Congrats! You’ve made it through the half way mark of Fall Semester! Even though midterms are over, there’s still a lot to be done, especially in preparation for next semester. Unlike high school and secondary schools, college has two semesters per year where you take completely different classes each semester. Picking classes on your own may seem difficult, however, it is much simpler than it seems.

First things first, meet with your adviser. They are assigned to you through SiS, and you can find out who your adviser is by looking on the right hand side of your Student Center in SiS. You can contact them directly through SiS, which is super convenient! At UMass Lowell, everyone is required to meet with an adviser, and you will have an advising hold on your account until you do so. This means that you are unable to register for classes! We believe that everyone should excel here at UML, so a meeting with your adviser will give you an idea of what classes to take next semester, and even the semesters ahead. Remember, advisers are your go to person in your department, they WANT to help you succeed and make the most of your college experience. Always take their advice.

Second, know your own curriculum. In order to be successful, you need to be informed on what classes you’ll be taking during which semester. This is especially critical if you are a member of the Honor’s College because your class schedule may be slightly different from others in your major. Honor’s students take extra classes, as well as take accelerated Honors versions of certain classes. Also, if you have AP or Transfer credits, your schedule will be altered, so its always a good idea to know where you should be.

Knowing your curriculum lets you be more prepared to meet with your adviser. If you have an idea of what classes you should be taking, it makes the meeting much smoother. Unfortunately, advisers see hundreds of students each advising period, so the meetings are short. Knowing what you need will give you more time to ask about the things you are unsure of, like what minor to declare. Bonus, advisers will be impressed if you know your stuff!

Lastly, breathe. Scheduling for classes is not the end of the world. It’s okay if you’re not in a class with your best friend, and it’s okay if you don’t know which professor’s class to take. If you end up enrolling in a class you don’t like, no worries, you can change your schedule as much as you like until the end of the add/drop period in the beginning of the semester (but don’t go crazy). No matter what you do, you’ll make the right choices.

Good luck!
Katy