Editorial
Course registration requires preparation
October 23, 2008
It’s that time of year again-the middle of the semester, when students are just getting settled into their classes, bracing themselves for midterm exams and perhaps enjoying the approaching autumn as it paints the campus. It is also that time of year when the word ‘Registration” creeps onto the scene. However, registration is not something students should forget about until the last minute.
Preparing for it ahead of time can help prevent problems further along in their academic careers.
Students should prepare for the meeting with their advisor ahead of time and not expect their advisor to do all the work for them. The advisors are there to do just that - advise, not to tell you exactly what courses to take and when to take them.
Be proactive, print out your DAR and highlight all the classes that are still required. Sit down and plan out your next couple semesters. Without doing this it can be too easy to fall into the trap of having one left to graduate, and not having it offered the semester when you need it. Find out what classes are offered, and when.
Liberal Arts and General Education requirements call for special preparations. The UWRF Web site offers a full course catalog at www.uwrf.edu/ogs/registrar/courses2.php that gives course times, professors and descriptions. Utilize such resources to find out which classes you need to graduate. By doing a little pre-planning students can better enroll in the classes that really interest them rather than taking classes just because they fit in their schedule.
If you come up with questions along the way, bring them to your advisor. They too have an obligation to know what is going on during the registration season. Be honest with your advisor. Let them know if you are falling behind in your current classes so that they can help work through it.
They should have an overall knowledge of the catalog, know how to interpret the DARs and know the best ways to get students graduated within the four-year time frame. They should be checking the student’s selections to make sure that they are in-line with the pre-planned graduation requirements for the degree. They are not there to be a PIN vending machine for students.
With a little planning by both parties the stress of registration-week can be greatly reduced.
So take the time, do the research, and know that you are making the right choices.