Spring 2006 registration began on Oct. 31, which is often a frustrating and stressful experience for some students.
The Office of the Registrar has added new features to AU's course registration page, according to its web site http://american.edu/registrar, including changes to its online list of classes that identify the class as a general education, distance learning, topics or university college courses.
While the schedule of classes has been available online for 10 years, spring 2005 was the first semester AU stopped printing the thousands of class booklets made available to students throughout campus. Students can register from their own computers, but must meet with their advisors to be cleared for registration.
Matt Kent, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, had trouble with scheduling in the past.
"I would always forget to visit my advisor until a day before I could register," Kent said. "I would end up getting an appointment a week after I was to register then my classes would fill up."
Kent would "be patient" and wait for classes to open up online.
"When things would open up I would swoop in for my prize," Kent said.
Nicole Vanella, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, shared her frustrations with AU's advising system.
"Sometimes [advisors] forget to clear you in the system and then you can't register until they [clear you] which could push your registration date as far back as a full day or more," Vanella said.
Priority registration began for students on Oct. 31. In addition to case-by-case basis options, student athletes and those with learning disabilities are able to register early for classes with priority registration.
"Students with disabilities in general get priority registration," said Kathy Schwartz, director of the academic support center at AU. "By having priority registration, students are better able to lay out their classes."
According to Schwartz, students who have lots of reading in one class, papers in the other, or group presentations can better balance their schedule to suit their needs.
In order to obtain priority registration, students work with counselors in the Academic Support Center office and must provide appropriate documentation, said Schwartz.
Priority registration is awarded on a case-by-case basis. Schwartz stressed that all students, regardless of a learning disability or not, can use the Academic Support Center.
Student athletes are also able to register with priority registration.
According to Meredith Basil, coordinator of the academic support program for Student Athletes, athletes register early due to their games and practice schedules.
Chris Leggett, a sophomore in the School of Communication and a student athlete, feels that priority registration is an "amazing tool."
"It makes my life a lot easier and less stressful about not getting the classes I want," Leggett said.
The only frustration Leggett has with registering is "having web sites all open at once."
"I wish things were more merged sometimes," Leggett said. "It's difficult not to conflict with other classes just looking things up," Leggett said.
John Zevitas, a junior in SPA, plays ultimate Frisbee but is unable to register early because of its club sport status.
"I have had trouble with scheduling in the past, but not this semester," Zevitas said. "However, because of my practice schedule there is a very limited amount of classes I can take."
Basil said that priority registration is important for academic success.
"If the students weren't able to use priority registration, they wouldn't have the classes they need to complete their majors," Basil said. "Their academic progress is what matters most."
Basil feels that AU's class scheduling system is "excellent" and "academic advisors are key and important to student athletes."
Registration dates, the Schedule of Classes and other information about the spring registration process can be found at www.american.edu/american/registrar.
