<p>Many colleges have summer orientations at which incoming freshmen meet with advisors and register for classes. How exactly is this done? I know S will meet with an advisor, look over his transcript, proposed major, what gen ed requirements he needs to take-- but do they have the actual class schedule at hand, with all the courses offered, teachers, and timings? When S leaves that meeting, will he be officially registered for his classes, or is this something he has to do on the web later? In other words, is this a mutual project with input from the advisor? If a class is full, for example, will the advisor suggest another one? </p>
<p>S, the consummate analyst, is worried that he won't have time to research the teacher's reputations on the various "Rate My Professor" sites. I told him that sometimes you just have to plug in a course which fits in the time slot and take your chances.</p>
<p>If your S or D is now a freshman, I'd like to hear how his/her school handled this.</p>
<p>All schools are different. At my son's LAC, yes, the kids and advisor had the actual schedule in hand. And no, at this LAC, leaving the prof's office did NOT mean you were registered. You had to turn in the cards elsewhere (another building, not online - again, different for different schools).</p>
<p>Be careful of "ratemyprofessors.com" - my son did not find it wholly accurate. Sometimes a few kids who get bad grades are the only ones to submit a rating, and it could skew things.</p>
<p>Son had no problem with "class is full," as profs let him register anyway, assuming there would be drops - and there were.</p>
<p>At my D's school, they met with their advisors just to discuss a general plan. The students then attend classes that they think they might want to take during the "shopping period", which I think is just a week, before they actually register for classes.
A lot depends on the size of the school and perhaps if it's public or private. Obviously the large publics can't cater to the students to the degree of a small private, but even the big publics usually have a period where you can drop a course without penalty if it isn't working for you. Freshman often have to just take their chances, but by second semester students will have better inside information. I'd tell him not to worry!</p>
<p>It is different at different colleges.<br>
From my experience, at freshman orientation, the advisor ought to have some information regarding the student's proposed major (which may have changed since the student matriculated), college level courses taken elsewhere, and other similar information. Then the advisor discusses the general education requirements( though not the requirements of the major) and suggests possible courses to take in the fall term (for example, English comp, a freshman seminar, etc...) and discourages the student from taking too heavily a course load (too many readings, too many papers) and dispenses general advice (look at exam schedule, course requirements, avoid having to turn in several papers on the same days, etc...). </p>
<p>Generally, it is up to the student to register for the courses whether on line or in hard copy, and to get the necessary permissions and signatures.</p>
<p>While faculty are loath to comment on colleagues or difficulty of a course ("this is a gut course") I second voronwe's caution about using ratemyprofessors.com. The comments, both good and bad, are not at all representative of students' opinions. Some colleges publicize students' evaluations of the courses they took and of the profs. These are more useful.</p>
<p>My DD was accepted into her college's honors program - she received info before registration about the honors classes offered and was asked to specify 2-3 courses prior to registration - for which the honors college did pre-register her for. Being an honors candidate - she was also asked to attend the honors orientation - which is one of the 1st ones offered to all incoming freshman - one of the percs for many honors programs is early registration - another was the ability to get into closed classes also - which was helpful - because the honors program could override some of the registration process.</p>
<p>At her orientation - she received her initial class registration with 2 honors classes already on it - and then met with the department advisor for the major she was interested in - some schools have all freshman advised by general college advisors - in her case - she had called and requested an advisor in the college she would be doing her major in - and they said YES - so they together completed the registration process - on his computer - and she left the office with her class list in hand - it was also posted on the college site - so she had access to it at all times - which allowed her to change a class also before registration ended.</p>
<p>There actually was one problem getting into one of the classes she needed - - it was gen ed required math and she was told to wait until a certain date - this was the date when all financial matters had to be completed by or the students registration would be dropped and alot of classes would open up - on this date - late in the day the opened courses were available on-line and she was able to access this and get into the needed class.</p>
<p>Every school has a different process - some schools even have a process that does not allow choice - all freshman are pre-assigned a schedule for the 1st semester. The best advice is to pre-evaluate the courses one would like to take - including the profs offered - and yes - you can take a look at ratemyprofessor - sometimes the evals are right on trac - but to go to registration with some clue of the possibilities that will be available to you.</p>
<p>Jeepmom, thanks for the thought about the Honors College courses. We'll know next month if he's invited to the Honors College-- considering he was given a huge merit award, I can't see why he wouldn't be.</p>
