Registering for Spring Classes: Tips and Tricks

By Jasmine Badamo, MA
Educational Counselor; Executive Function Tutor

I previously wrote a blog, “Why a task is never just a simple task,” in which we broke down all the demands involved in a seemingly simple writing assignment. As the holidays begin to approach and the fall semester starts to wind down at colleges across the country, students face another seemingly simple task: spring registration. I cannot count the times recently I’ve asked a client, “Is everything set up for class registration?” For a majority of college students, the topic sparks an anxious flutter in their chest, and for students who experience the additional hurdle of executive function challenges, it can be even more daunting.

So to all you college students out there, I dedicate this blog to you. Here are five tips for surviving the class registration process:

1. Know your important dates and requirements.

• Look through your school’s academic calendar and make note of important dates: advising appointments, class registration window, add/drop deadline, etc. Some of these deadlines can coincide with busy academic times of the semester, and if you don’t set a reminder for yourself ahead of time, they can be easy to miss.
  • **Fun Fact** your personal registration date is likely based on how many credits you’ve completed so far.
  • **Even more of a Fun Fact** you may have to go on a virtual “wild goose chase” to track down said date. Don’t give up until you find it!
• Be clear on your credit and course requirements for both graduation and the major you have declared. Depending on your college and major, you may have more or less wiggle room with the number of credits you take each semester, or with the order in which you take certain classes. It’s becoming common for student portals to have a “DegreeWorks” section that clearly lays out the specific requirements that apply to you and shows your progress towards meeting those requirements. This also helps students get a better sense of the big picture, which can demystify the class registration process, and help them make more informed class choices for next semester.

2. Plan ahead.

• The class registration process is heavily multi-step, and therefore virtually impossible to complete in one day, so please don’t do that to yourself. Make sure you start planning at least two weeks in advance. Some of the things you need to prepare for include:
  • Knowing which website or portal to go to for class registration and making sure you are familiar with how to log in and navigate it.
  • Having a class wish list prepared, ranked in order of priority so you know which classes to try to snag first. It’s helpful to create this list with an academic advisor.
  • Clearing any financial or academic holds on your account (e.g., some colleges require you to meet with an advisor to be eligible to register for classes). You don’t want to be trying to clear holds on the actual registration day.
  • Knowing who to reach out to if things go awry on registration day…say the internet crashes; you spill a Starbucks iced soy milk latte on your laptop; you mix up the dates and miss your registration window…want me to keep going? 

3. After you plan, make a backup plan…but be chill about it.

• You can clear every hold, prepare an airtight class list, wake up at the crack of dawn, and click the “register” button the millisecond your registration window opens…and still not get all the classes you wanted (the universe is awesome like that sometimes).
• This isn’t to say that thought, care, and planning are not needed, BUT it’s helpful to remind yourself that it’s OK if things don’t go exactly according to plan.
  • Although your class registration window marks the start of when you can register for classes, the add/drop window typically goes into the first or second week of the semester. And leading up to the semester, many students will be shifting their schedules around, so the classes you need may open up. AKA, there’s time to tweak things; it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have your schedule fully set by the end of your class registration window.
• So what I’m saying is: make a backup plan, but it doesn’t have to be an entire 50-step tactical plan for world domination. Instead, focus on making a list of a few alternative courses that would still fulfill some of your general or major requirements. If it’s too stressful to do that, your backup plan can simply be, “I am going to check back with the portal every couple of days to see if any classes opened up,” or “I am going to nag my advisor to help me get this sorted,” or “I am going to vent to my executive function coach about this, then figure it out together.”

4. Ask for help, and don’t be shy.

• Most incoming first-year students are guided through their first semester’s class registration at some point during their orientation process. However, once you become a full-fledged college student, you’re expected to manage your own tasks and proactively advocate for yourself. Just because no one reaches out to tell you about a requirement or deadline does not mean that you will not be held to it.
  • No, you are not the only one struggling with this. No, everyone else does NOT have it all figured out. No, people will not think you’re silly for asking for clarity or help with this stuff. Do not hesitate to ask. for. help.
• Depending on the college and major, academic advising can be your best friend, or a source of frustration and confusion. If you’re not getting the clarity and support you need from advising, don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone and everyone who may be of help, including:
  • Student Accessibility Services
  • Student Portal / DegreeWorks
  • A favorite professor
  • Friends in your same college / major
  • Slightly older family members who have gone through this
  • Your executive function coach (hint, hint, hiiiiiiint)

5. Honor yourself and your needs.

• There is more than one way to do college. More and more, the 4-year college goalpost is becoming a thing of the past. Think outside the box for ways to get your credits. Fall and Spring are not the only semesters (there’s summer I, summer II, and even winter break semesters), and your primary college is not the only place you can take classes.
• Think about how you learn best and honor that. If you do better spreading out those heavy pre-med classes rather than taking them all at once, do that! If you struggle with big lecture-style courses, balance them out with smaller discussion-based classes. If you know getting out of your head and into your body helps your mental stamina, sign up for a one-credit pass/fail dance class…or a badminton club since badminton is the greatest sport of all time, and no, I will not explain myself! There is no right or wrong way to do this. Be flexible, honor yourself and your needs, and do what best helps you reach your goals.

 

About the Author

Jasmine Badamo, MA, is an educational counselor and executive function coach who works full-time at NESCA supporting students ranging from elementary school through young adulthood. In addition to direct client work, Ms. Badamo provides consultation and support to parents and families in order to help change dynamics within the household and/or support the special education processes for students struggling with executive dysfunction. She also provides expert consultation to educators, special educators and related professionals.

Ms. Badamo is a New York State Certified ENL and Special Education teacher. She has more than 10 years of teaching experience across three countries and has worked with students and clients ranging in age from 7 to adulthood. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Cornell University and her master’s degree in TESOL from CUNY Hunter College. She has also participated in graduate coursework focusing on academic strategies and executive function supports for students with LD, ADHD, and autism as part of the Learning Differences and Neurodiversity (LDN) certification at Landmark College’s Institute for Research and Training. In addition to being a native English speaker, Ms. Badamo is also conversationally fluent in verbal and written Spanish.

Having worked in three different New York City public schools, Ms. Badamo has seen firsthand the importance of executive function skills in facilitating student confidence and success. Her coaching and consultation work focuses on creating individualized supports based on the specific needs and strengths of each client and supporting the development of metacognition (thinking about one’s own thought processes and patterns), executive function skills, and independence. She will guide clients to generate their own goals, identify the barriers to their goals, brainstorm potential strategies, advocate for support when needed, and reflect on the effectiveness of their applied strategies.

Ms. Badamo is a highly relational coach. Building an authentic connection with each client is a top priority and allows her to provide the best support possible. Additionally, as a teacher and coach, Ms. Badamo believes in fostering strong collaborations with anyone who supports her clients including service providers, classroom teachers, parents, administrators, and community providers.

To book executive function coaching with Jasmine Badamo or another EF or Real-life Skills Coach at NESCA, complete NESCA’s online intake form. 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham (coming soon), Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and the greater Burlington, Vermont region, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.