Choosing your first college classes is an exciting milestone. But, it’s also common to wonder: “How do I even start picking my college classes?” After all, your picks are about more than filling timeslots; they’re your first step into your major, potential career, or skill you want to take with you across the graduation stage in four years’ time.
As you schedule your college classes each semester, here are seven tips to consider – from checking off degree requirements to balancing your workload.
First, how do college classes work?
College courses operate differently than classes you may have taken in high school. For instance, you might not have classes everyday in college. Some of your classes could be worth more credits than others and count toward different academic requirements. Even though you may not be used to these types of courses just yet, keeping in mind these three types of college courses can be helpful as you build your schedule:
- Major requirements, or classes that count toward your major
- General education requirements, or foundational courses for all students
- Electives, or exploratory courses that supplement your major and general education
How you take these classes is different from high school, too. You could be enrolled in a typical lecture or seminar – or find yourself in a hands-on laboratory or studio environment.
Now that you have an idea of what to expect, we can jump into how to build your college class schedule and how these schedules usually work!
#1. Your major requirements are your number one priority!
Every academic program has a certain set of courses you must take in order to graduate. (Which future Valpo students can find in our course catalog!)
Keeping your major top-of-mind will help you:
- Stay on track for graduation – and avoid delays that add to your overall cost
- Complete necessary prerequisites so you can move onto advanced courses when you’re ready
- Maintain academic eligibility for your program
Many colleges have course requirements for each major split into strategic semester-by-semester plans that are easy to follow. These can often be found online or when meeting with your academic advisor. (More on that later!)
If you don’t have a major pinned down just yet, don’t worry: Our next scheduling tip is for you.
#2. Always include your general education courses in the planning.
General education requirements – like the Valparaiso University Experience (VUE) – must be completed along with your actual degree requirements. These courses, like sciences and humanities, serve as complement or springboard classes for your major. Staying on top of these can:
- Prevent credit bottlenecks, fulfilling mandatory prerequisites for upper-level, major-specific courses
- Open the door to a new major or minor; taking classes in an entirely new discipline could lead you to discover new interests and talents that further define your career path
- Develop essential critical thinking and communication skills, preparing you to excel in advanced courses, future internships, and life in general
If you’re still exploring what you want to major in, these classes are a great place to start. You’ll also be required to take a certain number of elective courses, which can be totally separate from your major and allow you to take classes you think are fun and interesting. (Because that’s what college is all about!)
#3. Make sure your class schedule is balanced.
It can be tempting to jump right into your major and take as many of those required courses as possible, but the best college class schedule is a balanced one.
The number of academic credits a class is worth represents the number of hours you’ll need to spend studying outside of class to master the material. So, for every one credit hour you take, you should expect two to three hours of study time.
Since the typical college course schedule tends to have 12-15 credits per semester, a healthy balance between rigorous and exploratory courses is critical. Here’s a typical college class schedule that will help you balance your harder classes with easier ones:
- Two to three major-specific courses
- Two to three general education courses
- One to two elective courses
Your academic advisor will be able to help you identify intensive courses when building your schedule. In the meantime, download our free college class schedule template to map out your ideas.
#4. Make sure your number of credits per semester aligns with any scholarship or financial aid requirements.
Whether you’re preparing for your first semester of college or your last, double-check your scholarship and financial aid resources for any stipulations about the number of credits you can take. Some scholarships and financial aid resources require that you maintain a minimum number of credits throughout your time as a student, while others may not cover additional credit hours.
#5. Consider campus involvement, work schedules, and personal wellness.
There’s a lot that your college experience will bring to the table: student clubs and organizations, fraternity and sorority life, internships, on-campus job opportunities… The possibilities are endless – so while it’s important to challenge yourself academically, you should also look at the broader picture!
When you’re picking time slots for your courses, think about:
- If you’ll need to be available on certain days or at certain times for work
- If you plan on joining any clubs or organizations, and when those groups meet
- Where you’ll have time for adventures and hang-outs with your friends
- What time of day you should take classes (morning vs. afternoon vs. evening)
- How much time you need to study in between classes
- How you’ll plan meals and nourishment day-to-day
- How and when you’ll dedicate time to hobbies and external interests
Pro tip: If you’re a commuting student, it could be helpful to plan your classes in blocks or clusters to limit how many times you have to travel to campus each week!
#6. Keep track of scheduling windows.
Far before add, drop, and withdrawal deadlines, there are often optimal windows to schedule your classes. Registration windows usually open to students in the order of class standing, or the number of credits completed. Typically, the best time to schedule your college classes is as soon as registration opens.
Having a plan and being ready to register for your classes during your window will help you:
- Enroll in the classes you actually want to take
- Stay organized ahead of the semester
- Minimize any last-minute adds or drops
Registration windows are usually communicated via the Office of the Registrar and your academic advisor.
#7. Meet with your academic advisor.
Your academic advisor is your number one resource for building your class schedule that works for you and your goals. Academic advisors are assigned to you – usually depending on your major or area of interest – and can be met with to:
- Go over major and general education requirements
- Talk about what classes are best for your career goals
- Plan your upcoming semester courses
- Address any prerequisites that still need to be met
We recommend that you meet with your academic advisor at least once each semester to help you stay on track for graduation. They’re here to help you and make your academic experience the very best it can be!
Each time you enroll in a new semester of college courses – whether it’s your exciting first or your bittersweet last – you take another step toward your future profession and calling. Learn more about registering for classes, browse our course offerings, and start your academic journey with Valpo today at valpo.edu/register-for-classes.
