Essentials of Course Selection for Registration

Blinn registration begins Monday, October 14.  Because course availability at the RELLIS campus is somewhat limited, it is important that students in the TEAM program be ready to register as quickly as possible. If you have not visited Hotard Hall to plan your Spring courses with an advisor, you may find that the waiting line to consult an advisor is long once registration begins. You have the ability to identify appropriate courses yourself. After you have registered you can then consult an advisor to review your schedule and make any changes, if necessary.

The best way to determine appropriate courses for your intended major is to produce a “What-If” Degree Evaluation in Howdy.  Here is a step-by-step checklist:

1. Log into https://howdy.tamu.edu.
2. Click the “MyRecord” Tab.
3. Scroll down to the window that is titled “Degree Evaluation.”
4. Click “View Degree Evaluation.”
5. You will be prompted to select a term. This term is the current semester. Click “submit.”
6. You will now be at a screen titled “Degree Evaluation Record.” Scroll down to the bottom of this page and click “What-if Analysis.”
7. You will move to a screen that asks for an entry term. Select your first semester in college, then click “Continue.”
8. You will be prompted to select the major you are considering (this is the “what if” major). Click the arrow at right and scroll down to make the selection.
9. Now you will move to another page that verifies the major you selected. In the “First Major” block, click the arrow on the right and select your intended major again. To add minors, (if needed) you will need to click on the “Add more” button. Use the drop down boxes to select the minor(s) you wish to add. To move on to the next step, click on the “submit” button.
10. On the next screen click “Generate Request.” There will be a 5 to 10 second delay while the evaluation is prepared.
11. Now click “Detail Requirements,” and then click “Submit.”
12. You will see a degree evaluation for the major you selected. Print this document for use in identifying appropriate courses for this major. Be sure to pay attention to the “Met” column on the far left. “Yes” in this column indicates you have satisfied that particular course requirement. “No” in this column indicates you still need to take the course or courses listed to the right.
13. You may produce degree evaluations for multiple majors if you are considering more than one. By comparing two or more evaluations it will be possible to identify courses that would count toward either/all major(s), thus allowing more time to make your decision.

Your next task will be to decide the order in which you should complete the remaining courses. The easiest way to do this is to reference the degree plan for your intended major in the Undergraduate Catalog. Here is a checklist to do this:

1. Go to http://catalog.tamu.edu
2. Select “Undergraduate Catalog.”
3. In the column on the right, select the academic college that administers your intended major.
4. A new page for the academic college will appear. Select “Majors” to view the options.
5. Select the major you intend to pursue.
6. Select “Program Requirements.” You will see a four-year degree plan which depicts a recommended order to complete the required courses. (Note:  This is just one plan, but it is one that is recommended in terms of the order and pairing of course requirements.)

Once you have determined appropriate courses and checked the restrictions, times, and availability, register for your classes.  Then make an appointment to meet with an advisor to review your schedule.  Afterward, it would be a good idea to complete your Degree Planner in Howdy so you will have your future semesters planned well in advance.  (All students must complete their degree plan by the Fall semester of the sophomore year anyway.)