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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

Tricks of the trade

Herman B Wells Statue

Listening, listening and more listening.

During day one of orientation, incoming freshmen hear from representatives of Residential Programs and Services, the Office of the Bursar and University Division, to name a few.

But day two is where it gets tricky.

Students have a one-hour advising appointment and then are responsible for creating a schedule from the list of classes compiled during this meeting.

It’s up to the students to make their schedule a successful one, but University Division advisers are there to help.

“It’s a ‘step-up’ moment,” said Joyce Miller, an assistant director of advising for University Division. “We want to see kids get off to a good start.”

Miller shared several ways students can schedule their classes with ease.

Prepare for advising appointments

Miller said it’s very helpful if students have an idea about what they are interested in and what they want to study.

“This needs to be a two-way conversation,” she said.

Take the placement tests and the results seriously

The tests are created by departments at IU and are good indicators about how well a 

student will do in a class, Miller said.

Be flexible when scheduling

Miller said students need to realize they are taking classes full-time and their schedule might not turn out exactly how they want.  

Schedules aren’t set in stone

Students can make changes to their schedule if something isn’t working or interesting to them. Miller said she doesn’t encourage it, but it’s an option if necessary.

Waitlisting a class is an option

Miller said students should keep this in mind but warns that this doesn’t guarantee a spot in the class.

“When you waitlist, you have to have an alternative plan in mind and in place,” she said.

Don’t skim the reading during orientation

It’s important for students to read the screens carefully because of the tiny differences between course numbers, Miller said.

“You have to be careful you’re in the right course, not just the right department.”

Walk your schedule

Make sure there are no surprises your first week by walking through your schedule before classes start, Miller said.

This way, students will realize if 15 minutes is enough time in between classes or not.

“Work that out before classes begin, so you know what you need to do.”

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