Registration reopens and Pre-Major Adviser Assignments on September 4th!

 

Hello, Class of 2030!

New Student Orientation is fast upon us and we are excited to see you on campus! You should have already received your schedule from the Orientation folks last week. We wanted to highlight next steps for registration and advising. Please read on for important information:  

📌Registration reopens on Friday, September 4th 

Registration will open at 10AM next Friday on September 4th. You should not have any required NSOP events that morning and, if you need to do so, you can use this time to refine your schedule. 

Please keep in mind the following:

 

• During this window, courses at Columbia that are approved exceptions to the First-Year@Barnard rule will be available for registration on Vergil. If space is available, you may sign up for them.  

• This is the last opportunity to change your section of First-Year Writing or First-Year Seminar. First-Year Experience classes do not run waitlists and instructors cannot overenroll their sections. 

• Academic advisers will be available in their offices for consultation from 9:30AM-12:30PM on September 4th, if you have immediate questions. Details will be provided as we get closer to Friday morning.   

• Looking for a new or different course for your Fall schedule? We’ve profiled a few great options with open seats on the First-Year blog.

📌Pre-Major Advisers

You will learn the name of your Pre-Major Adviser on September 4th. Your adviser will reach out to you by email between September 4th and September 9th to invite you to schedule a mandatory meeting during the first two weeks of the term. Please be on the lookout for this invitation, as this meeting is required of all students. Your Pre-Major Advisor will be a crucial resource as you find your academic footing at Barnard and work towards major declaration next year.

📌First two weeks of the term (add/drop period) 

Registration will remain open from September 8th through September 18th, which we also call the add/drop period. You may continue to make changes to your schedule during this time, but remember that your section of FYS or FYW cannot be changed at this point.

• Here are some tips from Sophia about how to manage waitlists during the add/drop period. 

Important deadlines to note: 

• September 18th is the last day to add a class. 

• You must also have your mandatory meeting with your Pre-Major Adviser by September 18th. 

 

📌Lastly, we have another Cybersecurity newsletter from our friends at BCIT to share with you this week, which you can read in this document!

We can’t wait for your arrival next week! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us anytime at first-year@barnard.edu

Best,

The First-Year Team

Managing waitlists!

Good morning, Class of 2030!

I know registration can be super stressful—but don’t fret! It will all get figured out, even if it’s not your first (or second, or maybe even third…) choice class. 

One thing that is almost guaranteed is that you will end up on a waitlist for a class. I certainly was not prepared for this eventuality when I came in Freshman Fall (and almost lost my mind when the schedule I had so carefully curated was nearly up in flames). However! This is normal!! The great news is that there are so many options that you will all surely find something to make the first semester meaningful!

That being said, if you are on a waitlist for a class or two, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of getting in:

1. If the waitlist is auto-fill (so it’s essentially a line of “who got there first”), make sure you attend the first few classes. Often, many people shop more credits than they ever plan to take, so seats inevitably open up in these courses.  

1. Going to every class in the add/drop period makes sure you don’t fall behind if that seat does open!

2. If the waitlist is instructor-managed, it can often help to do a bit more than just showing up to the first few classes.

1. Email! If you really, really want a class and have been waiting your whole life to take it—let that professor know! Be courteous and eager, and send a great email about why you want to be in the class and would take it seriously.

2. Introduce yourself! This is often a struggle for me, but it can be very helpful to put a face to a name if the course means a lot to you.

At the end of the day, it is only your first semester, and you will have plenty of time to get into a class, should it be full this semester. But also know that a waitlist isn’t a no!! 

Best,

Sophia