Scheduling Meltdown Prevention Guide

As the end of midterm testing finally comes to a close, students now embark on another momentous event of the semester: scheduling.  Students have jumped from one panic inducing moment to another, but that does not mean it is time to surrender to the chaos.  These five tips will help you outsmart the system to make sure you get the classes you need, when you need them.

1. Do your research.

It is important to know exactly what you are looking at on your course requirement sheet.  You need to know how many credits are required for you to graduate and the courses that count towards you major.  You do not want to be the student that graduates late because of a course mix-up.

2. Do not rely on your advisor.

Oftentimes advisors have no idea what they are talking about.  Any advice you receive from an advisor should be fact-checked to prove its accuracy.  You can do this by asking other faculty in your major department or calling the registrar’s office.  You can also find a lot of information on the university website.

3. Plan ahead.

Plan your entire semester schedule before your schedule window opens.  This includes course numbers, professors, locations and anything else that may slow you down in the scheduling process.  By having this information available directly, you can quickly submit your courses and beat the crowd that did not plan ahead. 

4. Create a backup schedule.

Sometimes we do not always get what we want.  By having a backup schedule on hand, you can salvage something from your scheduling experience and hopefully walk away with some classes that will count towards your graduation.  Remember, a major part of scheduling is about how fast you can enter the courses you need in the system.  Having a backup plans buys you time.

5. Remember to breathe.

Scheduling can be very stressful, but it is not the end of the world.  Remember to take a breath and think rationally about what you are doing.  If you run into problems, keep in mind that there are lots of options, like summer school and winter classes, that can get you back on track. 

As the season of scheduling ascends on students, these tips may help prevent any potential problems.  Like many things in life, there is usually a way to fix issues that arise if you think on your feet.  Good luck in your attempt to schedule for the spring 2014 semester.