Picking classes should be one of the most exciting college rituals, but it can be overwhelming. With so many courses to choose from, how do you narrow them down and make the right decisions?

There’s no step-by-step approach to picking classes that works for everyone. But employing the following five strategies should help you pick the right classes for you.

Strategy 1: Gather Intelligence

Seek out information about classes from these three sources:

– Other students. Especially when you are a freshman, upperclassmen are a great resource. Your RA and older friends or acquaintances should be happy to talk about their experiences in a particular course or with a particular professor.

– Academic advisors. Be sure to set up a meeting with your advisor. Your advisor should alert you to classes you are required to take, if you’ve forgotten to sign up for a discussion or lab section, or what the prerequisites are for courses that appeal to you. If you haven’t been assigned an advisor, contact student services and ask what academic advising resources are available.

– The Internet. Most universities now post student evaluations of classes online. Try to determine what the general opinion of potential courses and professors have been. A student disgruntled by bad grades or personal conflicts with the teacher might post a scathing review, which can probably be ignored if most other evaluations describe the class positively.

Strategy 2: Fulfill General Requirements Early
Find out what classes are required by the university or the school within the university, such as the School of Engineering, you are enrolled in. It’s wise to meet these requirements in your first year or two. Then, later on you can take classes required for your major and not have to fill up the rest of your schedule with other required classes.

Strategy 3: Aim for Variety Each Semester
In addition to mixing required classes with elective courses in subjects that interest you, it’s smart to register for different kinds of classes each semester. You’re in danger of becoming bored or overburdened if all your classes have you in lab all the time or writing a never-ending cycle of papers.

Strategy 4: Skim the Course Catalog
If you’re hunting for literature classes, don’t just look at the English Department offerings. Sometimes interdisciplinary courses are only listed in a single department, which means you might find the class of your dreams, “Dreams in Literature Since Freud,” listed with psychology courses, but not English. So to maximize your options, peruse the full catalog.

Strategy 5: Know Yourself and Be Realistic
Do you take the 8:00 AM Chemistry 101 because everyone says the professor is great and your roommate is signed up? Or do you take the afternoon 101 with a less exciting teacher? If you never get up before 10:00 AM, you may find that even if the afternoon class isn’t as exciting, you might do better, and be happier, getting the sleep you need in the morning without facing any disturbance.

Author Bio: Kelli Smith writes about colleges and universities, community colleges, online schools, and career development. She is the senior editor at www.CollegesandUniversities.org.

Category: Education
Keywords: university list, list of university, university listings, college and university listings, Colleges,