Picking classes in high school may not have been a big deal, but college is different. Some schools offer literally thousands of classes. Deciding what to take can make even the most experienced student dizzy. The following tips and strategies will make it easier to select your courses.
REVIEW THE COURSE CATALOG
Your course catalog will be sent to you over the summer. Look through it thoroughly. You'll find a variety of lists, including core requirements (courses all students must take), requirements for different majors, and the courses offered within each department. Within each category or department, lists generally begin with introductory-level courses and end with more challenging seminars.
GET REQUIREMENTS DONE FIRST
Almost all colleges have core requirements to ensure that students explore subjects outside their major. These requirements range from foreign language and physical education to philosophy and lab sciences. The number of required courses, and subjects, varies from one college to the next. You should fulfill these requirements as soon as possible so that you can spend your final semesters concentrating on courses in your major.
Most colleges assign you an academic advisor for your first year. When you arrive on campus, make it a priority to set up an appointment with your advisor and come with questions. If your advisor can't answer all your questions, seek the advice of department chairpersons and teachers of classes you're considering.
FIND A BALANCE OF CLASSES
You may be eager to jump into difficult classes your freshman year, but beware of taking too many. You may not realize how challenging college courses can be, and how much reading and other work they require. And don't forget that this will be your first semester on campus—you're in for lots of changes. Too many hard courses can put a real strain on you and it will show in your grades.
