First Time Student Admission Steps | NorthWest Arkansas Community College
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First Time Student Admission Steps

First time students are defined as those who have earned a high school diploma or GED and have never attended college. Be sure to follow the admission steps below to become an NWACC student.   

Note: NWACC has a general admission policy, which means you can apply year-round. However, it is best to apply early to get the best class options.

Apply to NWACC

Choose your student path and follow the application steps. 

Credit Student

Credit Student: One who plans to take "credit" courses and earn college credit toward a degree. Learn what defines credit courses and programs.

Career-Credit Student

Career-Credit Student: One who plans to take "career-credit” courses to earn industry-recognized technical certifications. Learn what defines career-credit courses and programs..

View this video to help you apply to NWACC:

Or view the How to Apply to NWACC Help Guide to further understand the application process. 

Apply for Financial Aid (if applicable)

If you have not done so yet, complete your FAFSA and add NWACC to your FAFSA to begin the financial aid process. NWACC's code is 030633. Be sure to also fill out the NWACC scholarship application and qualify for scholarship assistance. 

How to Complete Your FAFSA

Apply for Scholarships

Set up your My NWACC

Once you have been accepted to NWACC, you will receive an email with your NWACC username and password. Set up your My NWACC immediately in order to complete the process.

Set Up Your Account

Additional documents to submit

To protect the privacy of your information and to comply with U.S. Department of Education regulations, we can no longer accept documents by email. You can submit them one of three ways:
  • Upload the document to: https://api.nwacc.edu/lss/finaid/filedropbox/
    • You must have a My NWACC Connection login to use this option
  • Bring the document to the Enrollment Support Center located on the 2nd floor of the Student Center or the Washington County location located in Springdale
  • Mail the document to NWACC, Student Records, One College Dr., Bentonville, AR 72712
  • Test scores for ACT, Accuplacer, or COMPASS (scores should be no more than 5 years old).  If you need to take the Accuplacer exam, visit our Testing Center (you must pay a $10 fee prior to taking the exam). *
  • Previous Transcripts - If you have graduated from an Arkansas high school, we will retrieve your transcripts through a state database.  We will contact you if we are unable to retrieve the transcript.  Outside of the state of Arkansas, submit your high school transcript
  • Proof of 2 Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) immunizations for all applicants born after January 1, 1957.  Some foreign-born students may be required to submit tuberculosis screening.  For Arkansas residents, NWACC will attempt to retrieve immunization records from a state-wide database. 
* All students who have not yet completed a college level math course and whose ACT Math score of 17 or below, are encouraged to take the math portion of the Accuplacer. Students testing below 19 on the Reading and/or Writing portions of the ACT are encouraged to retake the Accuplacer test to see if their score has changed or can be improved.

Submit Documents

Complete New Student Orientation

Orientation:

  1. Make sure you have submitted an admissions application and you are able to log into your MyNWACC. If you are having trouble logging in, contact the IT Help Desk at 479-619-4376.

  2. It is highly recommended that you have taken a Placement Exam (ACT, SAT or Accuplacer) and submitted those scores. If you are unable to provide test scores, you are still able to complete the online orientation and move forward with the next steps under the guidance of an enrollment advisor. View NWACC's testing services. 

  3. Enroll in New Student Orientation. All first-time college students will need to complete the online New Student Orientation. The link for orientation will be emailed to you once it opens. After completing the online New student Orientation, you can expect to receive course recommendations to your NWACC email from an Enrollment Advisor within 2-3 business days.

For other questions related to new student orientation, please contact the Enrollment Support Center at 479-986-4000 or EnrollmentSupport@nwacc.edu

A few more steps

Complete prior to the start of the semester: 

Obtain your student ID and parking hang tag at two convenient locations:

  • Bentonville location - Becky Paneitz Student Center, Student Information, located on the first floor
  • Washington County location

Purchase your textbooks and class supplies at the Campus Bookstore - Barnes and Noble, located on the first floor in the Becky Paneitz Student Center.

 

Technology Recommendations

Having the right computer and technology specifications can help you successfully complete your college coursework and reach your academic goals. Visit our Computers and Technology page to learn more.

Computers and Technology