Choosing Spring Classes

By Ashley August

Cougs, it's about that time when we begin to pick classes for our spring semester.

First of all, it is very important to make an appointment with your advisor so you are cleared to sign up for your classes when your registration time comes.

I recommend using CLAWS to help plan your course selections. The “Academic Planning” section lets you review you program evaluation so you know what classes you need to take and the “Plan Courses” section helps you organize when you plan on taking certain classes. You can also search for sections under “Registration” to find your priority time assignment.

Picking classes may be a tedious process but it is very important to take your time when selecting classes to ensure they fit the requirements for your major and that the classes are right for you. Some things to consider are whether the class is of interest to you, which professor is teaching the class and the time that the class is offered.

I find it very helpful to read the class descriptions to weed out ones you don’t like right away. Another thing I like to do is talk to upper classman who may have already taken the class or have suggestions of good classes to take.

I always check the class time because I know that I don’t function well at certain times of the day, so I try to schedule classes back-to-back and give myself a lunch break. I also like to finish early in the day so that I can go to practice, work out, or take a nap. Once a week, I like to take a night class because you have a whole week to complete assignments.

The final thing I do before deciding to take a class is to look up my professors on ratemyproffesors.com to see what other students who have taken the professor think. This may be biased but it is interesting to read. Students might also give advice on things that you need to do if you take that given professor for a course.

It’s never too early to start planning classes. Registration starts on October 22 so make your appointments and start planning. I recommend going into your appointment with your class schedule picked out along with backup classes to make your appointment fast and painless. It’s crazy to think that we are already signing up for spring classes.


Ashley August is a sophomore education major from LaGrange Park. She is member of the volleyball team and the Student Athletic Committee. Consideration for the student bloggers is provided by Saint Xavier University.