Audrey Reed
A&E Editor
With only a few weeks until students can officially register for classes, the prime time for planning next semester’s schedule is here. A bad schedule can next ruin your semester. No one wants 8 a.m. classes everyday or a class that ends 4 p.m. on Friday. But even though the days and times may look perfect, the teachers or subject matter can still contribute to a horrific semester. But following these five rules will put any student on the path to scheduling bliss.
Step One: Plan for the future
Before planning a semester’s worth of classes, planning your four years is imperative. The sooner you stick with a major, the fewer classes you will have to take. But if you are undecided, you can still create a great schedule. The best place to start with this endeavor is PepXpress, which will be your new best friend during scheduling. After you are done planning the next four years of your life hour by hour, drawing an actual schedule by putting the classes next to times and under the day of the week will show any flaws. Step Two: Get some advice.
Step Two: Get some advice
Many of you may not know who your adviser is. This information can be found on PepXpress. Go to them, especially if you are having trouble with Step 1. They can give you advice about what electives are fun or interesting. They can give you information about independent study classes or equivalent classes. You also need to make sure that there are no flags on your file. Nothing is worse than making a schedule and a back up schedule, and then trying to register, but you can’t because there’s a little red flag on PepXpress.
Step Three: Narrow it down
The catalog is dozens of pages long, and it is no fun to sort through art history and physical education classes when you are a junior international relations major. So highlight, or better, write down the classes in which you are remotely interested. Then start making combinations, until you find a few classes that work. Also, make sure you have a balanced schedule. As much as everyone loves math, taking more than two math classes in a semester is not smart. Also, location is an issue. Trying to get from PE 199 at the Fieldhouse to a class at the Center for Communication and Business in 10 minutes is near impossible.
Step Four: Backup Plan
Now your schedule should be perfect. You’ve worked hard to get the best classes, and you are already dreaming about sleeping in on Tuesdays and making long weekend trips to Santa Barbara with your free Fridays. But wait! What if you have to settle for that 8 a.m. on Tuesday or the free Fridays are now filled with classes? You can still have a great schedule, if you are well prepared. That means making a backup plan (or two, or three). In the rush of scheduling, there is the temptation to quickly grab a class that you need, but at the wrong time. If you are confident in your backup plan, you will stay calm, cool and collected during registration.
Step Five: Your Big Day
Whatever your assigned day for scheduling, make sure you are logged in to PepXpress early and are ready to create the schedule that works best for you. Have your backup schedules close by as well as the numbers for One Stop and your adviser handy. Maybe even drink an extra cup of coffee or can of Red Bull that morning, just to ensure you are on top of your scheduling game.
11-4-2004
