Salem State Students: Registration Easier Than in the Past
Class registration for the Spring 2017 semester at Salem State University began on Nov. 1, and some students said they were treated to the easiest registration process they’ve experienced so far. This fall, the class registration schedule was spread out over four days during the week, instead of two like in previous years. Each day was also split into two registration times: priority registration at 7 a.m. and regular registration at 3 p.m.
Salem State Reports was curious to learn how the Salem State community was affected by the changes and how students especially felt about the change and the registration process in general. Many students on campus were very willing to share their experiences. These four students and one peer mentor from all different departments reflect the mostly positive experience many students seem to have had.
Courtney Lillie
Peer Mentor, Bertolon School of Business
“During registration time, we take students from the business school and help them with their schedules, the registration process, and we also refer them to Career Services for internships. We take a look at their flowsheets, their degree tracker report on Navigator, and go through everything to see where they’re at. Then from there, we make recommendations about classes they should be taking for the next semester. We help them put them into their shopping carts and find times, so all they have to do on registration day is put in their access code and press a button.”
Justin Burton
Junior, Class of 2018
Geography Major
“This semester it seemed every class I picked fit and didn’t overlap or anything. There was only one section for most of my classes, so nothing overlapped. Maybe I just got lucky. It just seemed like all I had to do was type in my number and register.”
Joselin Lemus
Senior, Class of 2017
English Major
Minor in Business Administration and French
“The most stressful time registering was probably my freshman year because I didn’t know what I was doing, but registration this year was super easy. It was probably the easiest I’ve ever had, so that was surprising. I only need three classes to graduate. I was very, very lucky to find the classes needed to satisfy my last requirements. But the switch they did — you know, letting people register earlier and later — it kind of helped because the system didn’t take so long.
Registration is always a little stressful not because of the system, but mainly for the classes offered. There are certain classes we need to take to satisfy certain requirements and they only offer them every other semester, so that definitely makes scheduling an issue.”
Narcissa Plummer
Senior, Class of 2017
Chemistry Major
“This semester was actually the easiest I’ve ever registered. I think how they made it now — seniors go one day, juniors go another, and the priority people registering before everyone else — really helps as opposed to how they’ve done it in the past, with having the system basically crash every time.
It kind of stinks, though, that everyone else has to register at 3, because that’s a time when a lot of people have class. So say you have back-to-back classes, a class that ends at 2:55 and another starting at 3:05, you don’t have that much time to register for your classes. I feel like they could find another time during the day. For me at least, because I’m a priority person, it didn’t crash for me. In the past, the system has crashed at 7 o’clock, so I think it’s pretty awesome. But, I feel like they need to have more classes open, especially in the sciences.”
For detailed information on class registration, final exams, and all offered course, refer to the Spring 2017 Master Schedule. To find answers to questions about class registration, scheduling, and more: Ask the Viking.
