class alone. These members are chatting, sending gifs, finding roommates, creating friendships and study groups, and sharing their excitement about coming to Auburn in the Fall. If you haven’t joined already do it now, you won’t regret it.

https://zeemee.app.link/auburn

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I am a ZeeMee Influencer.

Hey Y’all My name is Asia Howard and I am one of Auburn University’s first ZeeMee influencers. This year, I have had the opportunity to share my perspective of Auburn with the prospective and incoming class of 2024 and beyond. Before I tell you about my favorite parts of being an influencer, I am going to share a little about me. I am a junior from Dacula, GA majoring in Apparel Design. I love to watch sports, be involved, and run my Etsy shop.

As a ZeeMee influencer, I have had the opportunity to share some really cool moments that I have experienced in my second year at Auburn. I have had the opportunity to document some really cool basketball wins, such as LSU and Kentucky, share about my daily life at Auburn, show off some of my favorite spots on campus, and interact with the incoming Auburn family. It allows someone to see the what life is like as an Auburn student and feel like they already have a friend on campus. It has been really cool to interact with the ZeeMee community and I hope to see some of you soon.

If you haven’t already joined Auburn’s ZeeMee Community, join today https://zeemee.app.link/auburn.