By Emily Schoch | Staff Writer
As class registration continues, many Baylor students find themselves scrambling to secure the perfect schedule. But with the right strategy, it doesn’t have to be a stressful process.
According to Senior Academic Adviser Candace Woolverton, planning ahead, knowing one’s resources and staying flexible are key to registering with confidence and success.
Woolverton shared insight on how students can avoid common mistakes during class registration. She highlighted the resources Baylor offers to help make the process smoother and more efficient.
Q: What are some common mistakes students make during registration, and how can they avoid them?
Woolverton: “The biggest mistakes I see typically stem from students using the class schedule on BearWeb instead of the separate Schedule of Classes website. While BearWeb may be more convenient, the Schedule of Classes website is more user-friendly. It also makes it easier to check course descriptions, prerequisites, restrictions and whether a course has more than one part to register for. Checking all of these things ahead of time means students don’t waste precious time when their registration time opens dealing with registration errors.”
Q: What resources does Baylor offer to help students prepare for registration, like advising appointments or degree audits?
Woolverton: “All advisers do this differently, but I try to take some time during the advising appointment before a student’s first time registering to talk through the registration process as well as provides some tips and tricks. Students can always ask their advisers questions during their appointment or by email. Students have access to their advised courses list from their adviser and their degree audit at any time on BearWeb. The Office of the Registrar has great resources on their website, including instructional videos.”
Q: How can students strategically plan their schedules to balance academic load, extracurriculars and wellness?
Woolverton: “I recommend that each student take some time to think about how they work best and which schedules they have enjoyed the most from previous semesters. Some students thrive in back-to-back classes, while that is not the best option for other students with different learning styles. Start with the classes that have to be at a specific time, such as a class that only has one section being offered, and work your way from there to build a schedule that factors in work, student organizations and when the best rest time is for you. You might need to be flexible based on course availability, but try to still find some pockets of time to balance life outside of classes.”
Q: What are your top tips for getting into high-demand classes or creating backup plans in case a class fills up?
Woolverton: “Backup plans are always a good option, especially when a course has numerous sections. Having to scramble to make decisions when your registration time opens creates more stress. Make your decisions ahead of time by choosing backup sections for each course you need to take in a particular semester. I also recommend selecting some alternate courses for courses that can be taken in any semester to give yourself more options. If you aren’t sure which classes need to be taken in a particular semester and which ones you have flexibility with the timing of, ask your adviser.”
Q: What are your tips for students that are contemplating joining a waitlist for a high demand class? What are the chances of receiving a spot when put on a waitlist for a class?
Woolverton: “If a course has sections open, try to select an open section and be flexible. If a course is completely full, always join the waitlist. The worst-case scenario with a waitlist is that you spend 30 seconds joining the waitlist and you don’t get a seat. Best case scenario — you get a seat! If seats open from other students dropping the course, those seats always go to the waitlist first. Waitlisting is also a great way to show departments what the demand level is for a particular course — if you don’t waitlist, they have no idea that you want to take the course. If you are waitlisting, register for a backup course so you still have a full schedule even if you don’t get a seat. You can be registered for up to 18 hours and be on several waitlists on top of that, so never be afraid to add yourself to a waitlist.”
