<p>Hey guys, so I'll be starting Spring semester at FSU. </p>
<p>My main concerns is that I've only got two out of the 5 classes I need to register for, currently there's no space what so ever in any of the other classes I need to take. </p>
<p>I'm a Psychology major, I'd like to take around 15 or 16 credits in the Spring. I've only got into 5 Credit hour classes.... </p>
<p>Also, do you think as a transfer student going straight into 15 credits a semester might be too much? I'm planning on doing some DIS research, be part of the FSU community by volunteering, be involved in activities around campus. </p>
<p>I don't want to get into academic problems at the end of the semester, though I'm use to taking 4 classes a semester [12 credits]. </p>
<p>Also a question about dorms, I noticed on the FSU calender I've got there are days when the residence hall are closed.. such as spring break, certain days etc... are we still allowed to stay in our dorms when the residence halls are closed? Or what exactly does that mean? </p>
<p>So I'm extremely excited to staring off at FSU this coming semester. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>You can show up to the classes you want on the day they first meet for classes, and you are supposed to get priority for any seats that open up due to registered people not showing up.
Just a heads up though that DIS for Psychology can be difficult to get into. My girlfriend is currently in one of the DIS labs, and she said it was a good amount of work to get into one- and she was proactive and everything. A roommate of mine is trying to get into DIS for next semester and had his interview a couple weeks ago.
I probably would not recommend it your first semester. You may not be able to get into it, either. </p></li>
<li><p>The 15 credits thing is up to you. I have been at FSU for 3 years and I have only once taken 15 or more credits- and I had two online classes so it wasn’t the end of the world. This semester I’m only taking 12, and next semester I likely will only take 13. </p></li>
<li><p>When dorms close, they close. During Spring Break especially, you have to be out of your dorm by noon of the Saturday before break. For Spring 2012, that means you have to leave by noon on March 3, and can’t come back into the dorms until noon, March 11.
The only exceptions to this that I know of in the dorms are McCollum, Ragans, and Rogers, which do not follow the standard housing rules.
I believe though that Spring Break and Winter Break are the only times when the dorms truly shut down. I may be wrong but I am pretty sure that they don’t close for Thanksgiving.</p></li>
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<p>Thanks for the reply Pasbal. Are we automatically given priority for classes as transfer students when someone drops the class? </p>
<p>And boy, I’m sure the DIS opportunities will be very competitive. I think you made a great point to not jump into it right away, but after I get use to things around campus. I have checked out the DIS options available and did check off which ones I’m really interested in, I think what I’ll do it get to know those professors conducting their research before I request to get in. : ) </p>
<p>I see, I’m rethinking my 15 credits as well, I think I’ll go with the 12 credits for starters and move from there. I do want to take advantage of the international Psychology program they offer in England over the summer semester, that’ll give me about 6 credits, have you study abroad with FSU as of yet Pasbal? </p>
<p>It sucks that you get kicked out when the dorms close X_x’ what happens to those students who cannot go anywhere when the dorms are closed? I honestly wasn’t thinking of going home during spring breaks, but I guess now you’re kinda forced. </p>
<p>What about summer classes? Are the dorms open for students who take summer classes? And as i’m aware summer classes have a two week gap between fall semester, what happens during those two weeks? Do students have to find a place for those two weeks? I take it that being on campus is a bit more complex than living off-campus?</p>
<p>I don’t think transfer students are given priority at all. Once a class drops those that don’t attend the first day, and they add those that showed up but weren’t registered, the open seats are available for the general population, and it’s first one to register gets the spots. Some classes may not get extra spots- one I am in this semester had 28 seats but nearly 40 people are in the class. </p>
<p>I haven’t studied abroad, but I also haven’t ever really been interested in it. </p>
<p>I would guess that if you cannot move out of the dorms, they are willing to make exceptions in rare cases if you can prove everything- but it’s important to realize that the campus does shut down during those breaks. </p>
