Listen Here
By Luke Ellerbrock
ellerbrockl@findlay.edu
Registration can be a confusing and stressful time for students when figuring out their classes for the next semester. Between choosing classes, meeting degree requirements, and scheduling time with academic advisors, planning ahead can become a challenge for many.
There are several steps students should take to be successful.
“They should be keeping track of what their major and/or minors require. Whether that’s on a computer or a file, wherever their courses are and what they’ve taken and still need to take,” said professor of media and communication and academic advisor, Diana Montague.
“Another key piece is to continue to make appointments with your advisors in a timely fashion before your registration date,” said Montague.
Knowing the tips and tricks to registration is very important and helpful to all students, no matter how experienced you are.
A common issue that registrar Anthony Silecchia hears about is corequisites. Corequisites are courses that need to be taken simultaneously.
“If you have to register for a lecture and a lab at the same time, a lot of times students will be able to have one of them to work in their schedule but the other component that they need to take is either full or they can’t find a section that won’t have any time conflicts,” Silecchia said. “Then they can’t register for both, because they can’t register for one.”
Registration can go a lot smoother if you have more credits because you can register for courses earlier than others. For example, students with junior status have a better chance of getting into a course before it is full than a freshman or sophomore.
“There’s about a month that people are given clearance depending on who has the most credits already, they get first dibs on registering then it goes down to those who have fewer credits,” said Montague.
While registration starts midway through the previous semester, a class will stay open to register new students as long as it is not full.
“It (registration) stays open as long as courses are open through the first week of the next semester,” said Montague.
Registering for classes can be difficult for some students, but easy for others. It all depends on if you take the correct steps with registration.
While class registration can be a stressful process, being organized, planning ahead, and meeting with advisors early can make a big difference. By understanding requirements, keeping track of course options, and staying proactive, students can navigate registration more smoothly and set themselves up for success in the next semester.
