Planning Your Schedule

It's almost time for my first year students to create their fall class schedules and I wanted to take a few minutes to write down my favorite pieces of advice for planning your schedules.



But first thing's first...your going to need a few tools:

1. Your computer (with a working internet connection). Most schools publish their schedule of classes online these days--you're going to need that in order to plan out your classes. You should also take a moment to verify that your student account is "active". Make sure you don't have any holds that will prevent you from registering!! You should likely check this at least once a week as registration approaches.


2. Course Sequencing/Graduation Worksheets. Most schools provide fabulous little documents that tell you all of the classes you need to complete your degree...make sure you have the correct one (if you entered school this year, you fall under the '07-'08 academic bulletin and your requirements will match!)


3. Your Transcript. You should be able to print an "unofficial" transcript through your online records system (generally, this is the same place you go to register for classes). Take a moment to look over your transcript--are ALL of the right classes on there? Is there anything missing? If you are missing anything (an AP class from high school, a class you took over the summer at a community college), go immediately to see your advisor! You want to make sure that credit for every class you took (you did the work, why not get credit for it?)


4. Any Info from a Meeting with your Advisor. You will need to meet with your academic advisor before you register (and I'm not just saying that because I'm an advisor). Your advisor can make sure you understand your course sequencing so you don't take classes out of order. If you are in a very specific major (such as my Theatre or Music students), you may be required to register for a very specific section of a class...WRITE THOSE CLASS NUMBERS DOWN!!!


5. A Registration Planning Sheet. While this item is not specifically necessary, it sure is a time saver! My office pre-prints forms with class times blocked out (our Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes are 50 minutes long; Tuesday, Thursday classes are 1 hour and 15 minutes long). This way, you can plot out your schedule as you are creating it! If planning sheets are not available to you, use the calendar function on your computer--just make sure you can see a whole week at a time!

Now that you've got your tools, this registration thing should be pretty simple...

1. Fill out your Graduation Worksheet. Use your transcript to mark off all of your completed requirements on your graduation worksheet. What classes do you still have left to take? Is there a particular order that your school prefers you take these classes? I'm betting that your advisor said something about all of this when you talked!


2. Make a List of Classes You MUST Take This Semester. Based on the information you just got from your graduation worksheet, I bet there are at least two classes that you really need to take. Pull out that information from your advisor and write down any specific classes (if any). Then fill in with at least one (preferably two) general education classes. You may want to divide your list into three headings: Major Classes, General Education Classes, Electives (Fun Classes). As you create your schedule, keep referring back to this list to make sure you're fulfilling requirements and creating a good balance.


3. Start Filling in Your Registration Planning Sheet. Put in the classes that you know you have to have first. Obviously this will be easier if a spot in the class is reserved for you (if the class is restricted to "majors only") but never discount the value of sneak-thievery in order to get into a needed class (more on that later). Once you have your "required" classes on your schedule, you can design everything else around that.


4. Research! Pull up the Schedule of Classes and find out what time those general education courses are being offered. Make sure you find a couple of alternative times for each class (if something fills, you want to be flexible. Have another class waiting in the wings!) Pull up a second window as you are searching classes and log on to http://www.ratemyprofessor.com/! Don't just use this site to say, "oh, that professor sucks, I don't want to take a class with them." Pay attention to the student comments. Find out how much reading is involved in the course you're looking at--find out if the professor tests solely from his/her lecture notes or if they use the book. I've mentioned creating a "balanced" schedule before...this is the best way to do it! Mix your reading/writing heavy classes with your more fun classes. Don't avoid work--find the balance!


5. You're Ready to Register. Now that you have a schedule planned out, get online and register. Try to remember that registration dates fluctuate--so be sure you know what date and time you are allowed to register. Wake yourself up early the morning of registration and, if at all possible, check your registration system the night before to see if any of the classes you were hoping to take are closed. Once you've registered, print out a copy of your schedule and verify that everything is correct. Most online registration systems date and time stamp printouts. This is a great way of covering your ass should a problem arise!

