With another semester coming to an end, many students are beginning to plan for the next enrollment period which marks the beginning of a new semester. Even if you are not in college yet, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the college enrollment process.

Contrary to most high school systems, college students are expected to create their own academic plan, be aware of enrollment capacities, and be responsible for enrolling on time to avoid additional fees. Undergraduates receive four years (eight semesters) to fulfill all of the major and minor credit requirements for their respective university.

Some courses are only offered in the Fall or Spring so if you miss it, you must wait until the following year to enroll. With this in mind, and the fact that college can be costly, it is essential to be cognizant of the courses you register for.

DOs

*Speak to upperclassmen about which classes and professors they recommend

*Schedule a meeting with a college advisor each semester to make sure you are on track to graduate

*Try to plan out your schedule at least 2 semesters in advance (recognize that this prospective list of courses may change)

*Have a balanced schedule of difficult and easy courses

*Make sure to take an interesting class that fulfills a requirement!

*Consider a minor (only if you are already taking several courses that fulfill the requirements anyway)

*Utilize the add/drop period (typically the first few weeks) to drop a class if you feel you are not prepared

*Do take winter break/summer classes ONLY if they are not at an additional monetary cost (i.e. scholarship) OR if you need them to graduate and cannot fit it during the year

*Do recognize that summer semesters are faster paced

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DONTS

*Do NOT overload yourself with 18 credits every semester

*Do NOT take all your difficult courses in one term

*Do NOT sign up for classes without doing your research (instead make sure to ask your peers, search for the course syllabi, visit ratemyprofessors, informative reddit threads, etc.)

*Do NOT take a class solely because it’s an “Easy A” if you hate the topic- you will also hate doing work for the class and could end with a B. College is rigorous.