As course enrollment rolls around, students experience anxiety and stress when they see waitlist spots decrease, classes close and they have days until their enrollment date. We have all been there, but if you have not then lucky you! I am going to provide some tips to help reduce stress and anxiety for the upcoming enrollment season.
The school of criminology is very large and has many students. It is normal for waitlists and class closures to occur during enrollment season, but do not let this discourage you. At SFU there are many factors that are considered in each student’s enrollment date and time. For example, students with scholarships get first priority and pick of classes. This is an incentive to maintain high grades to ensure better enrollment dates. The secondary priority considers factors such as projected academic level, cumulative GPA and units completed. Although it is difficult to dispute an enrollment date, I recommend you maintain a high GPA and stay on-track to graduate in 4 years to ensure an early enrollment date.
I recommend that on the day of enrollment you do not stress if you do not get into the classes you had hoped for. Keep the courses in your enrollment cart and check this cart often to see if a spot opens up on the waitlist. When the semester is over, enjoy and relax because you will perform better in the next semester after a mental break. When the first week of classes rolls around, check the enrollment cart because people will begin to drop classes and spots will open up. If it is mandatory for you to take a class during a particular semester because it is not offered in the future or you are graduating, contact an academic advisor. From my personal experience, academic advisors are very helpful and have the ability to ensure you are on track to graduate and can bypass the enrollment process if appropriate.
I have many friends who have enrolled into five to seven classes during their early enrollment dates. I find it super frustrating because it impacts whether other students get a spot in the class or the waitlist. However, keep in mind that these students only end up taking four to five classes because they drop them during the first week of the semester. For those who are hogging space in classes you do not intend on taking, please drop them so the stress level of other students is kept to a minimal level. However, for those who end up on the waitlist, I recommend you keep an eye out for open spots during the first week of class!
It is also important to remember that you should create an alternative schedule because there are many program prerequisites, electives and graduation requirements that students need to complete. If you take alternative classes, your credits and time will not go to waste. I recommend you create two to three alternative schedules that fulfil your requirements. If you are concerned about having a messy schedule, contact an academic advisor because they can aid in the planning process to create a manageable schedule.