<p>so im just browsing through my SIS account and there's an option to submit an enrollment request for classes...can i sign up before summer orientation even starts?</p>
<p>I’m actually wondering the exact same thing. I already have a list of the courses I would like to sign up for.</p>
<p>No… You can sign up during and after summer orientation.</p>
<p>And by “After” we mean in August once registration is re-opened.</p>
<p>If you google “Lou’s list” and UVa, you will see lists of available classes for fall 2011. That information shows you the maximum size of the class, the prof, the times, and the number of remaining slots. Older students have already registered, and some classes are already full. If you hold you mouse over the title, a summary of the course comes up. </p>
<p>I’d recommend spending some time on that site before you arrive for orientation, as well as researching the profs on ratemyprofessors.com. I’d make a list of about 15 classes in which you are interested, so you can narrow it down to 5 at orientation.</p>
<p>I think you get your UVa email account before orientation – if so, use [url=<a href=“http://thecourseforum.com/]theCourseForum[/url”>http://thecourseforum.com/]theCourseForum[/url</a>] to check out professors, rather than RateMyProf. It’s UVa-only and almost everyone here uses it.</p>
<p>Speaking of our UVA email account, does anyone know how to get the password for it? I set it up, but now can’t log in.</p>
<p>Your UVa account does not become ‘live’ until after you attend orientation. At that point you can change your password with the code IT provides (which you need for the time you are at UVa) to whatever you want it to be as long as it is within the perimeters of IT. ie upper case, lower case, punctuation mark, etc. Hence, you cannot access thecourseforum until after orientation.</p>
<p>I posted for you UVAorBust I know you know what I mean by this one.</p>
<p>Couple of suggestions – before arriving for orientation, definitely look over the course info on SIS, Lou’s List, and the Course Forum. Also look at the home page for your possible major department, as many departments list the specific classes being taught in the coming semester, link you to the bio of the professor, and often link the course syllabus. I think you get your UVa email, required for access to Course Forum, when you take the UVa computing test required to sign up for Orientation. The class sizes shown on Lou’s List for classes First Years often take maybe deflated, since seats are added to those classes for first year registration. </p>
<p>Come to Orientation with a list of possible classes. You can even set them up in your enrollment requests on SIS, you just can’t actually register for them before your enrollment time at Orientation. You will likely be rushed through your actual enrollment appointment, so the more prepared you are going in, the better off you will be. </p>
<p>You will get your enrollment appointment time when you arrive for orientation. Earlier is better, as the seats opened for that orientation session will begin to fill with each registration before yours. So have a number of back-up classes picked out ahead of time!</p>
<p>Don’t be afraid of the wait list. If there is a class you are interested in and it is listed as full with a wait list, get on it! There is A LOT of movement before classes start and even during the two week drop/add. If you are an early riser, you may be in luck as early classes tend to fill last.</p>
<p>Don’t overlook USEM classes. These are 2 or 3 credit seminar courses, usually taught by full professors, to small groups of primarily first year students. There are a variety of topics offered each Fall (and maybe Spring, too). See [UVa</a> Class Schedule - Search Results - Fall 2011 (Unofficial, Lou’s List)](<a href=“http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/mySIS/CS2/page.php?Semester=1118&Type=Search]UVa”>http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/mySIS/CS2/page.php?Semester=1118&Type=Search) for info. There are only a couple seats in each opened for each Orientation session, but many students are unaware of them. Another somewhat hidden gem is College Advising Seminars. These are one credit courses, and I see for Fall at least one is being taught by an Association Dean. They are described here: [UVa</a> Class Schedule - Search Results - Fall 2011 (Unofficial, Lou’s List)](<a href=“http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/mySIS/CS2/page.php?Semester=1118&Type=Search]UVa”>http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/mySIS/CS2/page.php?Semester=1118&Type=Search)
Both are good ways to make a connection to professors/administrators early in one’s UVa career.</p>
<p>FYI – to access Course Forum you just need your UVa email address. I am pretty sure you can get into CF with that address, even if you can’t actually access your email account until orientation.</p>
<p>I believe you do need access to your UVA email…I still have the ‘Welcome’ email requesting me to click on an enclosed link to activate my account.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s changed. I am pretty sure my son saw CF before orientation, as he had some info on professors before registering.</p>
<p>Also, re the links to Lou’s List above, the page of USEM and COLA courses didn’t copy correctly, but both lists are contained within the listing of “all classes” in the link. Just scroll to COLA and USEM, which appear alphabetically in the link.</p>
<p>Woosah, you’re too nice to me :). Thanks again</p>
<p>The maximum number of spots for each class is not accurate yet. They release spots throughout the summer so that everyone has a fair chance of enrolling at their summer orientation. So don’t be put off if some classes seem small or appear full; this will change as the summer progresses.</p>
<p>FYI: I have read that the date of your orientation session will not affect your ability to enroll in classes. They keep a certain percentage of open class seats reserved for each orientation session.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for the great info.</p>
<p>It is great that there is a student run course evaluation system. Back when I was at UVa (in the age of computer punch cards), I was one of many volunteers who summarized course evaluations that were printed in a book that was available for students.</p>
<p>I am wondering a lot about this. I am a transfer student majoring in math. I’ve glanced through several semesters of math classes I will need to take in SIS and in the past most seem full to capacity, overloaded, or have waitlists. This makes me nervous. Transferring as Junior, to finish the curriculum in time I need to be able to get into these classes. The one math class I need for the fall is about half full now, so I am hoping beyond all hope there will be seats left by transfer orientation time. Constantly full to overloaded classes do concern me though.</p>
<p>Hello guys, I would like to confirm what AVA55 said.</p>
<p>I am an incoming first year and I just registered on the Course Forum site. I am currently looking at reviews. Just go to the Sign Up page and submit your UVa email address and a made-up password. They’ll send you a confirmation email short afterwards. Once you receive it, click on the link in the email and you’ll be ready to look at the student reviews.</p>
<p>I’m so glad I found this! It looks more reliable than ratemyprofessor.com!</p>
<p>There’s a fairly new commercial website out there at [Professor</a> ratings, average GPA, class schedule & degree tools | MyEdu](<a href=“http://www.myedu.com%5DProfessor”>http://www.myedu.com).</p>
<p>It has some grade distributions I have never seen before – I don’t know where the source of the info comes from, so who knows how accurate it is. It’s not easy to input classes, but supposedly you can optimize classes by time, highest rated instructors, and by GPA.</p>