<p>Re closed out classes. At my sons university, like most others now, registration is done on line, with enrollments kept in real time. If a student is closed out of a class or section, and if waiting lists are not kept on line, a student schould regualrly check in to see if a seat has opened up. This happened to my son. He wanted to take a Philosophy course called Methods of Reasoning. Because he was a frosh, he was not able to register until upperclass students had been given an opportunity to register.</p>
<p>He has used the Rate My Professor web site but has found more reilable info from upperclassmen he now knows.</p>
<p>He was disappointed but checked in every few days during semester break. On day a seat had opened up and he grabbed it fast. He had to rejigger a few other courses to fit it in but that was no problem either.</p>
<p>The program varies from college to college, so you can't really generalize. At the UC schools in CA, for instance, you are actually enrolled when you leave orientation. Frosh are signing up before all the other students, so the classes are wide open and they will get their 1st class choices. For smaller discussion sections (10-20 students with a TA) they have a few slots available at each orientation session so all the most popular times don't go to those at the 1st orientation session.</p>
<p>However at UCs you don't meet with an advisor. You go to general talks given by counselors that review all the requirements to graduate, and gives suggestions for frosh to take. Its pretty simple, really. They recommend only taking 12 units. If you're science or engineering, they'll plop you into calculus, physics, chem (unless you place out of them). For the rest of students, its more or less pick what you want. The person who "advises" you in a small group is a sophomore or junior working at orientation that summer, and they can answer many questions. If you have very detailed questions or an unusual situation, well, welcome to UC! (eg. you're largely on your own, and if you have enough initiative you'll work until you find the person who has the answer, otherwise you're up the proverbial creek).</p>
<p>In our college, students schedules were prepared in advance of freshmen orientation by the registrar's office, taking into account AP/college credits, major and core requirements. Changes could be made as needed during add/drop period, online. After this first prepared schedule, all students would follow pre-registration for remaining semesters like any other student.</p>
<p>But most freshmen are usually taking an ENG, a foreign Lang and a Math (2 semester long core requirements) and two other courses based on major or possible major (i.e. the undecided kids) or the gen. ed core. Many, many sections of these courses would be available - so the main options considered if a student wants to change a schedule would be times of day & maybe professor.</p>
<p>Hard to generalize. At UIUC, the summer orientation session is two days and they go through numerous sessions explaining the university systems (dorms, food, safety, medical, buses, registration, billing, etc.), how to prepare a course schedule, recommended first semester courses depending on major (daughter was there for engineering), grading (told not to expect professors in engineering, math or science to use any curve), and a trial run through registration.Then on afternoon of second day, you register by actually sitting down in front of a computer and choosing classes (for many this was a trying time because they discovered that a lot of the classes at times they wanted had a big "C" next to them in the computer meaning closed; for daughter, she got everything she wanted when she wanted). At the time, most of the courses did not yet have the designated professor so you can check on rep. The advice of a counselor on that: just remember that drop and add during the first week of courses is a very busy and popular activity.</p>
<p>Upper class registration is held usually during the spring - so they are already done by the time new freshman go to orientation or even start the registration process. There are usually some restrictions on what a freshman is able to register for also - like upper level courses or ones that have pre-reqs required. </p>
<p>Many schools also have placement procedures in place - especially for math, chemistry and languages - these may have placement tests taken during orientation and registration into these are subject to the results - or the school may use SAT scores for placement - example - into math courses.</p>
<p>All this info should be avail - usually on line - or in the paper catalog - or in a packet sent to the student prior to registration - again - all schools have different processes in place - be knowledgable about the process and it will not be so bad.</p>
<p>A tip to get into a closed class - personally - face to face - seek out and ask the prof if you can be in the class - many times you find the answer is yes - or 'come to the first class' type of thing - believe me - it can make a huge difference.</p>
<p>It does depend on the college. One warning, if your freshman is going to a large state U, the sooner he can register, the better. My friend's son did not register till the very end as he is the sort that looks at the deadlines as when he should do something. Well, right then and there he lost his ability to graduate in 4 years without taking summer classes.</p>
<p>S#2 had that problem at a CSU. Because he had 8 credits from a junior college, he was admitted as a transfer student. (These were not 8 credits taken while he was in HS, but about a year later) So although he went to the summer freshman orientation, he was not allowed to register until after ALL the classes had done so. He had to take Freshman Composition in the evenings.</p>
<p>not to steer to far from the original topic, but here's a tip for getting into closed classes since many frosh are stunned when they don't get all the classes they want/need. This worked for me at a large state U. </p>
<p>If the class & waiting list are full, go to class anyway. The prof often asks people on the waiting list to sign in to show they were there, and will drop those who aren't there. So sign in. Next class the prof will announce that only X number of students can be admitted, expresses regret to the rest. A few kids get add slips, the rest go away disappointed. No problem. </p>
