Chances are you recently received an email about upcoming registration for Summer and Fall 2011. To check when your registration window opens go to the registrar’s website (http://registrar.fsu.edu/dir_class/registration_windows.html). I’m also betting that many of you, especially the underclassmen who are less familiar with the process, are a little unsure (even frazzled) about the whole thing. Keep it together, girl, because Her Campus FSU is here to give you a few tips on how to smoothly navigate the registration process.
1. Do your homework
The first thing you should do is check Florida State’s general liberal arts requirements, along with those for your major. The FSU Undergraduate Academic Program Guide website (http://www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/) provides all the information you could possibly need, including a list of milestones for each major and even a general outline for your entire tenure at the university. Of course, not everyone has settled on a major yet. Even if you’re one of those students who is exploring your options, the website can help keep you on track with general requirements before you delve into your core major requirements. Knowing what courses you can and need to take eases the stress of registration because it immensely simplifies the process.
2. Get ahead of the game
Don’t wait until the last minute to do a course search. Having followed Step 1, use what you’ve learned about your major and general requirements to search for courses that fulfill them. The course search tool under Secure Apps on Blackboard even has links such as “Check Course Requirements” and “Interdisciplinary Programs & Degree Requirements,” as well as a link to the Academic Guide. All of these great resources make searching for potential classes even easier. Come up with a list of courses you’re interested in taking and make sure to write down the course reference number for each class. This is the number you will need to enter in the box when registering for classes. Don’t just list a few; come up with a bunch! Classes can fill up at an alarming rate and there’s a chance you won’t get into some on your list, so make sure you have plenty to choose from.
3. See your advisor
Both Steps 1 and 2 are great precursors to seeing your advisor. Sure, you can learn just about everything you need to know via the FSU website, but an advisor can help fill in any information gaps you may have missed. Plus, all the research you’ve done prior to seeing your advisor will make the meeting go much more smoothly and your advisor will appreciate it. Seeing an advisor can help you finalize a plan for registration, as well as a back-up plan if it doesn’t quite work out. Make sure you get there early and have plenty of time to wait in line, as the advising office of your major will surely be busy this time of year. Also, if you have questions after your meeting, don’t hesitate to email your advisor. It is their job to help you after all, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to write up a quick email asking for some advice.
4. Ch-ch-check it out
As your registration date approaches, don’t forget to occasionally check the remaining available seats in the classes you want to take. In the case that all seats for the class fill up, keeping track of the amount of free seats will help ease the irritation of this all-too-often occurrence. Also, don’t forget that if a class does fill up, it is not the end of the world! People are always changing their prospective schedules and a spot could pop up. If it doesn’t, there’s still drop/add when classes begin. So, don’t lose hope if you don’t get your ideal schedule the first time around. Also, make sure to check your registration stops and warnings under secure apps on blackboard. Some students forget to check whether they have any stops or warnings and find out on the morning their registration window opens. This causes much stress and delays the whole registration process because sometimes students have to get paper work done in order to clear the stop or warning.
5. Set your alarm!
Registration windows open early in the morning (8am to be exact), so make sure to set your alarm and force yourself to get up even if you were up late reading Hamlet or writing a research paper on paganism, because others will, without a doubt, be arising to join the virtual stampede for spots in their most desired courses. Don’t be left behind! Another important note is that, if you live in a dorm or apartment with spotty Internet access, you might want to get up earlier and get to a place (Club Stroz perhaps?) with a more reliable connection. Ultimately, you won’t regret it if it makes registering less painful.
So there you go. Take these tips and stress-freely create your perfect class schedule (preferably with no classes before noon or on Friday, if you can swing it.)