Plan correctly or you may find that you need an extra semester, year or summer school to complete your degree. Extra academic time is difficult to obtain and not automatically granted; in addition, you may find that summer school may be inconvenient.
Although it’s essential to take courses that fulfill degree requirements, it is equally important to choose interesting and challenging classes in subject areas you have never studied before.
Try to choose both large lecture courses and smaller classes that require discussion and participation. You’ll enjoy your semester much more with course variety. Also, balance between courses with extensive reading (e.g., history, English), and those with daily preparation (e.g., foreign languages, math).
There can be demands inside and out of classes. When making choices for the semester:
If you are a new first-year student, we urge you not to take on too much your first semester. Most students find that college work requires more time and effort than high school courses; you may need a semester or two to acclimate to this new, demanding academic environment.
If you are worried you are not as well prepared as you should be, start with 15 credit hours your first semester; this will give you the freedom to drop or withdraw from a course if you find your schedule too rigorous and still complete the minimum 12 hours. (If you enroll in a demanding 4-credit course, sign up for 16 credit hours; this will leave you with 12 credits should you need to drop or withdraw from the 4-credit course.)
You should consider past experiences or your current situation when deciding which classes to take. For example:
If, after your first semester, you are concerned that your study skills may not be adequate to handle the avademic load you wish to take consider following the structured schedule offered by the Academic Achievement Program.
Yesm, if you attend Summer Orientation, your courses will be entered into the computer for you and you will be given a copy of your schedule before you leave. It is important to remember that Summer Orientation is only the start of the course selection process. You will have time to adjust your schedule between the time the system re-opens (typically in late July) and the end of the drop deadline which can be found in the Arts & Sciences academic calendar.
If you are denied enrollment in a course because it requires the instructor's permission, you must contact the instructor for permission to enroll.
You likely won’t get all of your first choice of classes; therefore, it is important to have alternate selections in mind. If you can’t get into a course during Summer Orientation because it is full, try adding the course though SIS (Student Information System — the University’s online enrollment system) when it reopens on August 1 or when you arrive in the fall.
Students change their schedules, and departments sometimes create new courses or sections near the start of the semester. Continue to check the Schedule of Classes, the waitlist and the permission list system. You may add and/or drop courses at any time through the deadlines via SIS.
After your first semester, your access to course enrollment is based your academic year. Thus, every year you will be given higher priority and have a better chance to get into popular courses.
You also may qualify to take a higher-level course than normally recommended for a first-year student, especially if you have an extensive background in a specific field. Be aware, however, that if you enroll in a class for which you do not have the necessary prerequisites, appropriate background, or permission of the instructor, the instructor has the authority to drop you from his or her class roll.
It is then your responsibility to use SIS to drop the class. As a general rule, seek out the instructor of any 3000-level course you want to take and explain your qualifications to him/her. You will have time to do this after you arrive in August, before classes begin.
Estimate to the best of your ability how well you did on a test. Check the Advanced Placement Test Score Policies to see what U.Va. course credit a score would give you. Then, if you think you did well and wish to continue in that department, select the next higher course level.
If you don’t think you did well and you need the credit for that particular course, sign up for it. If you discover later that you estimated incorrectly, you can make changes by using SIS (beginning August 1). You may not take an AP test once you matriculate into the University.
No, you may NOT place yourself in a higher or lower level course than indicated by your achievement scores. When selecting a foreign language course, follow the guidelines for each course. Once you arrive, you may consult with the Foreign Language Coordinator to make sure your placement is correct.
If you believe your test score inaccurately reflects your ability, contact the foreign language coordinator in the fall to adjust your enrollment. For more information, go to the Foreign Language Frequently Asked Questions page.
If you have placed out of your first writing requirement or your foreign language requirement, you do not have to take higher-level courses in these areas unless you wish to do so.
Note that everyone except Echols Scholars must complete the Second Writing Requirement by the end of their sixth semester.
The 2000-level English literature (ENLT) and ENWR 2520 and 3800 courses fulfill this requirement, but unfortunately they tend to fill up early so be sure to have alternate courses in mind, preferably in another department. If you wish to take a literature course, we suggest Comparative Literature (CPLT 2010) or a literature in English translation course taught by one of the departments of foreign languages.
Literature in translation courses are found under the corresponding foreign language (e.g., FRTR; French Literature in Translation).
Check SIS to determine the source of your negative service indicators; clear them and continue the process. All negative service indicators must be cleared before enrolling in courses. These can be placed by:
Note that if you have a negative service indicator you will be unable to enroll in classes. If this block is in place on the first Friday of the semester, you will be disenrolled and dropped from all your classes. As applicable, your University I.D. card will be deactivated, and Housing, Dining, Cavalier Advantage and all other student privileges will be unavailable.