The registration process at colleges and universities can be challenging, if not daunting, to students racing to secure classes before they close. Add to that the possibility of computer system crashes thanks to heavy usage, and the stress level ratchets up a bit.
Beginning in early February, Wayne State will initiate registration for the spring/summer term with an introductory week of Priority Registration - or course registration on a rolling basis. A practice already employed widely at universities across the country, this new process will offer important benefits while helping to alleviate some of the students' angst as they sign up for classes.
The new course registration process will give upper-level students such as seniors a day to register for classes relative to other students who have accumulated fewer credit hours. In turn, juniors will have a day to register before sophomores, and so on.
Benefits of Priority Registration include:
Reduced time to graduation: Upper-level students will be able to register for the courses they need to graduate before those courses reach their enrollment limits.
Enhanced connectivity to the online registration system: Because the registration process will be spread out over several days, fewer students will be trying to register simultaneously, thus reducing the likelihood of computer system crashes.
"I am very excited that this new registration process is coming to fruition," said Joseph H. Rankin, associate provost and associate vice president for undergraduate affairs. "This staggered registration process should not only give upper-level students a greater probability to register for the courses they need to graduate but also benefits all students because the registration process is now spread out over several days reducing registration wait times."
Students will still need to resolve any financial aid issues before registering for courses.
Class standing (senior, junior, sophomore or freshman) is based on the number of credit hours a student has completed at the time of registration. Class standing does not include course credits a student is currently taking but has not yet completed.
This process is cumulative, meaning that once students have reached their assigned day for registration, they can continue registering in subsequent days as well.
2016 spring/summer Priority Registration schedule:
Graduate Students
Monday, Feb. 8 7 a.m.-midnight
Seniors (88+ credits)
Tuesday, Feb. 9 7 a.m.-midnight
Juniors (56-87 credits) and APEX Scholars
Wednesday, Feb. 10 7 a.m.-midnight
Sophomores (29-55 credits)
Thursday, Feb. 11 7 a.m.-midnight
Freshmen (0-28 credits) and Postbaccalaureates
Fri, Feb. 12 7 a.m.-midnight