Gabby's Tip: Registering for Classes

It's hard to believe that this semester is more than half way over! With that said, the time for registering for your Spring classes is getting closer and closer. Here are a few important tips on what you should do before choosing your next semester classes:

1) Check your holds on SPIRE
This is the most important step in your registration period. Holds are put on your account if you haven't done something the University needs you to do. Sometimes this is meeting with an advisor for a particular major, filling out a financial aid form, or handing in your immunization records.   When you log into SPIRE you will see a box that says "Holds" on the right side of the page-pay close attention to this box! Get rid of any holds ASAP, or you may not be able to register for Spring classes.


2)Figure out your enrollment time and meet with an advisor
Right under the "Holds" box, there is a box that says "Enrollment Dates" where it tells you when your appointment to register for classes is. This is an appointment with SPIRE, not with an advisor.  Make sure you don't just look at the date, but also click "details" to find out your exact enrollment time. Classes fill up fast, so make sure you know and remember your specific enrollment time. Before your enrollment date, make sure to meet with an advisor. Some majors require that you do anyway, but even if you think you can make the perfect schedule, an advisor will make sure you are on track to fulfilling gen. ed. requirements, major requirements, foreign language, etc.  They know about all sorts of opportunities that you might not have found through a quick search for classes. The more advice and specific advising you can get, the better!

3) Pick classes!
This is the fun part! To have a stress free and fun schedule it's always good to take a variety of different classes. This means exploring classes for potential majors, gen eds, and elective classes. Remember that sometimes you can take classes that count for two requirements, so search carefully! Broden your horizons and take classes in departments you don't know about-you can surprise yourself! Keep your potential classes in your shopping cart and periodically check back to see if these classes are still available as the date to your enrollment appointment arrives. If you need tips on how to search for classes, check out this video!

4) Stay focused on the now
Don't get too distracted with your courses in the Spring that you forget about your Fall semester. Keep studying and stay warm! If you need help about what classes to choose, check out the Academic Advising Link in the library every Sunday-Thursday 4-8pm.