CONGRATULATIONS.  You have been accepted to university – Now what do you need to know so that you can get the best possible schedule?    

1.  If you haven’t received a course planning guide, look online for one, and if it is not easily available, contact an advisor from your university to ask for one. 

2.  Look FIRST for, and make a list of,  the core required courses for your degree

3.  Read the Course registration information page to understand how to decode each course -

• (ie 3,3,1  may mean 3 hours a week of lectures, 3 hours of lab, and 1 hour of tutorial)
• *6 may mean that it is a 2 semester course (3 credits per semester or term) and that you have to register for both terms
• Some universities do credits differently – for example, at University of Victoria 1.5 credits is one term, while at University of Calgary 3 credits is one term.

4.  When there are choices to make (ie.  Choose one of  Math 113 or 115), look at each core course under course description  to help you decide which is the best one to register for (from pre-requisite and personal interest perspectives)

5.   Check each one to find out how much time they will take each week (3,3,1),  how many offerings they have, what you may need to register for (remember most science classes will include Lecture, Lab & Tutorial Classes).  Note:  Tutorials are NOT OPTIONAL.  Some courses are also full-year instead of one-semester courses – if so, be sure to plan & register for BOTH semesters.

6.  Create a weekly calendar, and start looking up your courses online in a class scheduler – create a couple of potential schedules6.   Don’t forget to note class codes, and if possible leave yourself time in the day for a break/snack.

On your registration date and time, ask your school or teacher for permission to miss a class if you have to so that you can register right away.  Many courses will fill up very quickly.

BONUS TIPS:  Schedule & register for classes that have fewer offerings first – for example if BIO 101 is only offered twice, and your Math class has 5 options, be sure to get your BIO class locked in first.

If necessary, go on a waitlist, and be sure to check your emails in case a waitlist position opens up – many post-secondary institutions only give you a certain amount of time to accept the offer before the position is offered to the next student on the list…

To Living Life With Purpose, On Purpose

Karen

Karen Girard, CCDP, CEIP, CPRW, CCC
Certified Passion Test Facilitator
www.karengirard.com
www.careerplanningforstudents.com