Course registration opened April 14 and some students said they’ve struggled with their academic plans.
Registration can be confusing for first-year students who are still acclimating to college life. The fall 2024 course catalog was released April 1, when students began planning for the next semester and meeting with advisors.
Brandon Mayer, ‘27, an undecided first-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences, said his registration experience has been frustrating.
He said it can be difficult to know about the requirements for certain majors and to know what the classes are like.
Lehigh’s registration policy operates on a first-serve basis that lets upperclassmen register first, while first-years go last.
This can cause problems for first-years when their planned classes are unavailable. Many students have said the system overloads and crashes or other classes fill up.
“The software is confusing, and it is hard to find the right classes that match your schedule,” Mayer said.
One of the most common software issues is the “plan ahead” feature, which allows students to create a plan before registration day, but is susceptible to errors and glitches.
Jacob Thompson, ‘27, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he has encountered issues with the plan ahead feature.
“Last semester, on the morning of registration, I kept getting error messages because the classes I had planned to take were either restricted for me or not even offered,” Thompson said. “I was panicked and not sure what to do.”
Kelly Austin, the associate dean for Undergraduate Programs, acknowledged these software issues have been common in past semesters.
“One of the limitations with the plan ahead feature is that it’s linked to the catalog, rather than the fall schedule of classes,” Austin said. “It can be a little bit difficult to navigate. Students who are newer to the registration process might click on a class and not understand why the time doesn’t appear in their schedule.”
Austin said her advice to students is to be prepared, have backup classes and double-check class eligibility in the days before registration.
“I’m always trying to remind students to browse and then plan,” Austin said. “There’s a ‘browse for classes function,’ and I encourage students to use that first especially when you’re shopping for classes if you have some different options.”
She said despite issues causing disruptions and potentially altering final schedules, she advises students not to panic, because the department has over 25 faculty advisors in the College of Arts & Sciences dedicated to addressing any issues.
She said it’s OK if students’ schedules are not perfect, since they have time before the start of the next semester. When they do face problems, she encourages first-years to contact their advisor.
“If you’re a CAS student, come to the CAS Advising Center, we are here to help you,” Kelly said. “We know that it can be a nerve-wracking time so we have multiple advisors on staff and if you need any help during registration, just come on in and get the help you need.”
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