In preparation for the fall 2016 semester, students consider how to build their schedule to adhere to their own priorities, such as work schedule, professors and time of day. Starting April 12, students will be able to register for classes for the fall 2016 semester.
The undeclared advising office receives frequent visits from students who need assistance with selecting classes. Christa Hodapp, a professor in the Philosophy Department, guides students towards the appropriate and necessary classes.
Hodapp explained that many of the students she sees need to build their class schedules around their work schedules. “Our students here are kind of amazing. They work. They work a lot,” said Hodapp.
Hodapp also said that conflicting work and school schedules seem to be the primary reason students withdraw from their classes mid-way into a semester. She said, “I just had someone tell me the other day that they’re going to get fired if they can’t show up to work. Conflicts happen, and college is not cheap. Students have to go to work.”
Sophomore Alex Morales, a mechanical engineering major, said that he prioritizes selecting classes at times that do not interfere with his work schedule. “Without work, I don’t have money,” said Morales.
In the undeclared advising office, many students come in unsure of what they would like to major in. In that situation, Hodapp said, “We generally push them towards general education or core curriculum requirements. That’s designed to give people exposure to different fields and areas. Students may take a class and realize they like something they’d never really thought of.”
Hodapp explained that she also encounters many students who select classes that they do not need to take. “I know that students are capable of reading the requirements off the Internet, but the advising centers know how to maximize your time,” said Hodapp. “I’m always skeptical when students tell me, ‘I know how to do this.’ You do…but I know more!”
Sophomore Dylan Beeber, a biology major, explained that a student selecting the wrong classes is not as detrimental to their education as it may feel, as long as that student is motivated to correct the mistake. “If you mess up a little bit, it’s not the end of the world. If you keep trying, you will get the classes you want to get. There are always opportunities in the beginning of the next semester for you to get the classes that you need to be in,” he said.
“The worst thing a student can do is wait until the last minute, either from having holds or procrastinating, then not taking opportunities to get into the classes they need to later.”
Morales also indicated that meeting with an academic advisor should be a part of every student’s routine when selecting classes. “Some people actually don’t go to advising, it’s amazing. I don’t know how you can get away with that,” he said.
Time of day is an important factor when students select their classes for the next semester. Junior Blair Leavitt, a music major, recommended that students avoid classes at 8 a.m. “8 a.m. classes are really hard. Your inclination is to just skip the class. College students stay up late and don’t really want to get up in the morning. You’re more likely to miss an 8 a.m. than a 1 p.m. class,” said Leavitt.
Morales made a similar comment. “I can predict that there will be nights I’ll be staying up until 3 a.m., so no 8 a.m. classes,” he said.
Many students use the website Ratemyprofessor.com when picking classes. This website hosts a large database of professors from hundreds of colleges and universities. Here, students can write reviews of professors and rank them on a numerical scale of 0-5 on helpfulness, clarity, and easiness.
Freshman Danielle Gilroy, a criminal justice major, advised, “Use ratemyprofessor!
It’s a mistake not looking into the professor, the professor can have a huge impact.”
Morales made a similar recommendation. He said, “Ratemyprofessor is usually pretty accurate and it has a large database of professors. You can have the exact same class with one professor that hammers you with homework, and another professor that doesn’t assign homework. It could be the difference between an A and a B, so it’s important.”
Leavitt explained that her priority is spreading out her general education and major requirements throughout the different semesters. “I don’t want to end up taking one semester of gen eds and one semester of music,” she said.
Some students prefer large gaps between classes in one day, while others do not. Beeber, a commuter student, said, “I don’t want a class at 8 a.m. and then one at 4 p.m. I don’t want to be on campus for that long. I like to get them all done close to each other.”