I Didn't Get Into the Class I Want...What Do I Do? Ah, the "closed" class, a time honored tradition in universities across the country. Like most things in college, "closed" is not exactly a word set in stone. You have a couple of options to get around a "closed" class. Here are some pointers:

• Keep Checking! Just because a class is closed now, doesn't mean it will continue to be closed a week from now (or even ten minutes from now). This step requires a lot of vigilance on your part! Seats in "closed" classes do move around quite a bit, particularly during the first week of school--when students actually get into the class! Check to see if a seat opens up once every two days or so over the summer, and once an hour during the first week of school. Once school has started, the BEST time to check for an open seat is IMMEDIATELY after the first class meeting.

• Check With the Department About an Override. Some Departments will issue overrides into classes (particularly if you are a major in that department). However, this is on a case-by-case basis.

• Check With the Professor About an Override. A lot of Departments will leave overrides at the discretion of the professor. Generally, the best way to contact a professor is by e-mail...but watch your timing! Remember that professors have even more work than you do at the end of a semester so be cautious about e-mailing for an override immediately following registration.

• Show Up on the First Day of Class. This is a somewhat underhanded tactic for getting an override, but it's been known to work wonders. Professors will often give an override to the person who is standing right in front of them (hey, possession is 9/10's of the law, remember?)

• Get Really Sneaky. This tactic will have required some foresight on your part (which is why I'm telling you about it now). Is there a class you are just desperate to take, but it always fills up? Ask yourself this, do I have any friends in Honors or Student Government? These students are frequently able to register before any one else--have them register for a seat in your desired class. Once you are ready to register, get them on the phone and have them drop the class while you add it. Yes, it's underhanded. Yes, it's devious. But all is fair in love and registration.

Loss

I have been advising students in a professional capacity for four years now. And I have seen the academic environment change considerably in that time. The shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University have created an environment of caution and suspicion among educators. Violence on college campuses is on the rise and it seems that every other week my school is testing their "warning" sirens.

But in all of the time I have been here, it is the more immediate deaths that effect me the most. I lost a student last year to a car accident--the incredible Joe Amoury--and I still remember his wit and his smile. Joe was an extraordinary student, musician, and friend. We lost him long before his full potential was reached.

I recently received an e-mail announcing the death of another student who was shot in the back after a robbery in nearby Byrd Park. Tyler Binsted was a Sculpture major who served as an assistant to one of the Sculpture professors. He also went to Qatar last year on a scholarship because his work was so extraordinary. He was 19 years old.

Advisors see their students once a month (sometimes more, sometimes less), but they all make an impression. Tyler's advisor is heartbroken right now. I have no words to console her, despite going through the same situation myself last year. And as someone who makes their living talking to people...finding just the right words to help, I can't help but feel frustrated. There is nothing I can say to make this better. "I'm sorry" feels painfully inadequate...but sometimes it's the best we have to give.

I often find myself getting angry about these deaths. There was no reason for either of these young men to die and both had so much potential. But I see potential in every student I meet. Moments like this makes me realize that the greatest tragedy of all is the failure for that potential to be fulfilled, whether it be because of an early end, or through one's own actions.

When my students come to me because they have lost someone close to them, I frequently remind them to celebrate that person's life. Celebrating someone's memory does a hell of a lot more good than spending time drowning in your own sorrow. I can't help but think that Tyler's friends will be creating some amazing art in his memory.

Talking to Professors...

I talk to students...a lot. And in the course of my conversations, I frequently find myself repeating one question over and over again, "have you talked to your professor?" The answer, 99 times out of 100, is a resounding "no". Why? What is it about this one little task that is so difficult, so intimidating that the very idea of approaching this person who is imparting new knowledge?

