By Kanika Miller
Staff Writer
The time has come to worry about classes for next term. Do not fret—for there are some simple steps you can take to making class registration run smoothly.
Step I: Log onto AARC through your Simmons Connections account and check your registration start and end time. Then create a reminder for yourself in whatever way works best for you: a date in your cell phone calendar, a sticky note in your dorm room, writing it in your agenda, or all three.
Afterward, send an email to your advisor to set up an appointment with them. As for when you should send the email, the sooner the better. Everyone is trying to schedule meetings with their advisors.
Step II: On AARC, make sure to search for the classes you want next semester ahead of time. Some courses are only offered in the fall or spring, and sometimes there are conflicts between a few of the classes you want.
By doing this ahead of time, you have one less issue to deal with when your registration time also occurs. Having all of your classes a click away from being chosen is helpful, because if any of your preferred courses get full you can click on your backup classes.
Step III: If you have declared your major(s) and minor(s), go to the Simmons website to see the requirements you need to fulfill. You do not want to be surprised in the future and discover that there are several courses you are required to take and no time to schedule them all. This also applies to modes.
You want to make sure you are on the right track to finishing each one of them. You can check to see what modes you have yet to fulfill by checking AARC and clicking the Degree Audit button.
Step IV: Register for your classes from your preferred list on AARC. After this, take a breath. You finished and are ready for next semester. I hope these steps will make the panic about registration alleviate for you. I will end this by giving you some final tips.
Tip one is: always have back-up classes.
Tip two is: if you are wait-listed, be patient; people will drop out of classes and a spot might open up for you.
Tip three is: for when you are in your meeting with your advisor—make sure you go over the modes and requirements you have taken and what you need to fulfill.
Tip four is: to get advice from others regarding classes. If you have never had a certain professor before check out ratemyprofessor.com since it has relatively accurate information on the professors. Also, your friends may have taken certain classes and have firsthand knowledge of what the course is like.
Another consideration is whether you want to study abroad or not. If you do plan on going, then you need to let your advisor know so you can plan your classes accordingly, and they can help you with the applications for study abroad.
