Ready…Set…Register!

By Amelia Tognoli
SC Staff Writer

Its 11:59 PM and you’re like a soldier heading into battle. You have a detailed paper that lists the CRN’s of all the desired classes you hope to get for the next semester.

Your pin code to access the classes sits in plain sight. You’re prepping your fingers to act like the little soldiers they are.

Midnight. Quickly, you refresh your browser. One, two, or maybe even three refreshes later, you’ve made it to the access pin code page.

If you want to beat those other kids, you must hurry! Bam, pin code entered. But wait.

“What’s with all of these error messages?”

“Is my pin code really incorrect?”

“Do I seriously have a hold on my account?”

“There goes my Wi-Fi….”

All of these are common scenarios that many students at ESU face during registration.

Many argue that change needs to happen so that registration becomes a more assessable and enjoyable experience; rather than a pain in the you-know-what.

Marie Rivello is a junior at ESU. A week before registration she noticed a hold on her account that, had she not taken care of it, would have prevented her from registration.

Rivello was one of the lucky ones. Most holds on students account go unnoticed until it’s too late.

“I’m so thankful that I checked my portal ahead of time. I’m commuting next semester, my class schedule is crucial,” stated Rivello.

Although one can argue it is a student’s responsibility to be proactive, an email from the university notifying the students of a hold could prevent any last minute panic.

Some students also pay for tuition in increments through Sally Mae. If the tuition isn’t fully paid off by registration, a hold will prevent the student from registering.

A professor at ESU who wished to remain anonymous also noted that his advisees complain about registration start times.

The professor stated, “Most students are forced to wait until 12:00 AM if they want first pick for classes. Some students work late, others are commuting home from their night class. There is no perfect time. However, it’s difficult for students to stay up until midnight especially when they have morning classes.”

Allison Jacobs, sophomore at ESU, thinks that registration should be done on a weekend. In some circumstances, students do not have access to Wi-Fi at midnight.

If registration was on a weekend, during the day, they could go to a location that provides Wi-Fi.

Freshman year can be especially confusing. One freshman at ESU said that she was given her pin number, and then lost it. She assumed it would be on her portal; however, it was not.

She stated “Just forget the pin codes. It would be nice if the advisor could just lock/unlock registration access. No pins needed.”

Some students are confused about actual registration dates. It’s important to note that registration dates are determined by the CURRENT amount of credits PLUS the APPLIED credits a student has.

In other words, if you have 15 credits, and are currently taking 15 credits, your current and applied credit total would be 30.

The university provides a detailed outline of registration dates on their website.

Students need to understand that their advisors, as well as the university, are always there to help.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask questions.

Class registration is about you. Do whatever it takes to make sure your needs as a student are fulfilled.

Email Amelia at:
atognoli@live.esu.edu