It's that time in the semester where you finally feel fully settled in to your schoolwork, activities, and random other events that fill your time. But don't get too comfortable, because starting in about a week, it will be time to forget about everything you're doing this semester and look ahead to register for classes for the spring semester. I know it may seem overwhelming to have to think about the future when you were barely able to plan your Halloween costume in time for this weekend, but here are some suggestions to help you make the most of your class selection.
1. Look on Lou's List, NOT SIS, to figure out which classes you want to take.
Navigating SIS is a nightmare, but navigating Lou's List, which is a website of course offerings that UVa professor Lou Bloomfield created, is much less of a pain. Go here for all of your answers about which classes satisfy which requirements, who is teaching a certain course, or how to ensure that you register for classes on certain days of the week.
2. Plan out your schedule in UVA Schedule Me before making your final class choices.
This website is nothing short of a godsend. UVa ScheduleMe is a beautiful invention that allows you to insert classes you're thinking of taking and see what kind of block schedule those classes would create. It does not replace SIS in any way for actually registering for classes, though, it's simply a preliminary way to block out your schedule for the upcoming semester. UVa ScheduleMe helps you come to that unfortunate realization that all the classes you want to take are at the same time. It also allows you to rejoice at the prospect of potentially having no classes on Fridays! That is, until the only remaining discussion available for one of your required classes is Friday at 10 am...
3. Go in to your adviser meeting with classes picked out already, but ask for their class suggestions as well.
Before you select a major, as a first or second year you'll meet with your assigned academic adviser to discuss class registration and lift your adviser hold on SIS. Your adviser cannot read your mind; they do not intuitively know which classes you want to take, and they will not plan out your entire schedule for you. Come to them with several ideas about classes you want, as well as questions about what they would suggest, to make the most of your advising appointment.
4. Have all of your classes that you want in your shopping cart BEFORE you sign in to register.
This is a no-brainer. Why stress yourself out attempting to find everything you want to take in SIS right before your sign-up time? Be efficient and have every class you want to take in your shopping cart well before you actually log in to register for classes.
5. Pick out backup classes in case you can't get into the ones you want right away, and also put those into your shopping cart.
This is especially important if you have a later sign-up time. Waitlists are definitely a thing, but as a first or second year it is often much more strenuous than you'd like to register for all the classes you need. If there's a requirement you need to fill, and you have a really popular dream class that you'd like to take to fill that requirement, make sure to give yourself another option in case the outcome for that class looks bleak.
6. If possible, try not to plan for all lecture classes in one semester so you don't blow your arm out every week taking notes.
I had never really considered this particular point until my adviser pointed it out to me this semester, but it is a very valid idea. There's a certain level of discussion depth that a seminar achieves that simply cannot be achieved in a lecture class. The discussion section of a lecture class is one way to account for this difference, but it's not the same thing as actually taking a small class. Smaller seminar-style classes may fill up quickly, but if you can get into one, they often become the most rewarding classes of the semester.
7. Sit by your computer at least a few minutes before your class registration time, preferably in a location free from distractions.
The last thing you want to prevent you from enrolling in a class or getting on the waitlist for a class you need is your own unpreparedness. If your sign-up time is in the morning, wake up well before you want to log in. If your sign-up time is during the day, try to make your way over to a quiet spot in a library where you won't be interrupted by other conversations or your friend coming over to say hi.
8. Take a deep breath, be patient, and work quickly.
Don't mess around on other websites once you're logged on to register for classes. Stay focused and with your eye on the prize of your ideal schedule. You can't plan for everything, but you can make sure that you know the UVa class registration system as thoroughly as possible so that it doesn't trick you at the wrong time.
These tips are all to ensure that your class registration will go as smoothly as possible. It may not all go swimmingly at first, but if you have to get on several waitlists or eventually email professors, so be it. Make sure you do everything you can to register for the classes you want, and if you put in the effort, your schedule will ultimately reward you.
