Although many students have already been through registration in previous years, Alfred Rodriguez, Jr., university registrar, believes that many can use the registrar’s help to get the perfect schedule.

The scheduling and registration process involves not only the Office of the Registrar, but the academic departments.

“The offerings each semester are actually determined largely by each academic department.  The department chairs and faculty decide what to offer and the preferred meeting times. Then there is a review process with academic affairs and the registrar to balance things out,” Rodriguez said. “Sometimes we don’t have enough classrooms available during popular class times, but we try to give as much preference as we can to what the faculty want.”

Though faculty and students have many different preferred meeting times, there are some common popular times.

“The most popular meeting times include Tuesday and Thursday from 9:55 through lunch hour. Classes in the mid-mornings of Monday, Wednesday and Friday are also popular. We have seen a trend toward two-day-a-week courses as faculty preference,” Rodriguez said. “There are also some departments, however, that want students to come in three times a week to stay fresh with material. They believe it helps to have more regular meeting pattern.

There are also some familiar classes that have the reputation of filling up quickly. “Though it varies semester to semester, common curriculum classes tend to fill up quickly. Art classes are very popular and fill up quickly because of the small class size. The science courses that are alternatives to traditional classes are also popular,” Rodriguez said. “These include the Chemistry of Crime, Chemistry of Art, and Nature of Cancer.  Classical Mythology also seems to be a perennial favorite. Business courses are also in high demand.”

Registration is not a brief or easy process, Rodriguez said, and more students participate in the add-drop process than you might expect.

“In a typical fall semester, approximately 1,000 students will change their schedule during the add-drop period. Last fall there were around 1,500 drops and just over 2,000 adds,” Rodriguez said. “Understand that registration is not over within the first few minutes on TigerPaws. It’s a process. Be patient and continue to check TigerPaws to look for openings and get on waitlists.”

Although students are required to meet with their advisors before getting cleared to register, students can also seek help from the Office of the Registrar itself.

“Before registration, work with your advisor on a list of top choices and lots of alternatives.  If you’ve talked with your professors and adviser and you find that you’re just not able to put schedule together, come to the registrar’s office before registration is over for help,” Rodriguez said. “We can usually find courses which will apply toward your degree and fit in your schedule.”

Tips: REGISTRATION 101

1. Meet with your adviser, other professors or staff in the Office of the Registrar to pick classes and make lists of alternatives and possible schedules.

2. Get to know Tigerpaws

3.  Be aware of classes that fill up quickly and have lots of alternative options.

4.  Be patient and persistent in the add-drop process.