Student Transition and Engagement Program

The Student Transition and Engagement Program (STEP) is designed to provide students with all of the tools and strategies necessary to achieve success in their academic and extracurricular pursuits at MSMC.

The STEP Program is a collaborative partnership between the Office of Admissions and the Office of Student Success. Students are admitted to Mount Saint Mary College through STEP because they have demonstrated the ability to be successful through skills such as self-efficacy, motivation, leadership, resilience, persistence, etc. in their academic career.

STEP students will spend their first semester both working individually with their academic coach within the Office of Student Success to focus on skills that will benefit them in their college career, such as time management, study skills, organization, adjusting to academic expectations, extracurricular involvement, etc.

STEP Policies

  • Students will meet with their academic coach on a regular basis
  • Students will attend the Knight Summer Connections Program (KSC) prior to the start of the fall semester
  • Students have the option of only taking 12 credits in their first semester to assist in acclimating to college life
  • Students who are not in good academic standing after their first semester at the College will be required to continue to meet with their academic coach/advisor for their second semester.
  • To assist STEP students in achieving a successful transition to college, they may not declare a major within the Natural Sciences division until after their first semester is completed.

*Any freshman student that does not meet the Nursing program admissions requirements will not have the opportunity of being a Nursing major during their time at Mount Saint Mary College.