Take advantage of the Add/Drop period

The spring Add/Drop period ends Monday, February 2nd at 10pm. Just because you have two weeks to play with your schedule doesn't mean you should be making drastic changes at the tail end. Here are a few advising tips for a successful start to your semester:

• Check your schedule on SPIRE. Now check it again. You are accountable for any course you are registered for on SPIRE whether you attend it or not. Make sure your SPIRE schedule matches your expectations.

• Look through all your syllabi as soon as you get them. What's your workload look like? Are your reading lists, papers, tests, etc. manageable? If not, don't wait too long to talk to an advisor about changes. Advising offices are usually very busy during the Add/Drop period--plan ahead for a timely appointment.

• Make sure you maintain at least 12 credits at all times, even while making changes to your schedule. Twelve credits is the minimum you need to be full-time. Falling below that could have financial aid, insurance, and/or housing ramifications. As you make changes to your schedule use the SWAP and EDIT functions on SPIRE--never DROP unless you plan to permanently delete a class and the corresponding credits for that class. Remember, swap don't drop; edit, don't sweat it!

• Attend any class you are thinking about adding. If it's full, arrive at the first class meeting early and speak to the professor to see if he/she is offering overrides. If they are not, add the course to your Shopping Cart and check regularly for a seat to open. In the meantime, keep attending the class so you aren't behind if and when you do get a seat.

Got questions? Undergraduate Advising Peer Advisors are available at the Academic Advising Link in the Learning Commons to help all students (regardless of major or class year).