The beginning of a new semester is an extremely stressful time for many students. Choosing what classes to take in high school was easy, but in college, there are hundreds, even thousands, of classes to choose from. Instead of the usual block schedule of classes from morning until afternoon, in college, you are given the freedom to pick and choose the time of each class. With such a wide range of classes and class times, one would think registering for college classes would be quick and simple. Unfortunately, there are several obstacles that interfere with the registration process. The past two times I have registered for classes, I have encountered such obstacles and have not been able to get every class at the time I wanted. The main reasons were: 1) I am a freshman; 2) I am not an athlete; and 3) By the time I am able to register for classes, many of the classes I planned on taking are either closed or full. Staying on top of the registration process by planning ahead will help reduce some of the stress.
First, students should figure out the registration date to sign up for classes at Northwood University. This date is assigned by the Academic Advisors in the Church Building. All students are assigned a specific time and date to register online via my.northwood.edu. Time assignments are given according to seniority with upper classman receiving an earlier registration opportunity. Student athletes and students in Northwood’s honor program also reap the benefit of an early registration. Since freshmen pick their classes last, by the time they are allowed to register, they face the challenge of finding the necessary classes to support their degree major.
Registering for classes as soon as possible is very important. Students should make a point to plan ahead, organize, and save a course schedule on Web Advisor. Once the registration date arrives, students can try to register for classes online. The next step to registering for classes at Northwood University is to log on to Web Advisor and click “Register for Saved Sections.” Sounds easy enough, right?
It’s kind of like winning the class registration lottery when a student is lucky enough to get all his/her class selections the first time around. My past experiences in class registration have not gone smoothly. I have had to make numerous trips from the Church Building back to my dorm on registration day because of different issues with Academic Advisors – my high school transcripts not transferring, not having the necessary prerequisites for classes, and finding that all of the classes I need to take are closed. The only response received from the Academic Advisors is that I would need to choose among the “leftover” classes.
I take my studies seriously and have always prided myself in being organized and prepared. The class registration process forces students to acclimate to the uncertainty of class availability. My patience has been challenged more than once during class registration. Although I believe this process is more complicated than it should be, I have learned to take the challenge in stride as I do any other difficult situation. I’ve been told it is just another character-building lesson in life, a lesson in patience and learning to expect and accept a few bumps in the road.