Is there a site to help build schedules?

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I'm trying to help my kids work out schedules for next semester.  They will be taking 1-2 courses online and then 1-3 classes per semester at the local community college.

 

I'm a little surprised that there isn't some function within the CC course listing to help build a schedule.  There are tons of course listings, but I can't even select the course or location that I want to look at.  

 

Does everyone still just do this by hand?  

[Teachin'Mine]

Have they registered at the CC yet and received student IDs?  This usually (edit to sometimes) needs to be done before they'll be given full access to all the functions of the course searching and scheduling functions.  They should call and ask about orientation to the online system.  They will learn how to do the scheduling and a whole lot more.

 

With having to work around online courses, it's probably easier to just do it the old fashioned way.  But if you know that there are two or three days that you are hoping to fit the CC classes in, then you can specify those dates and times to narrow the search.  If you/they know what classes they want to take, then it's probably easier to just look at the offerings for class times and work from there.   Start with the course which has the least options and then try to see what is available at the same times for the other student.  Driving once for two students would probably be a big time saver. 

 

Not sure if any of that helped.  Dd and I have done it both online and the old fashioned way.  I like the old fashioned way better as it allows for different options without rejecting an option if the times conflict.

 

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I don't think there was an online tool for my son who's already enrolled. As an early admit he has to meet with a counselor to do registration each semester; he can't register online. But I will have him log in and see if there are more buttons available to him.

 

Rate My Professor has been a bit of a bust. The prof I was worried over was one ds loved because he learned so much. He has over 100% ave in his current course but doesn't enjoy the instructor as much. Yet this guy has positive reviews. I think the prep level of the students makes a big difference.

[8filltheheart]

I would be surprised if there wasn't an at a glance calendar builder. It is what I have always printed off so I could keep track of when they needed to be on campus.

[regentrude]

Even for students not yet advised/enrolled, there should be a "trial schedule" form or something.

[katilac]

We horrified our kids by telling them how we had to schedule classes back in the day: thousands of people in a giant room, everything worked out by hand and then transferred to the schedule card. Submit the schedule card, and wait for it to be spit back with at least one class unavailable. Sit on the floor and work out a new schedule around the classes you did get. Submit new card, repeat until you have a workable schedule or change your major out of desperation to get out of the room of despair. 

[SkateLeft]

The three different schools that my girls and I go to all have online systems that let students sort and browse the course schedule, add classes to a wishlist and juggle the schedule online. You have to be a matriculated student with a student account to access it though.

 

I doubt many college students are doing this on paper anymore unless they've not matriculated yet. None of our schools even print paper copies of the course schedule anymore. When my oldest went through orientation, she prepared a list on paper of what she wanted to take but once she got her student account that wasn't necessary anymore.

 

My registration window for fall doesn't open until next week, but I've already got my schedule all set online. Once the window opens, I'll just be able to go to my wishlist and hit the register button.

[Teachin'Mine]

Online registration is nice and fast, but some dual enrollment programs do not allow the student to register online and they have to submit their course selections in another way.   Sebastian I'd recommend talking with your dual enrollment coordinator about their process and if there's a time delay from when degree seeking students register and dual enrollment students may register.   If there is, you may want to have a few alternate schedules in case some of the first choices are full.  Also ask when payments are due, because that's when seats suddenly become available again.   I know that's a major concern in California, but may not be so much in Hawaii.  The more info you have ahead of registration, the easier it will be. 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Dual enrollment here is Early Admission for homeschoers and private schools or Running Start for public scho students. It does require in person advising and registration.

 

My questions may have gotten lots easier. I was going to have my eldest switch campus to one that offers many more sections of chem and a few more of calc. But it seems that this campus only lets Early Admits take one class. (Running Start has no similar limit).

If he stays with his current campus there isn't the same limit, but there is only one section of each class he needs. So that does simplify schedule building.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Memories of registering for classes was to log in and input each course I was tying to take. Then some time later getting the actual printout with the schedule and sections. Much of it was non-negotiable because there were few sections of upper level languages and they only fit together certain ways. But it was random when you'd get core courses and who you'd get as an instructor. Many sections just said Staff and you found out when they walked in the first day.

[Artichoke]

We used to have to go aroundthe indoor arena and collect punch cards for each class we wanted to take. Then we turned in our punch cards to the registration folks who inputted them and printed out a schedule. Finally, we walked to the next room and wrote our check for the amount owed.

[Artichoke]

Dp.

[brehon]

We horrified our kids by telling them how we had to schedule classes back in the day: thousands of people in a giant room, everything worked out by hand and then transferred to the schedule card. Submit the schedule card, and wait for it to be spit back with at least one class unavailable. Sit on the floor and work out a new schedule around the classes you did get. Submit new card, repeat until you have a workable schedule or change your major out of desperation to get out of the room of despair.

A giant room which was not air conditioned.

[G5052]

Yes, locally dual enrollment requires face-to-face registration.  The counsellor enters everything into the computer after the parent signs a few forms.

 

We just did first-semester, under-18, not yet-H.S.-graduated registration there.  We had to apply online, and my son watched about an hour of videos on degree programs and registration and answered a few questions online.  I brought our choices already worked out after looking online.  The counsellor just checked it, and then copied it to a form that the counsellor, my son, and I signed.  Then he took us to a student registration computer, had my son log in, and then enter it himself.  The counsellor gave the form to the secretary, and that was that.

 

Once he finishes his first semester, he can register himself online.  And yes, then they have more scheduling tools that way.

We used to have to go aroundthe indoor arena and collect punch cards for each class we wanted to take. Then we turned in our punch cards to the registration folks who inputted them and printed out a schedule. Finally, we walked to the next room and wrote our check for the amount owed.

 

Those of us of a certain age remember having to walk all over campus, going to each department, in turn, to sign up for classes.  While this seems amazingly inefficient today, there were some benefits.  When we signed up for each class, we talked to an actual human being, usually a graduate student in that department, who personally knew most of the faculty, and, if asked, would give advice on what classes, sections, or professors to sign up for.  "if you aren't majoring in this, and this is the only class you will take in this department, Prof X's class is a better overview than Prof Y".  It was like ratemyprofessors, without all the bozos.

 

And, on topic, if the school doesn't have a schedule builder, I'd just use google calendar, and do it "by hand".

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Those of us of a certain age remember having to walk all over campus, going to each department, in turn, to sign up for classes. While this seems amazingly inefficient today, there were some benefits. When we signed up for each class, we talked to an actual human being, usually a graduate student in that department, who personally knew most of the faculty, and, if asked, would give advice on what classes, sections, or professors to sign up for. "if you aren't majoring in this, and this is the only class you will take in this department, Prof X's class is a better overview than Prof Y". It was like ratemyprofessors, without all the bozos.

 

And, on topic, if the school doesn't have a schedule builder, I'd just use google calendar, and do it "by hand".

I was scanning Rate My Prof again a few days ago. The first math prof ds had only came in with a 1.9 average rating. Ds looked at the comments from his class and mumbled idiots before walking away. Some of the students were miffed that they had to do homework.

 

What I ended up doing a bell schedule in word with a table. It's no harder than scheduling shipboard firefighting teams.

[clementine]

StudyGizmo is what I use to make 'fill in your own' schedules.  So easy!!!