• Evidence shows that students who participate in an orientation prior to their first semester are more successful and engaged in their college experience.
• Orientation is a time when the student has the opportunity to integrate into the NMSU campus community by meeting faculty, staff, and create bonds with other students.
• Orientation allows the student to learn about the various campus resources available to them here at NMSU.
• Students have the opportunity to learn about academic requirements, course offerings, and registration procedures.

Orientation will be provided in two parts: Prior to your selected AWO date, you will be given access to our pre-orientation modules. Through these modules, you will learn about the different resources NMSU has to offer as well as your responsibilities as a student. During the virtual experience (through Microsoft Teams) or in-person experience on your AWO date, you will engage with some of the offices you learned about, meet other students, hear directly from university staff, discover unique experiences that your major or college have for you to get involved in, and meet with your Academic Advisor in a one-on-one meeting and register for classes.

You can sign up for an Aggie Welcome & Orientation session by clicking on any of the Sign Up for Orientation buttons on the AWO main page.

The orientation fees for this year are: $165 for a two-day in-person session or $99 for all virtual sessions or a one day in-person session.  This fee will be charged to your account upon registering for an orientation program. All first-time undergraduate students at New Mexico State University will be charged an orientation fee per the statutes of the State of New Mexico related to matriculation fees at state institutions. A minimum of a $50.00 payment must be made to secure your spot at orientation. Your reservation will not be confirmed prior to the payment being received and the program you selected may not be available at a later date. This fee does go towards your overall cost of the orientation session. This fee is used to provide programs and services to help new students with their transition to NMSU including the following: 

• AWO Bag of Swag  
• Online Resources for Students and Families 
• Crimson Kick-off week events 
• Meals provided for in-person sessions 
• Housing Accommodations (one night) for students for two-day in-person session 

• If you are an incoming student and can’t make any of the dates for the in-person or synchronous AWO sessions, please contact AWO professional staff at awo@nmsu.edu to discuss other options.
• If you are still planning on being an NMSU student, and your original session has not closed yet, we ask that you reschedule your orientation instead of cancelling. To reschedule, you can log back into the AWO reservation system and select another open date.
• If you are no longer coming to NMSU, we can cancel your AWO reservation, and inactivate your application with NMSU (which includes cancelling any scholarships or housing assignments that you have).
  • If you cancel more than 10 days before your AWO date (or before starting asynchronous orientation) – you will receive a full refund.
  • If you cancel less than 10 days before your AWO date (or after starting asynchronous orientation) – you will receive a $49 refund (we will keep the $50 deposit).
  • NOTE: We will not cancel you simply because you did not show up for the session you registered for. It is your responsibility to cancel with our office.
  • To cancel, please email the AWO office at awo@nmsu.edu.

The Orientation Hold is placed upon admission to NMSU for all new students who are:

• New Undergraduate Students
• Freshmen Transfer
• Transfer from Out-of-state
• Transfer from In-state

Absolutely! We will be providing various resources, programming, and opportunities for connection with Family Outreach staff specifically for family during orientation session dates. Please ensure that your family member or guest's email address (to recieve communication and schedule) is provided when you fill out your registration form for AWO. If you already submitted your form and would like to go back and add their information, you can edit your form, as long as the session is still open: https://newstudentregistration.nmsu.edu/login. For family and guest questions please contact the Family Outreach staff at families@nmsu.edu.

¡Absolutamente! Brindaremos varios recursos, programas y oportunidades para conectarse con el personal de Family Outreach específicamente para la familia durante las fechas de las sesiones de orientación. Asegúrese de proporcionar la dirección de correo electrónico de su familiar o invitado (para recibir la comunicación y el horario) cuando complete su formulario de registro para AWO. Si ya envió su formulario y desea regresar y agregar su información, puede editar su formulario, siempre que la sesión aún esté abierta: https://newstudentregistration.nmsu.edu/login. Para preguntas de familiares e invitados, comuníquese con el personal de Family Outreach en families@nmsu.edu.

Visit  https://myaccount.nmsu.edu/activation to set up your NMSU email account.

• Once you’ve set up your myNMSU email; log on an set up your security questions
• To check email click blue icon on the left side under the LaunchPad
• If you have never checked your myNMSU email all you must do is pick a time zone and language
• After that you are free to roam about your email