​Choosing Your College Classes
While your high school counselor will provide you with your classes, in college you are required to sign-up for each course. Colleges can offer hundreds of courses (even variations of the same course), and students usually have to plan out their schedules. Here are some tips that can help you when choosing your classes in college.
Before we start, you should know these two terms:
Course Catalog
Your college or university must have this in digital or printed form. They are updated each year. As the name implies, it contains a catalog of all of the classes they offer.
Use your Course Catalog to :
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Look up your major/minor's required (and recommended) courses
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Read course descriptions. One course could have a different emphasis. For example, you could choose to take English 101 or English 101: Native American Perspective.
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Learn about pre-requisites. Some courses require you to have passed lower-level or introductory courses in order to take them.
Class Schedule
Think of this as your class/course shopping cart. So this is where you sign up for classes. It is available online on your student web portal or your college's website.
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How to select classes:
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Select the semester/year you are signing up for
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Look up your desired class/course (for some classes there are multiple sessions available)
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Select the class/course that best fits with your schedule and register!​
Check out all your options!
Make sure to review the course catalog for your particular college or university. If you have already declared your intended major, choose some courses that fulfill the general requirements in that major.
If you are still unsure what you want to study, you should pick some classes you are interested in learning about. (Tip: choose them from the general requirements, which count towards all majors). College is a great time to discover your interests and passions, so take advantage of the large array of courses and study programs offered!
Choosing between professors.
When looking at classes, it is important to look into the teaching styles of your potential professors. Do they give lots of homework? Are the textbooks required? Are the professors supportive and engaging? Are the exams difficult? There is so much to find out about a professor and a particular course beforehand.
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RateMyProfessors.com is a site built for college students; and, it helps students determine which professors are great and which professors they might want to avoid. This website is based on student feedback, so beware of negative reviews that might not reflect everyone's experience in a class. Remember that you get out of your college experience what you put into it.
Create a schedule that works for you.
Aim to sign up for at least four courses a semester (or 12 units). You can spread them out over the week according to available class times and your own personal schedule. Make sure you give yourself time to study and do other activities each day.
Also, be realistic with your class schedule. For example, it might seem like a good idea to wake up at 8 a.m. every day for class. But you may find it hard to keep up with that routine, especially if you have to commute farther than what you were used to in high school.
Once you have your class schedule, take some time to look at your class times/locations with your college map to make sure you will arrive on time for your classes (especially for the first week when there are waitlisters trying to earn a spot in a full class). It's important to get familiar with your campus and be on time, you might have a class in one building and 10 minutes later another class four buildings away!
If you find that your class schedule is not working for you once school starts, you still have time to change it during the first few weeks of classes (this period is usually called Add/Drop deadline).
Make sure to visit your advisor.
Most colleges have advisors who can help students decide which courses they should take, this is known as an Educational Plan. If you are assigned an advisor, try to meet them before registration and at least once a semester to make sure you are on track to graduate promptly. You may also seek out advisors at your school's various programs to make sure you are receiving the appropriate academic and emotional support you need.
Get general requirements out of the way.
The number of required courses may vary from one college to another and by the major you choose. Your classes divide in three categories:
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General requirements: These are are course subjects everyone must meet regardless of their major. You should aim to take most of these courses during your first two years so you can concentrate on your major classes later.
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Major Prep: These are pre-requisite courses (courses you must complete before you are able to take your major courses)
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Major Courses: These are advanced courses related to your major/career that you would ideally take in your Junior and Senior years of college.
Balance is key.
Remember, this is not high school. It is recommended that you take 12 units (4 classes) your first semester in college to ease your transition from high school (or community college). If you do not pass your classes, you might be placed in academic probation, you may fall behind on your set graduation time, and it may affect your financial aid.
You may want to take all your challenging courses in your freshmen year, but college courses often require more time and effort, start slowly and work your way up to more challenging classes. Also, you may want to choose a variety of courses, so that you don't feel overwhelmed by the same subject all semester, or end up writing five research papers or having three labs in one week.
Take advantage of AP credits and placement exams.
If you earned college credits in high school, for example, through AP scores, find out if they could fulfill any core requirements before registering. You can also skip certain courses in college by scoring well on college placement exams.
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To get college credit for your AP scores, you have to request that the College Board send your official score report to the college of your choice. After receiving your scores, your college should notify you about any credit, advanced placement, and/or course exemptions you have earned. The College Board website offers a tool to find colleges that offer credit or placement for AP scores.
Consider taking a writing course.
Good writing skills will be necessary for all of your classes and whatever career you wish to pursue. Many 4-year colleges require writing assessments and/or courses.
Register early!
Always check to see when your registration day is. The earlier you register, the more likely you will get the class you want or need. Also, make sure you have a list of backup courses if the classes you want or need are already full.
If you are waitlisted in a class, that is ok! Make sure to attend the first class to ensure that you are added to the class roster. You can also "crash" a class that you wanted to attend but was full by the time you registered, it is likely that some of the registered people chose to drop it, opening up a spot for you (but you need to do this before the add/drop deadline).
Visit your college campus!
If you have the chance, visit your college campus and walk the route you will take for your whole class schedule, so you know what buildings and rooms you should go to.
You may also want to check your college’s website and see if they have downloadable or interactive maps that you can use during your first weeks of college.
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Visit our Virtual College Tours page for more info on college tours.
Arrive early!
Try arriving early to your classes so you can choose a good seat (some classrooms can range from 50 to 500 seats).
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Different students have different needs or circumstances, and so they might pick one area over another:
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Look for disability seating. All colleges must have accommodations for students but you might be required to ask for them.
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Sit in the front row to stay focused, get noticed by your professors, and be of the first ones to approach professors if you have any questions.
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Sit in the back or side rows to stay near the closest exit if you need to leave class early.
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Whatever side of the classroom you choose to sit on, make sure you can see the board/projector, be near an outlet you might need, and be able to hear the lecture.