Congratulations—you’ve accepted your school’s offer letter, and now it’s time to choose your courses! Where do you begin? It can seem overwhelming to pick from hundreds of options, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve developed a list of five course registration tips that can help make course registration easy and prepare you for success in your upcoming school year.
For an overview of how to choose the right program for you, check out our blog.
Align Courses with Your Personal Life
We each have our own preferences, roles, and responsibilities that are separate from our school life. When registering for courses, keep your personal life in mind as you choose course times and course load. It’s best to think about the following:
- Family or work obligations
- Preferences for the morning, afternoon, or evening classes
- Preferences for back-to-back or spaced-out classes
- Days you want off from attending classes (yes, with a bit of luck and planning, a weekday with no scheduled classes can be possible!)
When you align your courses with your personal life, you’ll be able to balance your priorities and have enough time to get things done.
Tip: Spreading your courses out through the week can help leave time for studying, a part-time job, and other activities during the day.
Choose a Variety of Courses
When registering for courses, choose a variety of subjects to avoid overloading yourself with study-heavy material. For example, choosing a mix of labs, writing-intensive, and reading-intensive courses each semester can be ideal. Having different class styles can help you avoid burning out, and can help you maintain balance in your school and personal life.
Another great way to maintain a balance between your school and personal life is to practice mindfulness. Check out our blog to find out five ways to practice mindfulness as a student!
Work Backwards
Not sure which courses are best for your future career goals? It can help to consider the career you want and work backwards to visualize the steps you must take to meet your goals. Creating a three- or four-year plan can be useful in mapping out your options, and providing you with a guided approach to experimenting with different courses. Working backwards is also a great planning tool; this website has a short step-by-step guide on how to work backwards to achieve your goals.
Tip: If you aren’t sure what steps to take or what your options are, talk to a student advisor.
Remember Important Dates
It’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for notifications sent by your academic institution with important dates. With so much going on, it can be easy to forget about them, which is why we recommend keeping an updated calendar handy.
Some important dates to look out for include:
- Registration dates
- Class add and drop deadlines
- Waitlist deadlines
As with most things, it’s best not to put tasks off too close to the deadline. A good guideline is to get things done as early as possible so you can get the classes you want, and have enough time to deal with any issues if they come up.
Tip: If you want to register for a class that’s already full, don’t be afraid to reach out to the professor instructing the course! Many times other students will drop your desired course, and their spot will open up. However, it’s always a good idea to have a list of backup options for classes—just in case!
Do Your Own Research
Sometimes, course descriptions aren’t enough to tell you what to expect in a course. There are many factors that play a role in how much you’ll enjoy your chosen courses. Some of these factors include the course subject, the professor’s teaching style, or how the class is structured. While you may not be able to control all factors, it’s best to do your own research beforehand to ensure you’re choosing a course that’s the best fit for you. Some ways to research your courses beforehand include:
- Talking to peers who have already taken the course
- Getting to know your professor beforehand
- Checking student-run professor review websites like this one
Tip: Want to study more efficiently? Here’s our list of the top 7 apps that will help you study smarter at university!
Now that you know what to keep in mind when registering for courses, it’s time to use these tips when choosing yours! Remember not to stress too much about registering for courses—there’s usually a solution if you take the right steps and keep a positive mindset.
