After the alphabetical chanting is over and your sassy Preview staffer has left you with a kind note of encouragement, you leave Preview weekend with a schedule of classes, too many papers to keep track of and a pleasant (or haunting) experience rooming with another person in a brick white-walled dorm room.
Though that schedule may look solid, chances are you may want to switch things around. Maybe you want to pursue another major, or MMC1702 Rock 'N’ Roll & American Society seems too good to miss. Choosing courses can get tricky and frustrating, but there are plenty of sources to rely on when you need guidance.
Whether you want to do your own research online to pick a class or meet one-on-one with an adviser, I’ve compiled five ways to get the job done.
1) Visit the Office of the University Registrar Course Catalog
“Office of whatchamacallit?” It may have a long title, but it’s really simple. Just go online to http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/soc/ and select the term you’re seeking classes for. With a search bar that’s keyword sensitive, to a dropdown box and even a general education class finder, this online resource can help you find the available course you’re looking for. If you don’t know exactly what course you want, click on “course listings” and select a department from the list, from accounting to written and oral communication.
2) Talk to upperclassmen
Sometimes the best guidance toward where you want to go involves getting advice and helpful tips from someone with direct experience. Though it may seem daunting to ask an older student for advice, what you might get out of a conversation with an upper classman is worth plucking up your courage for. Through my own experience talking with older students, I learned what class sections require more work than others, and what professors to avoid if I value my GPA. Beside academic advice, upper classman have a good grasp on where you can get the most out of your money regarding housing and food. There’s also a plethora of stories ranging from hilarious to just downright disturbing. You can learn a lot from older students. Don’t be intimidated. They were in your shoes once too.
3) Meet with an adviser
For all of you that are a bit like me and would rather to things on your own terms, don’t. Sometime or another you need to see an adviser. Why? Well, because they know more than you do and their job is to help you out. As freshmen, advisers are usually at your disposal without appointment. You can just walk into your college department guidance office. You can also go to the university’s official website, http://www.ufl.edu, and search for your college under the “Academics” tab. There you’ll find what advisers you can speak to. Office hours, advisor e-mails addresses and the office telephone number are all listed for your use on your college’s website. Meeting with an adviser can help you make sure you’re on track for your major, clear holds, and get answers to all your questions about courses. See an adviser early on in your undergraduate career, that way you can start out with a clearer idea of what you want to pursue.
4) Keep a Preview notebook
Preview weekend was comprised of amassing important information and papers -- many, many papers. By the time I got home, there were creased papers, colored papers, blank papers, papers with doodles and papers with unidentifiable stains in every hue of brown. Of greatest worth to me, however, was the spiral notebook I received. The spiral notebook contains a list of general education classes I could register for in order to get those Gen Ed credits completed. Although it is not a comprehensive list, it is a great source that points you in the right direction. This handy notebook also has a blank schedule outline in which you can write down your class schedule for the week (and memorize what class period goes with what time of day. I still forget).
5) Explore the UF major undergraduate course catalog
In case any of the other internet sources didn’t provide the information you were seeking, there is another easy-to-facilitate site for you to track down the classes you need for your major. Go to https://catalog.ufl.edu and click on the “Majors” tab to the left. Even if your major is “Undecided” you can check out what the class requirements are for majors you’d be interested in later on. This site proves extra helpful in that it provides a “Recommended Semester Plan”, creating an eight-semester schedule for your undergraduate career (excluding any double major or minor requirements you may want to pursue).
Picking classes is stressful. One moment you’re on ISIS clicking “register”, and the next moment there are zero spots available for the course you wanted. You might not always be able to get the class you planned on, but there are definitely ways that you can find another class that meets the requirements you need, whether general education or plain interest. Instead of pulling your hair out because your coveted class is full, get proactive and start searching for the next best thing.