Maybe I see things a little differently. I went to school at a very small, private university. Our class sizes were ridiculously small (my Intro to Psyc class--the largest class I ever had--had 50 students in it) and the campus was isolated. We knew everyone on campus. I was also in a very small major...and no matter what anyone tells you, it really is easier to talk to professors in Arts majors. You meet and talk to the same people all the time and, quite frankly, we're a very touchy-feely bunch. But maybe things are different at larger schools. Most of my students are sitting in general education classes with 150 other students. It's hard to distinguish yourself...I get it.

Here's the thing: taking one step forward and introducing yourself, making sure that professor actually knows your name...well that makes more of a difference than I can ever completely explain (but I'll give it a shot). Let me ask you this, how are you doing in your classes right now? Is there a class that you could be doing better in? That class is your starting point. Let's go over your game plan...

• Avoid (like the plague) approaching your professor before or after class! Pay attention to the traffic patterns around your prof at these times...there are a hell of a lot of people around him/her, aren't there? Don't be one of the pack! Chances are, your professor is incredibly distracted and is not really likely to pay attention to anything you have to say. I've said it before, and god knows I'll say it again, but READ YOUR SYLLABUS!!! Your professor more than likely wrote down his/her office hours on that delightful little document...so for the love of god, use it! Make an appointment during the aforementioned office hours and keep that appointment (missing an appointment with a professor is tantamount to shitting in their food, please don't do it).

• Know what you're going to say, before you say it. Most students (especially first year students) have a delightful thing called an "academic advisor" at their disposal. This canny creature can be called upon (my god I love alliteration) to create a game plan for all sorts of difficult conversations (i.e. "Mom, Dad, I want to be a Theatre major," and "Hey Dr. Smith, I think I'm failing your class,".) Ask your advisor to walk you through a conversation. A good advisor will actually give you language to use so that you feel more comfortable. Give yourself some talking points. If you think you are not performing up to your potential, tell your professor how you are preparing for tests/quizzes and see if he/she has any tips. Just got a paper back and didn't do so well? Take the paper with you! Familiarize yourself with the comments and discuss them.

• Treat your professor with respect and don't let your emotions get the best of you. If at all possible, avoid calling your professor "dude," or "man" when beginning the conversation. Also, avoid the greeting "yo" preceeding any of these forms of address (you think I'm joking...I once had a student e-mail me an assignment which began "yo what up?") Please bear in mind at all times that this person does control your grade. When I ask that you keep your emotions in check, that doesn't mean "refrain from crying should the spirit move you". I mean that expressing extreme anger over a perceived slight on the part of a professor may not be the wisest course of action. Try to stay calm and avoid placing judgements on grades you have received. I have heard the phrase "my professor hates me!" more times that I care to think about. Unless you killed Professor X's dog, chances are that there is no animosity on his part (please, please, please don't kill your professor's pets. It's just bad juju.)

• Repeat this phrase, "I want to do well in your class." There isn't a professor on this planet who doesn't want to hear this coming out of a student's mouth. Being as clear and forthright as possible and letting your professor know exactly how you're preparing for their class will give them some insight into how much you actually care (even if you don't give a rat's ass about the class). If you're taking the class to fulfill a general education requirement, be honest! Tell the professor that you need the class to complete your degree (avoid the temptation to ass-kiss at this point. Unless you've actually learned things you never thought you would learn, don't tell the professor that!) Tell the professor that you just want to understand the material.

So what is the point? What is this little heart-to-heart going to get you?

1. Increased confidence in speaking to professors (I swear, they don't have fangs!)
2. A better relationship with each professor you speak with (they're far more likely to remember your name and to check in with you when you do well).
3. Improved grades (no really, it actually works).
4. References. Oh, I'm sorry, you didn't think that was going to be a benefit, did you? Professors that you establish relationships with (working relationships, you sick little monkeys) are far more likely to remember you when you take another class with them. If these are classes in your major, that professor could end up being your academic advisor for the remainder of your time at school. By establishing a relationship with the professor NOW, you give them more time to learn your work habits...and more material for a job reference later on.

