Everyone has had the opportunity to register for Fall courses, but some students have not been able to get into all of the courses they hope to take in the Fall. Here are some ideas about how to cope with this situation.
REGISTRATION IS A PROLONGED PROCESS. Don’t panic! It’s unrealistic that all students will be able to get the perfect schedule by spending a few minutes on the computer at their assigned registration time. Improving your schedule will be an ongoing work-in-progress requiring patience and persistence, often taking as long as the fifth day of the Fall semester to complete. (Students may add/drop to improve their schedules during the first five days of the semester. Schedule adjustments made during this period are not Q-drops.)
UNDERCLASSMEN DON’T GET TO “PICK THEIR PROFESSORS.” Many freshmen receive advice from older siblings or friends that they should only take a particular course if they can register for a certain professor. Realize that tens of thousands of students registered before you; the favorite professors are often unavailable by the time freshmen and sophomores register. (Rank has its privileges: When you are an upperclassman you won’t want freshmen and sophomores to get first choice.) Reality is that underclassmen don’t have the luxury of selecting their professors; Texas A&M selected them for you! You must learn to trust the university to have hired more than just one excellent instructor per subject. Bottom line: If a course you need is available, register for it.
MONITOR FOR DROPPED COURSES. Some students take their time about deciding which of the courses they registered for they will actually keep. Sometimes this decision process extends into the start of the semester, after they’ve had the chance to attend the first class meeting or two. The course someone else drops may be the one you want to add. Frequently check availability for the course you hope to add, particularly after the first class meeting.
CHECK ABOUT FORCES OR WAITING LISTS. Be patient and continue to check for availability throughout the Open Registration period. Look at the course capacity. If the number of available seats is “0” that means that a space will be created if even one student drops the course. The first student to see the vacancy and react will get it.
If the number of available seats is -5, this means the department that teaches the course forced five students over the official capacity. This information tells you two things:
(1) Six students will have to drop the course before the available seats will be “1.” The more students who have been forced over the limit, the less likely it will be that an opening will be created during the add/drop period. Spend your time looking for a different course to add.
(2) The department has demonstrated that they force students, so perhaps they might force you also! Contact the advising office of the department that teaches the course. Go to the advisor’s office in person (if you call or email they will be more likely to decline your request). Students who take the trouble to physically go to the advising office demonstrate the strongest desire to take the course, and are often rewarded ahead of students who called or emailed. If the advisor isn’t able to force you, ask if there is a “waiting list” and get your name on it. Note: General Studies advisors do not have the ability to force students into courses.
ATTEND CLASS ON THE FIRST DAY. Some students have reported success by attending a class on the first day of the semester, then approaching the professor afterward to ask if there is room for one more student. Some of the course size limits are somewhat less than the classroom can actually accommodate. If there is a seat available on the first day, the professor may allow you in, knowing that a few students are likely to drop along the way.
IDENTIFY ALTERNATE COURSES. There’s a fine line between being determination and stubbornness. While trying all of the above strategies, also identify alternate courses that would work for your intended major even though they aren’t your first choice. Often there are many courses that can satisfy a particular degree requirement. For example, a very popular course that fulfils the Social & Behavioral Science requirement is Psychology 107. It sometimes fills to capacity. If your intended major allows you to choose your Social & Behavioral Science course, consider a less popular choice, such as Sociology 205.
Every A&M student must complete two International & Cultural Diversity courses. More than 240 courses at A&M are coded to satisfy this requirement. It’s efficient to “double-count” your Humanities, Social Sciences, or Visual & Performing Arts classes with an approved International & Cultural Diversity course. However, the courses that double-count are the most popular choices and are not always available. Be open to the idea of taking a course that only fulfills the International & Cultural Diversity requirement. Very few AP or Dual Credit courses fulfill the International & Cultural Diversity requirement, so this is often a source of courses that students with previous college credit still need.
MONITOR YOUR BILL. If you add a course remember that your bill just increased, so don’t forget the payment deadline. If you drop a course and replace it with another, your bill probably changed. Courses incur varying fees and charges. Always check your bill after making any schedule change. Don’t let that perfect schedule get dropped for nonpayment!
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