A couple thoughts about spring schedules

While the formal rounds of registration have taken place, students still have the ability to tweak their schedules.  One of the questions I sometimes get from my advisees or other students is “the classes I wanted were full.  What do I do now?”

My answer is typically – think outside the box.

For students with a particular major in mind, there are often some required courses, and then you complete the major with a number of elective classes.  So if a student can’t get into the required core classes, I encourage him or her to look at the upper level electives.  (You don’t have to be fearful of a 300 level class!  As long as there is no prerequisite associated with it, you can take it!)

Or think of classes that might interest you, but have nothing to do with your major.  The two classes I never took at Wake that I regret the most are Sociology of Deviant Behavior, and Printmaking.  I didn’t take those courses because they didn’t have anything to do with my major, did not advance me toward a particular goal, and at the time felt a bit frivolous.  And it kills me that I never made time to do them.  So if your Deac has even a passing fancy in some subject, urge him or her to go for it.

Be willing to take a class at a different hour, or with a different professor.  Sometimes there are spots that are earlier than our nocturnal students would like, or with a professor that has a reputation that gives the student pause.  I am so, so, so skeptical of faculty ratings sites, because normally they are heavily skewed (you only post a review if you love them or didn’t like them at all).  Also, just because Professor X did not appeal to your friend’s learning style does not mean he/she would not be great for your learning style.  So give a different time or a different person a chance.

Students can peruse WIN and look for course openings by subject, or about once a week the Office of Academic Advising posts an Open Course Report that shows classes that have openings.  The one out there is about a week old, but a newer version may come out soon.  I tend to look in WIN myself because it is fastest.  If any student is feeling like his/her schedule is not working, or if he/she is under 12 hours for the spring, the professional academic counselors in the Office of Academic Advising are there for them.

Finally, I always tell students there is typically some movement in the first few days of the spring semester when people start dropping and adding courses, so that is always an option.