With the Schedule Assistant and Stellic opening up last Monday, Feb. 24, and FSU class registration right around the corner, students are beginning to plan their schedules for the fall 2025 semester.
As a freshman, this will only be my third time scheduling college courses, but I’ve learned much from my previous mistakes. That being the case, I thought I’d share how I’ll utilize some of the most helpful resources for this process.
Academic Map
The first thing I do is search for my major’s academic map on the college’s website. The map provides a sample schedule for each term, designed to guide students through their degree requirements. It includes prerequisite courses for the specific major and FSU’s general education courses.
However, the Academic Map is a very general tool that might be confusing if you are unsure whether you have the credits for a required course. For example, GE History was listed as a requirement for my major, but I later discovered I had already earned credit for it in high school with an AP course.
Degree Progress
I use the Undergraduate Degree Progress tool to get a more personalized look at what I’ve already taken and what I still need to take. It’s not only the easiest tool to navigate, but it also provides the most specific information about your academic journey.
This is truly the most complete and insightful resource you can use. It will tell you precisely the requirements you haven’t fulfilled yet, and all the options of courses you can take to do so. Additionally, the Degree Progress allows you to add classes and placeholders to any of your future semesters, making long-term planning more manageable!
Schedule Assistant
Once I have a good idea of which courses I need, I move on to the well-known Schedule Assistant, where I can explore different class options that would satisfy my requirements. This tool provides detailed information about each course, such as days and locations, physical location, and the instructor for each section. The Schedule Assistant is a great way to compare schedules and ensure I make the best choices.
Rate My Professors
While exploring my course options, I always check Rate My Professors to gain insights into my potential instructors. While the website was created for college students to rate their professors after each semester, you can also find valuable feedback on the class itself.
I always check for the average difficulty rating and the added tags, such as “test heavy,” “clear grading criteria,” and “extra credit.” These reviews give me a solid idea of what to expect of my future classes, and help me make more informed decisions during course registration.
Finalizing My Schedule
After narrowing down my options, I go back to the Schedule Assistant and make my final decisions based on time and location, avoiding the despised 8 a.m. classes and long walks to class from my dorm. Unfortunately, this part of the process depends on luck, as classes fill up quickly and might overlap in your schedule, forcing more changes and decisions. However, following these steps has made the process much more manageable and I’ve made fewer mistakes.
Course registration can be stressful, but taking advantage of FSU’s resources and planning ahead makes the process much smoother. Hopefully, these steps can be helpful to any freshman or less organized student at FSU!
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