God I love my job.

How Curriculums Change...and What it Means For You

From time to time, a university or a department will create a new curriculum or will change an existing curriculum to better reflect the state of education today, or to incorporate new classes. These changes are usually very beneficial things and should be looked on with the most positive light possible.

That being said, curriculum changes can wreak havoc when people are being given incorrect information (i.e. two advisors are telling their students different things) and I am a huge stickler for clarity of information.

Here's a little for instance:
Virginia Commonwealth University is currently revising its general education requirements--as it stands right now, students entering in the fall of 2009 will fall under what is called the "core curriculum" requirements. This means that all students (regardless of what major, department, or school those students are in) will have the same general education requirements.

Now, students are bound by their academic bulletin (if you entered your school in the Fall of 2007, you will be bound to the 2007-2008 academic bulletin). Most students receive copies of these bulletins when they arrive for their freshman orientation--and most schools also have copies of these bulletins available electronically on their websites. You are required to abide by whichever curriculum is laid out in your bulletin...but there is a loop hole! If your curriculum changes significantly, you can choose to follow the curriculum of any year after you enter the university (but you must follow the whole curriculum...you can't just pick and choose the requirements you like!)

Think about it this way: if your class syllabus is your contract with your professor, your academic bulletin is your contract with the university. But, like any good contract, there are always loop holes.

So, students entering VCU in the fall of '09 will be held to the core curriculum and all of its little oddities (among them, the fact that our sophomore English class--ENGL 200--is NOT required). Every student that entered the university before fall '09 is STILL required to take ENGL 200.

That being said...the University has a responsibility too. Even though ENGL 200 is being removed from the curriculum...the school still has to offer the class until everyone operating under the previous academic bulletins has successfully completed it. The university cannot simply remove a class and expect several thousand students to have completed said class within one academic year (which is a rumor going around the Theatre department right now). That is completely impractical...and it's mean to boot.

So for all of you who still need ENGL 200--you've got time!

Arts Majors...not for pansies

One of the biggest challenges I face as an advisor for performing arts students is public perception. There are a hell of a lot of people out there who still consider the arts to be a "soft option" and that arts classes are "easy A's". This, my friends, is a load of crap.

My students routinely carry more credits per semester than your average pre-Med student (without all that burden-some Chemistry). 15-18 credits per semester of extremely challenging classes...plus rehearsal time--2 to 3 hours a day for Music students, 3-4 hours a day for Theatre students--makes for students who are extremely tired, and stressed. The Music Theory courses that are required for all Music students (4 semesters worth) are particularly difficult to pass on the first attempt and at 4 credits a piece, have the potential to drop a Music student's gpa like a stone. The two semester Intro to Drama class, which is required for all Theatre majors, has almost as high of a D/F rate as BIOL 101 (one of the most hated courses here at VCU).

And yet, the academic aspect is only a portion of the issue. Both Music and Theatre are considered "professional training programs" (as are many of the programs in the School of the Arts) and both hold their students to high performance requirements. Students in the Theatre department are judged not just on their performance in their classes (via their respective gpas) but also on their "professional prognosis". In short, students are judged (in part) on whether or not members of the Theatre department faculty feel that they will have a career in professional theatre.

Both Music and Theatre hold their students to a professional standard as soon as they enter the department. Students who are habitually late to class, who are unprepared, and who misbehave are rarely given opportunities for outside work (professional gigs for Music students, Mainstage casting for Theatre students). Are you starting to get the picture?

Students who are considering these majors should give all of this information careful consideration. If you loved Theatre or Music in high school and you want to continue doing it, that's great. There isn't a program in the world (or an arts lover either, for that matter) who will tell you to stop doing what you love. But are you ready to make this the only thing you do? Are you ready for your life to revolve around this, and this alone, for the next four years? Are you ready to handle all of the work, and all of the stress...and then ask for more...because that is what will be demanded of you?

