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Northwest Missouri State University

  • myNorthwest

Logging Into CatPAWS for the First Time

Students, Faculty and Staff

The following steps will assist you in logging into CatPAWS for the first time. These steps will also establish your login information for accessing CatPAWS in the future.

  1. Go to the Northwest Homepage
  2. Click on the Quick Tools menu
  3. Select CatPAWS
  4. Click on Login/Enter Secure Area
  5. Enter your Northwest ID number in the User ID: textbox
    Your Northwest ID number can be found on your Bearcat ID Card.
  6. Enter your pin in the PIN: textbox
    Your initial pin will be your date of birth in the 6-digit format of MMDDYY or it will be the last 6 digits of your Northwest ID number.
  7. You will be prompted to set a new pin.  Enter your current pin in the Enter Old PIN: textbox
  8. Enter your new pin in the Enter New PIN: textbox
    The new pin must be 6 numbers.
  9. Enter your new pin again in the Re-enter New PIN: textbox
  10. Click Change PIN
  11. Next you will be asked to set a security question.  Enter your security question in the Question: textbox
    Your security question needs to be something you can easily answer now or years from now.  Also, it should not be something that most people could answer.  Example:  What was my first dog's name?
  12. Enter the answer to your question in the Answer: textbox
    The answer is case sensitive and needs to be entered how you would normally type the answer to the question.
  13. Click Submit
  14. The Terms of Usage page will appear.  Click on Accept 
  15. You will now be taken to the main screen of your secure area of CatPAWS

Parents or Authorized Users

To access your student's confidential records, the student must first go into CatPAWS and set the authorized users of their information. To do this, the student needs to log into the Secure Area of CatPAWS, select the Student and Financial Aid menu, click on Authorize Release of Information and follow the steps indicated on the screen.

  1. Go to the Northwest Homepage
  2. Click on the Quick Tools menu
  3. Select CatPAWS
  4. Click on Login/Enter Secure Area
  5. Enter your Northwest ID number in the User ID: textbox
    Your Northwest ID number was created when your student completed the Authorize Release of Information process.  Obtain your Northwest ID number and initial CatPAWS pin from your student.
  6. Enter your pin in the PIN: textbox
  7. You will be prompted to set a new pin.  Enter your current pin in the Enter Old PIN: textbox
  8. Enter your new pin in the Enter New PIN: textbox
    The new pin must be 6 numbers.
  9. Enter your new pin again in the Re-enter New PIN: textbox
  10. Click Change PIN
  11. Next you will be asked to set a security question.  Enter your security question in the Question: textbox
    Your security question needs to be something you can easily answer now or years from now.  Also, it should not be something that most people could answer.  Example:  What was my first dog's name?
  12. Enter the answer to your question in the Answer: textbox
    The answer is case sensitive and needs to be entered how you would normally type the answer to the question.
  13. Click Submit
  14. The Terms of Usage page will appear.  Click on Accept 
  15. You will now be taken to the main screen of your secure area of CatPAWS 

 

For Additional Assistance
Call Client Computing-Information Systems Help Desk (660) 562-1634
or Email helpdesk@nwmissouri.edu