As October ends, so does the first half of the Fall 2024 semester at St. John’s University. With midterm grades now submitted, it is time to begin considering which classes to take next semester. Registration dates are less than a month away — students with 91+ credits can register as early as Oct. 30. Specific time slots are available on New UIS.
It can be a daunting and overwhelming task, especially for first-year students. Since many freshman students opt to have their schedules created by the Center for Student Success, creating a schedule can be a new responsibility.
Freshman Javier Fajardo questions “how much [he] should do before meeting [his] advisor,” adding that he is “a little confused” when sifting through the possible course options.
Fajardo’s sentiment is one many first-year students and even upperclassmen can relate to. Creating an ideal schedule while also ensuring all required core and major courses have been fulfilled can be stressful to balance.
Senior Joanne Centeno shared that registration season was a stressful period during her underclassmen years, adding that it was “overwhelming to create a schedule on [her] own” The seemingly endless course requirements and independent selection of them were intimidating for her as a newer college student.
Centeno now enters her final semester at St. John’s, so she only has a few courses left before graduation. Her experience suggests that it actually becomes easier to select classes once there are fewer options left.
Spring course registration can be manageable for all students, however.
Junior Giovanni Picone suggests the best way to combat registration anxiety is to “plan ahead and avoid waiting until the last minute.” Even as a self-proclaimed “procrastinator,” he believes that creating “a tentative schedule” beforehand simplifies registration day.
Centeno agrees, adding that creating an outline for your remaining semesters can ensure “you are on track to graduate on time or ahead of schedule. Requirements for both majors and the University Core can be found on DegreeWorks, so this can be drafted before even meeting with academic advisors or deans.
Meetings with academic advisors can be scheduled via email for first-year students and should be done as early as possible.
After freshman year, students are connected with an advising dean from their college; where they can either meet with them or fill out a personalized form noting potential classes. They can give recommendations on pathways to graduate at the earliest possible time, refining the drafted schedule made independently.
In addition to meeting with University staff, Picone advises that underclassmen should “reach out to older students who have the same major as you for recommendations.” Since they have already taken prerequisites and likely major electives, they can provide specific insights about their experiences with the workload and professors.
The key to spring course registration success is organization and advice. By being proactive, registration day can be a simple task rather than a confusing one. Soon enough, like Centeno, it will become a pre-graduation celebration rather than a stressful requirement.
