It’s that time of year again. About three-fourths of the way through every semester, students must look ahead to the next term and swiftly yet masterfully create what they want their schedule to look like. 

This practice is not just limited to Villanova. The registration period is universal for all American colleges and universities following the semester system. However, it is the registration procedure itself at Villanova that may differ from other schools. 

At this point in time, all Villanova students have had the opportunity to register, and most students have at least preliminary schedules in place. Some students plan to take full advantage of the period until Jan. 22, during which it is possible to make changes to their schedule. Many have downloaded the app Coursicle to alert them when a spot becomes available in a required class or with their ideal professor. Some also just plan to stalk Villanova’s registration website, looking for open spots. 

The process at Villanova works in the following way: seniors get to register first, and each successive grade level follows. 

This can differ slightly if you have enough credits to register as the grade level above you, but generally, most register with members of their grade. 

The order of selection is the most equitable part of the whole process, as seniors, who need to fulfill their remaining requirements in the shortest amount of time, get to select first. After this semester, they will not have any more chances to complete their requirements, so it is  necessary they get the classes needed. Another reason for seniors getting first choice is that they have put their time into this registration system, experiencing the griefs of freshman year registration, so it is time for them to reap the benefits of the system now. 

However, for freshmen, this system is not ideal, as they have to wait until everyone else has selected their classes before getting their pick of the litter. Still, some have it worse than others, as registration for all grade levels is divided into two days, with students randomly being placed on either of the two and at random times. 

In an effort to make the process somewhat fair, Villanova swaps the days first-year students select based on what day they were the previous semester. So, a freshman who was forced to select their schedule at 10:30 p.m. on the second day this semester can take solace in knowing they will have first pick come next semester. 

However, this does not help to alleviate many of the concerns of students who are now stuck with a subpar schedule filled with 8 a.m. classes and professors who have racked up a two-star rating on “Rate my Professor.” Additionally, the system of alternating registration days ends after the first year, with sophomores through seniors assigned their respective registration times based on their number of finished credits. 

Some students are calling for an overhaul of the current registration method. One proposed plan involves students being able to choose their classes in a tiered system. Everyone selects their first class at the same time and then does the same with each successive class after. This way, students can prioritize classes for their major and not get trapped with a schedule filled with all terrible classes. 

However, this system likely also has its flaws. The website may crash because of the sheer volume of traffic on it and may still end up prohibiting students from getting their necessary classes. 

Regardless of positives and negatives, the odds of Villanova completely overhauling this system seem slim to none. The current course of action is effective from an administrative standpoint, and the University can justify it as being somewhat fair because of priority based on grade level, alternating days (for freshmen) and credits achieved. 

However, it is not just the days they received to choose their classes that had many first years feeling apprehensive about the process. The registration software itself and confusion about how to use it also caused tangible panic amongst freshmen.

Many were not aware of the necessity of Plan Ahead and/or CRNs, so when they logged on to actually register, they were frantically searching for their class information, wasting valuable time as the already limited spots filled up. Some even lost their codes to register and feverishly scoured their rooms and emptied their backpacks looking for the piece of paper they had written the information on, as the minutes were ticking away. 

Freshman Gabriella Radford explained her take on the first-year stresses of registration.

“Luckily, I went at a time where some of my friends had gone before me, so they were able to help guide me on what to do and which buttons to press,” Radford said. “I also got to see how they did it and their experience with it before I got to go. However, if I was the first one in my group to go, I think I would have been a lot more nervous about the whole process.”

Along with the frustration of course registration comes a small sense of relief and hope. It serves as the signal of a nearly completed semester at Villanova and a beacon of hope for a fresh start of classes, professors and experiences.