Things to remember while registering for classes

Steven John Ndikum
Staff Writer

Registering for classes is what fits you into the college core values and educational system. Registration is the process of enrolling in courses for a term and possibly adjusting the time frame which best helps you maintain an equality of time between work and school. 

Whether you are an incoming freshman or an upperclassman, registering for college classes can be confusing and stressful. Putting some time into planning your semester ahead of registration is a good start; you’ll feel prepared and create a schedule that will help you get the most out of your courses and your educational experience ahead of time. 

Registration consist of three major steps; choosing your classes, making your schedule, and finally registering for the classes.

Choosing classes and credit hours sets a pace for graduation, the more you take each semester, the closer you are to graduating. So, determining how many credit hours you take is an important factor. Full time students often take between 12 and 16 credit hours per semester, and many, (though not all), have classes that are three credits each.

Therefore, you would need to take four classes (four classes x three hours each) to reach a full-time status of twelve credit hours. moreover, its advice to take classes which fits your corresponded time frame.

Deciding which curriculum requirements to focus on each semester is a way forward. There are a few course categories that you will need to fulfill to graduate, and you should keep in mind timing when planning your semesters.

You don’t have to have your entire college career set in stone, but getting an idea of what you need to accomplish in the next four years will help you decide what to take each semester.  

The Office of Registrar at MNSU have planning worksheets available which helps guide students throughout their academic journey. This will allow you to see the big picture when thinking about what classes to take right now.

Having some idea of what you need to graduate will help you avoid wasting time on classes that don’t count toward your degree.

Next, general education classes are required of all students. This requirement ranges from state to state throughout the U.S. They constitute a variety of disciplines, such as math, language, history, and science, and will be introductory. 

Gen. Ed. courses will give you a broad intellectual foundation by exposing you to a variety of disciplines, (whether you like them all or not!), and will make you a well-rounded student.

If you are unsure of your major, this sampling of departments might help you decide which subject to pursue. Focus on taking these classes in your freshman and sophomore years. These typically have lower course numbers, such as IT 101.

Try to avoid putting off these classes, even if you are uninterested or find the subject difficult. Passing these classes, called prerequisites, will often be required to move on to other specific courses later.

Once you have determined your major, you will take a series of courses in that discipline or department. These courses will usually relate to whatever you want to do after graduation. It’s important to focus on those and seek for academic advice from your advisor.

Secondly, making your schedule can be a hard one since you want “to use one stone to kill two birds.” The stone is time and the two birds are both school and work. You want to earn more money and academic excellence. The question is, how?

Find your college’s class bulletin. Before registration begins, locate the list of courses that are available for the upcoming semester. You can also choose courses based on the opinions from other students who have taken them. This gives you a better idea of the course. This can be found on ratemyprofessor.com. 

Lastly, register as soon as you can. It’s important not to delay signing up for classes, because some may fill up fast. Often students will be assigned a registration start date. Be sure to know when you can register. Moreover, don’t stress if you can’t register for a class. Meet your advisor and choose a substitute which can help you move forward.

In most cases, advisors have a better hand to help accomplish these tasks. Taking online courses will be a good idea if you want to make an equivalence of time between earning academic excellence and having time for growth in your career life. 

For more information, you can visit the Registrar Office located at 132 Wigley Administration Center. Office hours range from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during Fall and Spring semesters.