It’s that time of year again; registration for next semester classes has begun.
As of Nov., students began signing up for their classes of the spring of 2013. Lynn Hastings, a Moorpark Counselor at the Career Transfer Center warned that students need to know the day they can sign up for classes.
“A lot of students haven’t looked at their registration date,” said Hastings.
Priority registration for ACCESS, EOPS and other special populations began on Nov. 5, while the start of student registration opened the week of Nov. 13. New and returning students of Moorpark have the chance to register on Dec. 3, while Dec. 10 marks the start of open registration.
As students are either frantic or calm, they all sign up for classes in their own way.
Sammie Marenoff, 21, Child Development major, had no trouble with her classes because of her early registration date on Nov. 5. The stress of getting desired classes for next semester was gone.
“Priority Registration makes it so much easier,” said Marenoff. “It was extremely easy because I already knew the classes I wanted.”
A common challenge with registering for classes is making it work with job availability and work schedules. Most students also do part-time work in addition to schooling.
Will Palomino, 26, only wants to do part-time work and focus on schooling.
“I can do it, but I actually want to learn,” said Palomino.
Palomino was pretty confident with his schedule and registration. The attendee of Ventura Community College as well as Moorpark wasn’t stressing but joking around when talking about his registration experience.
“I meditated at the same time,” Palomino said.
Ken Sugai, 22, an Architecture major, had the same easy-going attitude. While many students may have stressed and waited until midnight for registration, Sugai was calmer.
“I wasn’t that desperate, but I wasn’t a last minute sort of deal,” Sugai said.
His only main stressor was paying the registration fees immediately upon getting his classes. The previous window of time for paying for classes with 24 hours no longer exists and students need to pay for their classes as soon as they sign up. Having the money, especially on a student budget or paying immediately, can be worrisome for students.
Julianna Ruelas, 21, worried about meeting with counselors for consultation about classes. As she was troubled about scheduling her classes around one class as well as her work schedule. As a full-time student and working over 30 hours a week, the nursing major had a hectic day because of registration issues. As she had just found out her registration date, she worried about seeing a counselor.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about that all night,” said Ruelas.
As counseling appointments fill up, Express Counseling service lines grow. The next available appointment for a session with a school counselor starts in December. However, a helpful tool that students can utilize for class and scheduling questions is the DegreeWorks tool, which offers a complete list of student’s personal schedules and their previous class history. It tracks their progress as well as shows them what courses are needed to take for their intended major and education plan. For more information visit the my.vcccd.edu home page and visit the DegreeWorks tab at the corner of the page.