Every semester, us Swatties plan out what exciting courses we want to take the next semester and sign up for them. This sounds like a pretty simple and straightforward process (and it is), but there are a few tips, tricks, and things to keep in mind that can help it go even smoother and help you sign up for all the right classes for you.
First off, make sure you make a plan! It’s great to go into registration having a plan for what classes you want to take, so make sure you take a look through all the course offerings for the semester and pick out some you are interested in. A bit before registration opens, all of the classes that will be offered for the semester are posted with the times they meet at, and you can use this to build a schedule before you register. This makes registration a breeze and lets you plan out your semester ahead of time so that way you can schedule all of your classes in a way that works for you.
Next, make sure you talk to your advisor. Prior to registering, we are required to meet with our advisors, so make sure you use this meeting to discuss your plans and get their input on your schedule. Being faculty members, your advisor will know all of the requirements you need, both for Swarthmore in general and the path you want to take in your studies, so they are an invaluable resource in figuring out your schedule for the semester.
Once you’ve made a plan and looked over it with your advisor, then you wait until registration opens. When registration opens, you don’t really have to worry about it being a free for all, as most classes here do not fill up, and the ones that do are often not on a first-come, first-serve basis. To make things more fair, Swarthmore uses a lottery system for classes that end up overenrolled during registration, where everyone has a chance to be in the class regardless of when they signed up. Lotteries typically favor upperclassmen and students who plan to major in the subject of the class so that way they get the classes they need.
If you do find yourself lotteried out of a class, don’t fret! You have some options if you don’t get the class you wanted. First, you may just be out of the section you signed up for, so take a look at the other sections and see if they work with your schedule. Next, if there are no other sections or the others do not fit in your schedule, look for an alternative class. Have a couple back ups in mind just in case you need them. And lastly, try again the next time the class is offered. Most classes keep track of who was lotteried out of them, and they will either give you preference or guarantee you a spot the next time it is offered.
Class registration is a pretty smooth and straightforward process here at Swat, and with these tips in mind, you’ll be able to sail right into the next semester easily. Picking out the courses you want to take is always fun, and there are so many options available each semester here at Swat. No matter what your schedule ends up looking like, you’ll be sure to find plenty of fun and interesting classes here.
