My son will be an Econ major & we just met with an Econ advisor this week on our campus visit who advised my son to pick as early of an NSC as he possibly could. Then, we spoke to the NSC department who assured us that they open slots for each NSC, and don’t worry about a late one.
We are out-of-state (in Michigan), and his 2 options right now are August 20 and June 20.
Aug 20 allows us to buy 1 set of airline tickets for NSC + Fish Camp + moving in.
June 20 requires changing airline tickets from another trip he’s taking + adding one for me, etc. Lots of logistics and expense.
My son, understandably, wants to go on June 20.
I read here that they do continue to open spots w/ each NSC, but any other advice on this? Will Aug 20 be the worst for scheduling classes?
I want to take him earlier, but it’s not ideal…Is it worth the money and trouble to save the heartache in August and the full semester following?
Thank you!
@CMR1997 Open registration closes for existing students near the end of May until 8/2 to give freshman at NSC’s an opportunity to get classes. That means all slots held over the summer to open at various NSC’s will have mostly if not entirely been opened by 8/2. If you wait until the 8/20 NSC you will be competing with every student for any slot open and have the least amount of availability in any course. Also, they only hold spots over the summer for courses that are traditional freshman courses. If your student uses AP credit and wants a higher level course those will likely have very few options if any in August. By August typically the teachers are assigned and when open register begins again students swap courses to get ideal teachers and times; by August 20 what is left over will be the least ideal times and teachers. Lastly Core courses are needed by all students so even though they do hold some of those over the summer for freshman NSC’s by 8/20 very few spots will be left in those. I would definitely get the June spot before it’s gone.
@CMR1997 our NSC is July 15. I asked the Mays advisor specifically if we should try to get an earlier date, and they assured me spots open up for every NSC, keep our July session.
It sure seems most logical to keep the August 20 spot/move-in. Maybe @Thelma2 can advise? But, the response above changes everything, if August 20 is basically open to the whole campus.
Our session is July 9th. We were advised that this is a good time because AP scores will be in, allowing him to not take classes that he mmay AP out of. Just a thought if your child is taking AP exmas this month!
@52AG82 @CMR1997 Here is the registrar’s link for the open registration schedules. Just expand the one on Fall 2019. July is fine but I wouldn’t keep an NSC after registration reopens to the whole campus 8/2.
http://registrar.tamu.edu/Courses,-Registration,-Scheduling/Registration-Schedule/Undergraduate-Registration-Schedules#1-OpenRegistration(April22%2C2019)
@pbleigh good to know…thanks!
@CMR1997 , Those early NSC dates pop open sporadically and then go quickly on the site. You just have to keep checking and grab it immediately…I was trying to move our date up and finally got the date I wanted. Even the May dates came open a couple of times.
I don’t know that it matters too much if you have an early NSC. They open new spots in the classes for each NSC and it is the same scramble for those open seats at each one. Everyone is at a computer att he beginning of the time slot and frantically try to get their schedule put together as fast as they can before the classes are full. My son found it very stressful but don’t think it would have been much different at any of the other NSCs. In the end, he got what he wanted.
@Thelma2 , thanks for the reply.
Agree @rosegeo nsc dates don’t matter too much. Classes open up all the time. Students will get the classes they need but maybe not the time they want.
@AggieMomhelp @Thelma2 and anyone else: My son is in the first NSC next week. Have professors been assigned to their classes as this point? Will the professors be known at the NSC?
@AggieMomhelp @Thelma2 How does class registration work with TEAB or Blinn Team students? Do they register for both at the same time or is one before the other?
TEAB students will register for both their A&M classes and their Rellis Classes at the same time. Last year they assigned tracks for the TEAB students so it basically pushed them in the Rellis classes they needed for their engineering classes. It was super easy for my son to register. The only down fall you do not get a choice of your track. Be ready with several options for your core class you will take at A&M in addition to the 2 hour Engineering Class at A&M. Again, be prepared for the MPE. It can put your Aggie a semester behind if they are not placed in Calc I.
@camandcam Most profs have been assigned by now, but there are always those closes that are still TBD. My son’s history class for the fall is still TBD… It makes it hard to research before hand, I know… You should be able to class search now through Howdy to see what’s listed. Have y’all done that? It’s under My record tab. Class search… select term and start playing with it. He’ll need to have an idea on what and who he wants. Registrars page will list grades for prior semesters (wealth of info). Let me know if you need help!
@AggieMomhelp , thanks! Where is the registrar’s page?
http://web-as.tamu.edu/gradereport/
You’ll see grade disttubutio. . Then select term then college. It pulls up a pdf. Scroll though it til you find the course number and prof.
For instance Econ in under liberal arts
Math under science
Business under business
Etc
@Thelma2 , where is the Howdy schedule builder? Thanks
@CamandCam I have called my son to ask and left a VM. I’ll let you know when he calls or texts me back.
My son used the Free College Schedule Builder. The Howdy one may be after he actually registers the first time.
I copied this from the PDF from my son’s NSC that was online for finding courses
Under the registration tab and click on search class schedule.
Select the Term and click “Submit”
Select subject to search for a course
Find the course number and click “View Sections”
All sections for this course are displayed. Select the section with the day, time, and/or professor preference. Pay attention to column details.
Course Registration Number (CRN) Section number – 2XX are for honors students only Restrictions/Details – check for major specific sections of PHYS and some UCCs Remaining Seats Common Exam Times – Math and Physics have common exams
Write down the CRNs for the course sections you want
Entering CRNs on the registration page is the FASTEST way to get registered for classes at NSC
When they go into register, all they have to do is plug in the CRN numbers into the system.
@Thelma2 , is the registration tab that you mentioned above in Howdy > My Record? I think I’m in the right place. And where do you see the restrictions/details? I don’t see any professors listed under the Instructor column. Thanks
Yes. And sometimes the restrictions are highlighted in blue under the name of course.