By Amanda Throm
I work in the call centers in the Department of Enrollment Services as my other job on campus. Until last week I kept getting the question “When can I register for the spring semester?” Well, last week Thursday enrollment dates were put up on every student’s PAWS account, and I was shocked when I saw that my sophomore self was set to enroll four days before open enrollment on Dec. 15.
Now here's the hitch: I work in Admissions. I have the ability to get an earlier registration date as one of the “perks” of the job. I know that doesn't sound fair, but when you have to get into really hard classes, and you have to be one of the first to add those classes or you’re screwed, it becomes an issue.
Sophomores are the last people to register for classes, and I just don't see how that makes any sense. Don’t worry - my enrollment date changed only slightly for the spring semester, so I’m not getting an easier chance to get into classes than the rest of my fellow sophomores.
According to the Undergraduate Catalogue, registration for the spring semester follows the pattern of seniors, freshmen, juniors and lastly, sophomores – with special students and open enrollment being the final addition to the enrollment dates.
Why is it that a freshman, still taking his/her GER classes, gets to register before a sophomore who may be in need of a class that fills up quickly, especially when that class is crucial to said sophomore’s major and is only offered once a year? It just doesn't make sense.
Now, I'm not saying they should put sophomores at the top of the list. Obviously juniors and seniors need to get those higher-level courses to finish their majors and graduate. But why do freshmen get priority when they are usually only taking 100-level courses? Doesn’t it make more sense if the pattern for registration goes in descending order based on credit level?
The people in Admissions understand that sophomores probably have the hardest time getting into their classes, because all classes above the 100 or 200 level are full or useless to them. That being the case, why is it the pattern has never changed to better help those ailing sophomores who are in desperate need of getting into a course with one section that only accommodates 25 students?
A friend of mine, a senior, was actually complaining that he was registering for classes late. His enrollment date is November 28 whereas my date is more than 10 days after his, and he’s frustrated he’s registering late.
I would love to take this issue up with whoever instituted this pattern, because they probably should have taken into consideration the courses some students require in order to graduate on time. I know I’m not going to graduate in the expected year, but either way, a little alteration in the plans would have been nice.
I know I sound like a grieving student who just isn’t happy with her registration date, and that’s partly true. Still, it honestly doesn’t make any sense, and I’m sure many other students agree with me, even if they don’t want to voice their opinions.
Why should the technically-stated “upperclassmen,” which include anyone over freshman status, get a lower priority than the new freshmen who can easily take that GER class that seats 200 students and still have the chance to sign up for it two weeks into the semester? I’m just going to have to sit here and fume until I see either a new enrollment date or junior status. Chances are junior status will happen first.