If you've answered all of those questions in the affirmative, you may have another problem...convincing Mom and Dad that this is what you want. Every summer I speak with the parents of incoming first year students who are concerned about the practicalities of an arts degree. "This is what little Billy wants, but what can he actually DO with a Music major? I mean, isn't this an easy option? I think he should get a degree in Business so he can get a job as soon as he graduates." This is usually the point in the conversation when "Billy" is standing behind his mom, rolling his eyes and I try really hard not to laugh.

We're right back to public perception. The university environment is changing, people. You have to remember that the major on your degree doesn't make as much difference these days as what you do with it...and how you spin it. What kind of a work history do you have? Have you been busting your ass for summer internships in fields you're interested in? Can you make a connection between your degree and that work experience? If so, you're far more likely to get a job. You also have to break the hard news to Mom that it takes an average of nine months to find a job (and that figure fluctuates, depending on the job market and what field you're looking in) so you may be crashing on her couch for a while, even if you did get that Business degree she wants.

It is far better to get a degree in something you actually enjoy doing---when you enjoy your classes, you get good grades...and that looks good on your transcript!

Spring

So the Spring semester is almost over and I feel like I've been run over by a tank. I can't imagine I'm the only person feeling like this (and after reading numerous profile updates on Facebook, I'm dead certain of it!) How do we go about re-charging our collective juices? How do we make it through finals and the other end of year minutiae without going quietly (or quite vocally, in the case of my Theatre majors) insane?

I've always been down with organization--planning out my days as carefully as possible so that assignments don't sneak up and bite me on the ass. But this system isn't for everyone. Regimenting your daily life can seem like hell on wheels to a lot of people. Ok, I get it. So try this--Small moves, Ellie (don't recognize the quote? Look it up.) A to-do list can be your friend. Make a new one each day...and if something didn't get done the day before, carry it over to the next day! Daily lists make your work seem more bearable and they make you feel just a little bit more organized.

Once you've got this system down, try categorizing your to-do list into big stuff and small stuff. "Big stuff" might be things like: renewing your FAFSA (money is our friend), writing that English paper, or breaking up with your significant other. "Big stuff" items should be things that take up a lot of time or that will drain you emotionally/mentally/physically. "Small stuff" items might be things like: doing laundry, doing homework, taking care of that post-nasal drip. In short, things that you can either do in a small amount of time, or that you can do other things while you are doing (i.e. you can do laundry and homework at the same time).

Pay attention to everything you've got going on and make your to-do list accordingly. English paper due next week, but Math homework due tomorrow? Both should go on your to-do list...with the English paper very likely carrying over through tomorrow and the day after. If at all possible, try to get that paper done early so that you can take it to your professor for feedback (thus allowing you the opportunity to make revisions...and possibly get a higher grade!)

Right now is the best possible time to go back to something you got at the beginning of the semester...your class syllabus!

Think about it this way: the syllabus is your contract with your professor. When the professor hands you that syllabus, you are essentially agreeing to complete the work for the class--so you'd better know what's on it! Take a minute (or ten) to re-familiarize yourself with the work you still have to do for each class. Do you have a final paper due? When is it due? How long does it have to be? If this information is not on the syllabus, you'd better talk to your professor now and find out. What about a final exam? When is it (last day of class or during your school's exam days?) Will the exam be cumulative or does it only cover the most recent material for the class?

Knowing all of this information will help you feel more prepared going into the final weeks of school (after all, forewarned is forearmed). Students who feel prepared and who go into finals with all of their work completed are significantly less stressed...and conversely do better on their exams!

But the most important advice I can give you is to take time off whenever possible (another benefit of those to-do lists is that they allow you to figure out how much work you have to do...and when you can take time off!) You need to give yourself some "mental health" days to de-stress and have fun with your friends. If you can't afford to go out to clubs, go for a drive--just get away from the campus for a while. Take lots of pictures! A lot of you will be returning home for the summer, and you won't get to see each other for several months...so take this time while you have it!