A clear path for student success

Appalachian State University provides the resources and support students need to stay focused and on track — academically, financially and personally.

“Our Early Intervention Team, Upward Bound program and Student Learning Center services — guided by the work of our stellar faculty — represent just a few of the programs that have led to Appalachian’s impressive overall retention rate to reach sophomore status, which is nearly 20 percent above the national average. This is among many reasons why Appalachian is the premier, public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina,” Chancellor Sheri Everts said.

Other points of pride:

• Appalachian’s six-year graduation rate for its 2012 first-year cohort is 72%.
• 72% of Appalachian graduates are paying off student debt as compared to the 47% national average. (Source: College Scorecard)
• The number of rural students who completed an undergraduate degree increased 12.8% between 2014 and 2018.
• Also between 2014 and 2018, the number of first generation students enrolled at Appalachian increased 39%, while the number of underrepresented students increased 37%.

Learn more about how Appalachian guides and supports its students for success:

Career development at App State prepares students for a lifetime of employability

Aug. 16, 2019

Appalachian State University’s Career Development Center provides strategic career development resources — including career counselors, signature events and student employment.

Read the story

Wellness and Student Success at Appalachian

Why 8 dimensions of wellness are important to students’ holistic balance

Aug. 3, 2018

Dr. Alex F. Howard explains why staying healthy in multiple ways impacts a student’s ability to stay and complete a degree.

Read the story

Student success — early intervention is key

June 26, 2018

Dr. Greg Lester, executive director of academic advising and student success, says early intervention is key for students who are struggling academically. The Office of Student Success offers help at Appalachian.

Read the story

Mental health — a key to academic and social success

Appalachian offers year-round programming on mental health awareness, self-care and suicide prevention

Feb. 27, 2019

A variety of opportunities help students keep mental health and self-care a priority, explains Coordinator for Student Mental Wellness Elizabeth Cavallaro.

Read the story

Financing the dream — staying fiscally afloat at Appalachian

Aug. 24, 2018

FAFSA. FSEOG. ACOG. Acronyms abound when exploring how to pay for college. At Appalachian, interpreters are in place to help students and their families navigate the process of securing financial aid.

Read the story

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

Are you a first-generation college student?

You’re not alone. Many of Appalachian’s faculty and staff were once, too. They share their personal stories and words of advice to incoming students.

Learn more

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls more than 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.