<p>Now for the key. Go to the next class meeting, get there early, meet the prof at the door before class. Before is important. Explain why you want/need the class, and ask if you can be admitted even though you didn't make it thru the waiting list. If the class is large enough, 1 more body will be ok. But the prof is wily and will want to ask in class if any other students are also trying to crash the class, so this is why you make your plea before class starts. </p>
<p>Since at the last meeting the prof announced nobody else is getting in, odds are pretty good you'll be the only one persistent enough to still show up. And you're in!</p>
<p>As a general note, persistence and and a somewhat thick skin are essential skills for prospering at the large state U ...</p>
<p>Agreed, Mikemac. And that is why friends of our who were the staunchest advocates for the large, but excellent State U realized that their second child should not go there. They put him in a liberal arts college instead where he had a prayer of a chance of getting out in 5 years. They knew even 4 was wishful thinking. At State U, he would be there forever.</p>
<p>Kinshasa...when your son leaves his orientation session (at the same school MY son goes to) he will have a number of things in his hip pocket. Yes...he will be able to look at the course offerings in a paper format. He will know what is available and what he has to take. ALL registration for classes is done online. If he's lucky, he will be able to complete this process while he's at orientation. If not, he will know how to do so once he gets home (and he'll have all the necessary computer access info to do so). My son's experience was that he registered for everything but his writing course (a freshman requirement for EVERYONE). He ended up doing that one at home and it did take him some time to find something that was open and at a time that fit his required music courses (unlike some majors, the music kids are given a schedule that has their required courses already blocked off on it...no choices there. They have to fit their liberal arts courses around the required music courses. In DS's case this meant "picking" two courses...writing and one other liberal arts requirement). Of course this was two years ago, but I doubt that it has changed significantly. Email me if you have any other questions.</p>
<p>I'd like to add that these tactics for getting into closed classes are often useful for LACs, too. Departments are small, there may be only one section of each class, and classes are not offered every semester. My D's senior year, there were several profs out on leave from her department, and a couple classes she wanted were offered at the same time, so she needed to make other plans. The only open alternative was a class of a lower level in an area she had already studied. This seemed to her a waste of time, but her advisor and the department chair urged her to take it. </p>
<p>Instead, she camped in a class which was closed and which she hadn't made the waitlist for. She attended every class, did all the work, participated heavily, wrote very long, detailed, informed emails to the prof demonstrating why the subject was very meaningful to her, and even promised to bring a chair every day. She got in.</p>
<p>No advice on the specifics of advising and registration because every school is different.</p>
<p>I would offer some general advice. Sometime in the summer, spend some time with your son writing down five or six potential majors. These don't have to be serious commitments, but rather departments that strike at least some mild interest.</p>
<p>Then, read the requirements and pre-reqs for each of those majors in the course catalog. Will any AP credits transfer? Will he place into advanced courses? What courses are required to major and how many have to be taken freshman year, etc. </p>
<p>The pragmatic reason for this excercise is that it allows a student to preserve as many options as possible. Truth is, he probably has no idea what he will ultimately major in. But, a year from now, it would be better to have preserved options in five departments rather than two departments.</p>
<p>A more important benefit is that this excercise gets a student to start focusing on the courses offered in each department -- confirming an interest or maybe spying something that he had never thought of. It can also be a springboard for open-ended informational discussions between parents and kids about the real-world of college and career avenues -- i.e. in many career paths, it doesn't matter what you major in.</p>
<p>One final piece of advice, have a list of backup courses in mind before registration. Getting shut out of at least one first choice is a nearly universal experience at schools that limit class sizes. If you have a list of eight to twelve courses you want to take at some point, you just substitute one for another and take the original course second semester.</p>
<p>I also recommend getting a hard copy of the college catalogue. I find it easier to get a handle on some things if I have the whole book from beginning to end instead of surfing the web where you don't necessarily have the sequencing. By browsing through that, the parent can get a good idea of the courses offered and the requirements. Some schools sell the catalogue, and it is definitely worth the $5-10 it may cost.</p>
<p>Our son's LAC sent a booklet with all the freshman seminars (required) in May and you were to rank ten. Many times your academic advisor teaches your seminar if you have selected courses in your area of interest. (No declaration of major until after you finish your core)They also sent a list of "core" classes of which you picked one from each area, listing some alternates beneath. If your July AP scores changed anything, they moved your alternate into the slot. This was designed to keep students from signing up for all lab courses for instance, or all writing classes; and also to move them through the core requirements. During orientation they gave out the schedules.</p>