Why do I feel like we are about to enter the Hunger Games? The whole course registration process sounds daunting!
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@tmclanton i have never done any of this with my student. They are the student/adult, it is their job. But yes, Hunger Games is right. Dorm selection welcomes you to Aggieland quickly😂
‘Snooze you loose’ becomes very real, in every aspect of A&M.
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I wish my child were that independent. My huge issue is that he will normally get Priority Registration due to his disability. However, they do not allow for Priority Registration the first semester since you have to go through NSC. So, the service he really needs, he can’t get when it is most stressful (first time). I know it will all work out… I just need to trust the system.
@tmclanton As @52AG82 mentioned, his kid and the advisor handled it all. This absolutely works for the majority of students and most don’t even realize when an advisor tosses in the occasionally chump course just to fill a gap.
I toy around with this stuff, because I’m a nerd, but my kids do it all themselves. One of my kids created 12 schedules, nerd. But this last kid of mine will probably lean on the advisor simply out of laziness.
@tmclanton no one gets Priority as an incoming freshman-they all register during NSC. Our NSC wasn’t until mid July, next to last-we chose that time. My student got every class, not necessarily the time, but got every class.
Your son needs to take advantage of having a disability (not sure if he gets a special advisor, or what?), but he needs to take full advantage.
Mays advisors are known to be very solid.
Don’t stress about this.
I am a nerd, OCD and planner… I can totally see myself doing several schedules.
(I may or may not have already spent hours planning out all of his courses for his 4 years… then stopped when I realized I was taking it too far!)
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@MackAg to be honest, I wouldn’t know how to do any of what you mentioned! When I was in college, we stood in line for HOURS with a course catalog, and when you finally got called to a desk to register, if a class was full, you went back to the end of the line. I’m old & not techy. I’m in awe of your nerd skills!
Wish A&M would hire YOU to replace many of the dud advisors.
I keep hearing great things about Mays advisors. He does have a specialist in the disability support office that is working with him. I was just really surprised that the priority registration does not happen the first semester. As a ADA/504 specialist, I will say it seems like an ADA complaint waiting to happen.
@tmclanton new seats open up for every NSC, so it really is an even playing field. Unless you wait until the August NSC, seats will be open.
And then there’s a week of Open Registration where all students can attempt to switch classes.
Many will swear that having the 1st NSC is the best. NOT TRUE! In fact, in 2019, the whole system crashed during the 1st NSC, it was a mess.
We had to call in on dial phones. I was in my apartment, mom at her house 500 miles away, brother in Alabama, and grandmother in Houston. First one that got in used a predesigned schedule to enter in the classes, if you didn’t get disconnected. Some of my schedules were terrible!!
I LOVE doing degree plans. I make it my side hustle for no money lol.
I definitely use grade distribution AND rate my profs. Both are very helpful.
Also agree that not much needs to be done before NSC. But I definitely suggest playing around with the registration site on howdy. You can play with a schedule etc just so you know how to pivot.
May the odds be ever in your favor!
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Do not waste your time worrying over the first semester. Everything will work out just fine.
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We have aimed for the 3rd, 4th, or 5th NSC. It’s like summer camp, you don’t want to be the first group in clearing out all the bugs from the cabins. But you don’t want to be the group at the end when all the counselors are ready to get home.
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OMG!! I remember registering for classes on my landline touch-tone phone from my apartment and thinking that this was SO advanced compared to standing in line to register as an incoming freshman. AHHHH…the memories!
@MackAg perfect description!!! Way too many hiccups and kinks in the system during 1st NSC.
Biggest downside to our mid July NSC was the heat. But we just stayed inside the whole time-in Rudder or at the hotel.
In past NSC registrations (2018), kids had to quick type in their desired course numbers and the fastest typest won. But the 2019 engineering registration was very relaxed - about 45 min before registration, the kids were allowed on the computers and could make their schedule. When the time came, they just hit return and quite a few got everything they wanted right away.
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@tmclanton fyi-my Mays student registered in <2 minutes in 2019. Advisors helped them in the morning session of day 2 NSC, when Registration opened up at 2:00 (or whatever time it was), the whole group came out to find parents at 2:05-from down the hall. This was mid July NSC.
No priority is needed, every student is on an even playing field. Promise!
And like @MackAg mentioned, I would purposely avoid the 1st NSC-it’s crazy packed, some kids aren’t even out of school yet, AP scores haven’t been released, and rest assured there will be tech issues. Student workers will be new, too, since last year was virtual. Let the kinks get worked out.
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That’s how I feel about Phase IV dorm selection!
MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR 
@sapphire33 you are correct! NSC/registration is a snap, compared to dorm selection!
#HungerGames 
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This sounds not as scary! I was picturing a mad dash to pick classes and having to redo it on the spot and it being hectic!
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