Fall Registration Will Begin Soon
Registration at Blinn and A&M always occurs at different times—Blinn goes first, followed by A&M a short time later. Because of this, it is important for TEAM students to think of their two registrations as a single, holistic process. There is no need to consult both an A&M and Blinn advisor to produce two potential schedules. Instead, meet with one advisor in advance to confirm course options for your one combined schedule.
Now is the Time to Prepare
During the Spring semester, registration for Fall courses at both schools begins in April. Blinn registration for continuing students will begin on April 1, and assigned A&M registration times will begin April 4. This essentially means that only the month of March stands between you and registration for Fall 2019 courses! Students who postpone advising until the last week of March will encounter waits of two hours, or might even be turned away and asked to come back another day. There are no waiting lines to meet with advisors right now.
Obtain a List of Course Requirements for Your Intended Major
As of today neither the A&M or Blinn Fall 2019 schedule of courses is available to review online, but schedules are not necessary for identifying your course options. There are at least four easy ways to identify the courses required for your intended major:
- Refer to the Undergraduate Degree Planner in Howdy (if you already completed it)
- Generate a “What If” Degree Evaluation in Howdy
- Reference your intended major in the Undergraduate Catalog
- Locate and print a one-page degree plan (“major-pager”) on the website of your intended major
Create a Course “Wish List”
After identifying the required courses for your intended major, check course descriptions in the Undergraduate Catalog for the lower level (freshman/sophomore) courses you have not yet completed. Each course description will indicate if there are any prerequisites. Postpone courses for which you have not yet satisfied the prerequisites. Next, list all courses that would make logical sense for you to take next semester. Include some back-up options in case you encounter time conflicts or unavailability issues with your preferred choices. Check your transcript to avoid repeating courses you might have previously completed, such as through AP or dual enrollment in high school. Finally, strive for a balance of subjects—avoid listing too many “reading” or “numbers” courses for a single semester.
Decide Which Courses to Take at Each School
Identify your A&M courses first, and plan to take the remainder at Blinn. Consider the following strategies when deciding how to pick the campus for each course on your wish list:
- Take your “best” subjects at A&M based on your previous high school and college success. All courses and grades are important, but after you transition to full enrollment at A&M only your A&M grades will affect your GPA.
- If you’ve already completed your strongest subjects, identify one that is particularly interesting to you as an A&M course.
- Consider a course in your future major at A&M that might not be available at Blinn.
- Consider classroom size. A Blinn math course might accommodate 30 students, whereas the same course at A&M might include four or five times that many. In front of which audience would you like to ask your questions?
- Listen to your advisor. Often advisors can recommend a course option that fulfills a needed core curriculum requirement, while also having the added benefit of a record of high student enjoyment or success.
- Avoid switching campuses in mid-subject; complete multi-course sequences, such as science or foreign language, at the campus where you started the subject. This helps avoid prerequisite registration errors and minimizes transition issues from one course to the next. For example, if you are taking Chemistry I at A&M this Spring and decide to take Chemistry II at Blinn in the Fall, you will not be able to register for Chemistry II in April since MyBLINN doesn’t know you are in the process of satisfying the prerequisite (Chemistry I).
- Check the course schedules at both schools (when they become available) and choose courses that avoid campus changes during the day. Most students prefer to have “Blinn days” and “A&M days.” Also check for course restrictions. For example, some department’s courses are not available to students who are not yet officially in that specific department/major.
Consult an Academic Advisor
Students aren’t required to meet with an academic advisor, but capitalize on their knowledge because they “exist to assist.” Take your “wish list” to have it reviewed by an advisor. Check advising hours for A&M Transition Academic Programs (TAP) advisors in Hotard Hall here: https://tap.tamu.edu/. Check advising hours for Blinn advisors in the Tejas Center here: http://www.blinn.edu/academic-advising/hours.html.
Check for Registration Holds
Few things are as frustrating as being prevented from registering at the appointed time due to a hold you could have resolved in advance. Check for registration holds at both schools now, and resolve them.
Avoid Registration Mistakes
Read Blinn’s registration tips here: http://www.blinn.edu/team/registration-tips.html. Read the blinnteam blog entry for March 29, 2018.
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