I’m not sure if it was my millennial-induced tech-savvy nature, or just plain survival instincts, but one of the first things I did when I got accepted to Georgia State as a transfer student in 2014 was search for a Georgia State app on the Apple store.
I couldn’t tell you what I was looking for exactly, only that a part of me must have realized that in this day and age we have the world at our fingertips if we make it so, or just look.
Lo and behold, I found the Georgia State Panther App. It had every student dashboard accessible through one simple and clean space —PAWS, iCollege (previously D2L), PantherMail and it even had a button for our university’s chants and anthems to blare through the speakers if one desires.
It was pretty sweet then, and has since been continuously updated with events, resources and transportation routes over the years that I’ve attended Georgia State. Needless to say, it changed my college experience for the better.
Everything you need as a new, transfer or current student
Fast forward to 2017. I’m embarking on my final chapter at Georgia State. A peer of mine looked at me with wide-eyes as I opened up a big royal blue app that loaded bold, white lettering of “GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY” onto the screen. It was their first time ever seeing the app.
I thought about how many other fellow peers had experienced totally avoidable yet painful miscalculations —like the ones I surely would have endured without the app’s aid. Nightmares flooded in of missing assignments due to faulty internet connections, riding the wrong bus for multiple routes, registration mishaps because the library was full and then life is basically over.
In those moments, fellow Panthers, we decided no more. We’re breaking down the Georgia State Panther app for everyone’s sake: here’s how to navigate it and everything you need to know.
Getting Started
- In the Apple store, click on the search bar and type “Georgia State.” Look for the Straxis Technology sponsored app titled ”Georgia State University.” (Painless, right?)
- Download the app.
- Once downloaded, open the app. (I suggest allowing notifications for Panther alerts, as well as enabling location services so it’s more accurate within the transportation tools).
- Next, the main dashboard will display two main navigational bars.
The blue bar
At the bottom of the app is a small, dull-blue interactive tab-bar. Here lives basic tools along with some quirks:
- Home Tab: Navigates users back to main dashboard. (Current screen)
- Chant: Blares university theme songs.(Fun, but embarrassing to accidentally set off)
- Contact: This is a general point of contact for GSU Admissions office. (Primarily for new students)
- Videos: Directs users to Vimeo for GSU propaganda. (Bleed Blue and all that)
- Share: Conveniently enough, this allows users to literally share the app with friends through email, text, Twitter, and Facebook. (We all need a little help sometimes)
Once you’ve circulated through the bottom interactive tab bar, tap the Home tab to access the main dashboard. Notice the visually-dominant interactive tab bar that contains numerous bubble icons featuring other student tools.
Taste the rainbow bar
Everything you need as a new, transfer or current student lives in this rainbow or half-moon tab bar:
- Campus News- This aspect tracks articles about the university’s current events, headlines and relevant happenings around campus (including Downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods).
- Emergency- Access 911 and campus police immediately through the “Call for Assistance” tabs. Emergency resources regarding safety, security, and alerts can also be found here (without ultimately calling 911).
- Logins- This is the mother-load, the jackpot, or whatever floats your boat, of the GSU app. This is where PAWS, PantherMail, iCollege, GoSOLAR, and “Send a File”, a direct dropbox, is located. Without leaving the app, users can switch seemingly from submitting assignments, checking email, registering for classes, downloading academic evaluations, and almost anything else one’s scholarly heart desires. It can be assumed that this section will save you from swerving through traffic to get to campus in more ways than one, forever on.
- Admissions- New students are encouraged to submit any inquiries to the Admissions office, here. Also, admission status can be monitored, so if you’re awaiting a response (don’t fret) this aspect will allow to can do it every five minutes much easier.
- Campus Tour/Map- For anyone new to the city or Georgia State, this is your go-to guide. It is a self-guided interactive tour based on real-time location and activity. As you move around the campus, various buildings will pop up with blue pinheads showing names and street addresses of each (*I suggest using this without WIFI because it can glitch out!*)
- Application Checklist- The list begins with the Welcome Center tutorial and ends with a collection of the “best hangout/study spots on campus.” New students can keep track of their enrollment progress as well as begin discovering the perks of Georgia State life.
- Multimedia- Vimeo, Instagram and Flickr links showcase athletics, organizations, Panther pride and graduation ceremonies over the years.
- Weather- If you’re already in the app, it’s convenient, but yes Siri is always there, too.
- Album 88- There’s no excuse not to tune in now. The station broadcasts 24/7 online and on WRAS-HD2-Atlanta, and 7 p.m.–5 a.m. on WRAS-FM/WRAS-HD1, 88.5 on the dial, but this app component will directly navigate you to the online public broadcasting outlet for Georgia State’s radio station.
- Twitter/Facebook- The Georgia State official accounts for both.
- Dining- Assuming the events tab is for announcing special/holiday dinners for active PantherDining members, that’s it. Otherwise, a Facebook and Twitter tab for PantherDining keeps you hungry with highlights of upcoming dishes and healthy choices.
- Events- University-wide calendar of events include art performances/exhibits, dance performances and recitals, concerts, graduation ceremonies, SGA, speakers and more.
- Student Services- Click here for everything pertaining enrollment and student activities without jumping through PAWS or GoSOLAR hoops. Think academic calendar, bookstore, career services, financial aid, health, housing, parking, etc.
- Library- Find library books to request, rent or read through the library lookup.
- Athletics- Every individual university sport can be found here with links to their specific news, schedule and roster.
- Courses- If you need some soul searching for your future, every university course according to subject, level, description and semester can be found here.
- GSU Transit- Parking and transportation services/information including on-campus parking, MARTA, Panther Express busses and the GRTA are available. Use the maps component for parking and additional information in bettering your commute.
- Handbook- An overview of all the rules, regulations and expectations of the university. (Just in case you forget)
Directory- This may be the most outdated component of the app, but you can’t blame them. Here you can locate pretty much anyone with tenure. Newer professors, or graduate students, will probably not be available, nor are students’ information. Usually a contact will consist of a campus phone number and email with a chance to save to your phone’s contact list.
