I can’t believe graduation is almost two weeks away, and soon the Academy will just be a fond memory! Because college is quickly approaching, I am beginning to prep. I started by making a list of all things I need for my dorm, filled out all my required paperwork, and I have selected my courses for freshman year.

Selecting classes at college is much different than selecting courses in high school. Here, we are each assigned counselors who help us choose our classes and make our schedules, but in college, everything is done solo. This can be a daunting task especially if it’s your first time. Luckily, I am here to give you some tips and let you in on things I wish I knew before selecting my classes.

The first thing and most important is to BE PREPARED! Before selecting classes, I would learn all of your general education requirements and major requirements. This will give you a general idea of the classes you should take and will make the class selection process go by so much faster. Print a list of all the requirements and options for your general education requirements and then highlight the classes that would be the best for you. Having a physical paper comes in handy during meetings with counselors and makes the courses easier to visually see.

I also recommend creating a loose four-year plan. Most colleges will have a sample plan for your major/minor, and I would use it to get a guide for your four years. This makes sure you are meeting credit requirements and gives a visual outline that can be checked easier by counselors.

Another thing that is super helpful, but not always promoted, is blank schedule sheets. I would say this was my biggest help throughout this whole process. Blank schedule sheets usually can be found on your college’s website under “class selection.” The most difficult part of picking classes is managing all of the times and days. Once you select a class, I would log it on your schedule sheet so you can see the physical time blocks to ensure you do not double-book yourself. If you are playing a sport, put your practice times on here too to make sure nothing conflicts.

My last piece of advice to everyone going through this process is to email and reach out to your counselor. Every college should have designated counselors to help with the class selection process. I would email that person introducing yourself and ask any questions that you may have. Personally, I had an online meeting with my counselor because I couldn’t ask all of my questions in one email. This was immensely helpful, and I should have done this sooner.

I hope these tips gave you a better idea of what to do for class registration. Just remember that college is a time to explore all of the different classes and branch out. Good luck, Royals!