by Lisa Martens

Created on: July 24, 2009

You don't want to end up in your last semester and realize that you need three courses to graduate, and two of them are offered at the same time. Things like this do happen, and your college counselor has so many students to worry about that he/she may not notice blatant errors until it's too late. Here are a few tips while you're planning your school schedule:

1. Get a list of the requirements for your major.

This is the first thing you should do. It's always easier to have everything written out. Also, consider that majors have different requirements. For example, at my school, BS majors have to have a science course such as Biology or Anatomy, but BA majors can use political science as a science requirement. You don't want to be in an anatomy class and then realize that political science would have counted towards your major just the same!

Fill out this sheet every semester. It's good to get a new one every semester to keep track of your progress, and highlight the sections you still need. Do you still need two foreign languages? A fine art? Go over the sheet with your counselor. If your counselor says something that you cannot easily find on your sheet or online, get it in writing. This might sound snotty, but it will cause the counselor to think, and possibly catch him/herself in an error.

If you do not yet have a major, don't worry! Find out which classes are core courses for any major (English courses, Science, Math). By taking courses that are safe for any major, you are reducing your risk of losing credits when you DO pick a major.

2. Make sure you're taking enough credits each semester.

Let's say you've fulfilled your course requirements, but, come graduation time, you realize you have 158 credits, and you need 160 to graduate. It happens. It almost happened to me.

Aside from being a logic game, schedule-making is also a basic counting game. Don't overlook the number. I can guarantee you that taking 12 credits (the minimum to be considered full-time) will not get you to the stage in four years. Try to figure out the minimum. You will end up taking some classes just for the points. Use these elective classes wisely, and make sure they're easy! The last thing you want is to be in a class that does not count towards your major that ends up dragging your GPA down!

3. Pick classes that bunch together nicely (without killing yourself)

You don't want to have a four-hour break in-between classes if you are a commuter student, but that might not matter if you dorm. You may not want night classes if you're in a bad neighborhood. If you can fit most of your courses in the same couple of days, of course that is optimal. This one seems obvious, but just keep in mind that you will have to fit studying and life and work around the schedule you're making.

4. Prioritize classes

Let's say there's a science class you need AND a philosophy course you need...scheduled for the same exact time slot. The science class is offered every semester, and the philosophy course is only offered in the fall.

Obviously, you should pick the philosophy course. While science may be required, it's usually required for everybody, meaning that schools offer many science classes each semester. If you have to take a science class your senior year, it will be easy to get in. However, if you need a class rarely offered (such as Underwater Basket Weaving), then you could be left out to dry senior year (but you'll have your Biology credits already).

If you keep these things in mind, you should have a pretty tight schedule that will help you to graduate on time. Good luck and happy studying!

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