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Elizabeth Pulanco/ Winonan

Dear Elizabeth,

I am a freshman and am having a hard time registering for my classes next semester. I want to get into good classes, but my registration time is pretty much dead last. How can I guarantee better luck with registration and a spot in these classes?

Sincerely,

Registration Hesitation

Dear Registration,

Figuring out your class schedule is always the toughest part of the year. My first suggestion would be to go and talk with your advisor. Talk about different options and the classes that you will need. Since you will have to meet with your advisor about your registration code anyway, it is smart to take advantage of the time that you will have with them. Once you talk to your advisor, create a few different schedules that fit into your plan, just incase you may not be able to get into some classes you want. The nice thing about registering online is the wish-list feature that allows you to create a list of classes that you want.

Another thing that is important about planning your schedule is deciding on what professor you want to take a course with. The professor often has an impact on whether the class is effective for a student’s learning experience. Most of Winona State’s professors are on Rate My Professor.com. Students can review the work of a professor, and you can decide if that professor will be right for you, based on the ratings they have been given by students who have enrolled in their classes. Rate My Professor also lists the course the student reviewer took with each professor, which can give you a better idea of how they teach particular courses.

In order to help you get a better spot in the registration window, I would suggest signing up for as many generals as you can. It may be time consuming, but if you have more credits you will be able to register earlier. I was able to do this my second semester of freshman year, and it made my registration process a lot easier. As long as you keep building up credits, your registration time will keep getting earlier.  As you move along in your college years, registration becomes easier.

Before making any decision on what you want to do, it is important to have a backup plan. Although the chance that all of your planned classes will be taken is small, it is always smart to have other classes ready just incase. If you are planning on taking a class and there are multiple sections, try and sign up for the earlier section. Nobody likes to get up earlier than they have to, but the later classes end up filling up quickly. Once this class becomes a part of your daily routine, getting up early won’t be so bad, especially for a class you really want to take.

Creating a well-rounded schedule can help you plan on a better route to graduation, so it is important to know what your plans are. Once you figure out the correct schedule that helps you gain some more credits, your future registration experiences will be easier.