Students have begun the highly anticipated process of registering for courses for the upcoming spring semester – and with that process, lots of stress. While returning students are familiar with the ins and outs of course registration, this annual event can be especially stressful for first-years. Many recall the chaos of their first registration experience during Admitted Students Day—when auto-generated schedules and crowded libraries set the tone for the overwhelming process.
“Honestly, I’m stressed I won’t get the classes that I want,” said first-year Maeve Cronin. “I’m worried the site will crash when I go to log in.”
Academic advisors who usually help students with course registration have not been able to meet with students frequently, if at all. Students mention how advisors merely email them registration PINs rather than holding conferences to see their course plan.
Academic advisors are also not as trained as RAs and NSLs on using Fairfield’s course registration system. To register for courses at Fairfield University, RAs and NSLs have been tasked with teaching students on what to do. NSLs have an entire lesson dedicated to registering students for week five of FYE classes.
“During one-on-ones, I’ve been asking my residents if they have met with their advisor yet and what questions they have for me,” said Jennifer Fajardo ‘25, SRA in Regis Hall. “My floor meeting is actually the night before registration and I advertised it as “just in time to get last minute registration questions in.”
Many students have already mapped out their schedule using the registration plan-ahead feature. Academic advisors also met with students to go over major requirements and available classes they can take next semester.
“Something I told my students to do for course registration was to create a few different plans.” said NSL leader Emily Lamoureux, “Classes fill up quickly, so it is comforting to have more than one back up plan.”
The registration process can bring about nerves, with many students battling not only the pressure of securing their preferred courses but also the fear of technical glitches as the clock ticks down to their designated registration time.
“I like that we have the freedom to choose from a lot of different options, but it can be overwhelming.” said first-year Rebbecca Pfeffer.
Full-time undergraduate students must ensure they are registered for at least 12 credits to maintain full-time status. They can take a maximum of 18 credits. While students can adjust their schedules during the first week, they should be mindful of the 12-credit minimum to avoid any issues with financial aid or other campus-related benefits that require full-time enrollment.
For students interested in online courses, full-time undergraduates are eligible to enroll in one online course per semester without prior approval from the Dean’s Office. However, first-years are not allowed to take online courses during their first semester, which is important to note when planning courses.
Part-time students, on the other hand, are not restricted to a single online course and may register for multiple online courses during the semester. Full-time students seeking to take more than one online course must seek Dean’s Office approval.
RAs are planning on guiding their residents throughout the whole registration process, even waking up for 7 a.m. the morning of: “The morning of, I am planning on hosting a spontaneous [meeting] with hot chocolate and coffee from Dunkin. So I’ll be up at 7 a.m. with them in the lounge in case they need me,” said Fajardo.
To register, students must log in to my.fairfield.edu, search for “registration” and select the course registration task, then click the register for classes link, re-enter your Net ID and password, complete any actions such as payment method and then begin choosing classes. Students can drop courses for a full refund up to seven days before the course
“My advice would be to not be too nervous about course registration, and to just focus on getting your five classes, and keep checking availability.” said Lamoureux, “It can seem very stressful in the moment, but there might be an open spot in the future so continue to check. It will all work out in the end!”
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