Registering for Classes

How to Read the Class Schedule

After you have given some thought to the number and types of classes you will need to take, you are ready to schedule your first semester's program using the current Schedule of Classes.

Below you will find a typical listing for a class. Refer to the red numbers for a description of each item.

Codes:

• [1] Department and course number
• [2] Course Title
• [3] Number of credits
• [4] Cost of the course or resident tuition, does not include books (additional lab fees may also be assessed)
• [5] Course description
• [6] Call number
• [7] Section number
• [8] Meeting days (M=Monday, T=Tuesday, W=Wednesday, R=Thursday, F=Friday, S=Saturday, U=Sunday)
• [9] Starting times
• [10] Ending times
• [11] Campus and building
• [12] Room number
• [13] Instructors name
• [14] "Staff" indicates a course taught by an adjunct (part-time) instructor
• [15] Weekend class meets on Saturday & Sunday for period specified

Registration Steps

Step One:

Complete the Admissions Form and Student Orientation Online

Step Two:

Make an appointment to speak to a counselor or an advisor to determine a program of study and what classes to take. Ask for an Academic Degree Sheet for your catalog year.

Step Three:

Take your math or English placement test, if needed. List all the classes you can take without having to take a prerequisite course.

Step Four:

Prioritize these classes in the order of importance, i.e.. BIOL 189 is a prerequisite for BIOL 223 and therefore should be taken before BIOL 223. Because of the required sequence, BIOL 189 would be more important to take than a stand alone class which is not in a suggested sequence.

Step Five:

Print and use the Schedule Planner Worksheet in the Academic Planning Section. Mark all the sections of the course that you can attend. Take note of the campus where the classes are being held.

Step Six:

Using the list from Step Five, prioritize the sections that you are willing to attend.

Step Seven:

If you are a returning or continuing student, register using the Online Registration System. Go to the CSN Website and click on Online Registration. Use your Student Number and Pin to access Online Registration. Select the right semester to register. If you are registering for a class with a lab, select the lab section first. If your courses are all full, use the find open sections to look at open courses.

Step Eight:

Mark the class you have signed up for and the campus location on your Schedule Planner Worksheet.

Step Nine:

Repeat Steps Six and Seven until you have registered for the appropriate number of classes. Eliminate the options that will no longer work after you register for each additional class.

Step Ten:

Find out how much you owe. Check payment deadlines and PAY for your classes. Payment can be made:

• Online (using your credit card).
• By mail (personal checks must be post marked by mail-in deadline).
• In-person (at the Bursar's Office at your campus).
• By arranging for a time payment plan at the Bursar's Office.

If you discover that the class you want to take is closed, it is suggested that you:

• Keep trying (someone who has already registered for the class may decide to drop that class)
• Wait until the first day of registration after the purge (when all students who have not paid for their classes are dropped) and attempt to register again.
• Try again during late registration (usually the first week after the start of classes)
• Attempt to contact the instructor prior to the start of classes (it may be difficult during breaks and between semesters to reach an instructor).
• If the class is being taught by an adjunct professor, the department may allow additional students.
• Attend the first day of class and ask the instructor for permission to add his/her class.
• Consider weekend offerings, internet, distance education or sections at another campus.

How to Know if You Are in the Right Class or Level?

Often the only way to discover if a class is appropriate or not is to sign-up and attend. There are several ways you can determine whether or not the class is right for you. These are:

• Go to the bookstore and preview the text to be used in the class. You will get an idea of the material to be covered in the course and can make a more informed decision.
• Check in the reserve section of the library for copies of old exams and/or syllabi from instructors who have taught the course.
• Attend one class session during the current semester, with the permission of the instructor. Although you may not understand the material being covered you will get an idea of the instructor's teaching style and his/her rapport with the class.

How to Complete Late Registration

Students are allowed to register for classes, provided there is space available, until the end of late registration — usually one week after the start of the semester. Although it is possible to enroll with the permission of the instructor and/or department chair, it is not recommended unless you have some prior knowledge of the material and are accustomed to the demands of college work.

How to Drop a Class

Students should drop classes before classes start so that they can register for more appropriate classes or get full refund. However, if the semester has started, please see a counselor or an advisor before dropping any class. Total number of credits may affect your scholarship and financial aid standing. Also there are classes that are offered only once a year and dropping those classes may delay graduation.