<p>Dorms are open during the summer, although the ones that are open are limited. You also have to apply separately for that semester. And when the campus closes between those two semesters, everyone has to be out. You can store some stuff if you are staying on campus, but that’s it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info guys, very helpful indeed! </p>
<p>Now about this class schedule issue I’m having, are you suggesting that I physically go to the class I want to attend without being registered, find a seat, sit in it, and then should a student not appear I’ll have a chance to be in that class? </p>
<p>That part is a bit confusing to me lol, cause it doesn’t seem right. I do understand the not showing up first day for class you get dropped part, are you saying even though I want a spot in the class and haven’t registered for it, I should physically be in that class the first day? </p>
<p>If that’s the case, do you have to approach the professor to let them know who you are? Why you’re there? etc…? </p>
<p>Yes, that’s pretty much what I am suggesting. It allows you to typically get priority for any spots that end up opening up because someone was a no-show. </p>
<p>Typically the professor will take attendance and then ask if there’s anyone they didn’t call. If there was a few people that weren’t called, that’s when you raise you hand, and if they ask, just say you weren’t registered and were trying to get a seat. Typically they’ll run through the spiel of how to register and all that- typically by going to the department registrar before they do the drops, so that you can get a seat before it opens to the public.</p>
<p>Though, Pasbal, I think I’d feel terrible if I take someone’s seat on the first day, and they ended up standing in class or sitting in the corners of the classroom. Do that typically happen? one of the classes I’m trying to get into is Intro to Applied Statistics, it’s a 60 seat class.</p>
<p>If my stat class was any indication, there will likely be people that do not know up. I also remember that in OSB there were more than 60 seats, I’m sure. </p>
<p>If you are able, try and get a class with Gretchen Rivera as the professor. She’s from I believe Puerto Rico and has a bit of an accent, but she is an excellent professor (I guess that’s why she’s been teaching that class now for about 4 semesters) and really does everything to make sure you succeed. Plus, she ain’t hard to look at, if you know what I mean ;).</p>
<p>But that’s pretty much what FSU students get told: If you want a class when it’s full, show up to the first meeting.</p>
<p>I noticed Rivera, Gretchen L is teaching STATS, her classes are obviously filled up lol, 40 seats each. </p>
<p>Pasbal, would you suggest e-mailing the professor of interest letting him/her know you’re interested in their class and you’d be there the first day even though it’s filled? </p>
<p>And boy, thank you very much for the tip! lol.</p>
<p>Also, keep checking. My son was unable to get into a class he needed next semester but kept checking and actually found one spot open one time…quickly signed up and he’s in.</p>
<p>admittedly he was lucky…there was only one spot but he snagged it. He is in a per-requisite course now and found it after the results came out for the second test of the semester in it…perhaps someone realized they weren’t cut out for the major…</p>
<p>Yeah, sometimes persistence can pay off. For me, I found out last week that a class I was going to take in the Spring had a pre-req that I hadn’t taken (and this was only added AFTER I had registered), so I needed to find a different class. The one I decided was my first choice was taken, so I stalked it a bit and just so happened to find an open seat in it about 3 minutes ago. :D</p>
<p>Emailing the professor to say you are interested and will be there the first day… I’ve never done it, but that would be a pretty good idea, I think. It lets them know that you are proactive and likely responsible, and can give a decent first impression. And who knows, on the off chance that everyone shows up, you might even be lucky enough to where the professor will add you anyway.</p>
<p>I do have one question though, how long does students take usually to get from one building to another? </p>
<p>Reason being I have two instances where my classes are within15 mins of each other. </p>
<p>My Statistics class for example is in building OSB and starts at 9:05 - 9:55am, after that is my Research Methods class which is in the Psychology bulding [PDB] from 10:10-11:00am. Think I’ll have enough time to get to the next class?</p>
<p>[ I got a spot in professor Radha Bose for stats class, have you heard good stuff about her? ] </p>
<p>I’ve got 8 credits registered for so far, I’m trying to get into this other one class. : ) I’ll keep looking! </p>
one of the classes I’m trying to get into is Intro to Applied Statistics, it’s a 60 seat class.</p>
I’m a psych major, there seems to be a lot of us haha…</p>