Editor's Note: This is the second in a three-part series on class registration.
After five semesters of registering for classes, many upperclassmen have learned a few useful techniques that alleviate the pain associated with registration, but their methods are leaving freshmen and sophomores with limited class options.
One registration tactic worrying freshmen and sophomores is the practice of upperclassmen over-registering for courses.
Roxie Catts, interim director of the Advising Resource Center, said undergraduate students can register for up to 19 credits via WebReg. While most students do not actually take 19 units in a semester, Catts said some over-register for courses before dropping them later.
"We call it window shopping and we discourage it," Catts said.
Although the practice is frowned upon by advisers, students says over-registering is a smart way to get classes.
Lili Ochoa, a general biology junior, said she window shops for courses as it gives her more time to weigh her options.
"It's just in case we change our minds," Ochoa said.
But Whitney Brown, a pre-pharmacy sophomore, said the method limits class availability among underclassmen and forces students to look elsewhere for courses.
"I had to take a class at Pima (Community College) because I couldn't get into calculus," Brown said.
John Pacheco, an undeclared junior, said he over-registered for classes to ensure he received the courses he wanted but did not consider how the practice affects underclassmen.
Although courses eventually free up after students choose which classes to keep, Catts said the practice causes problems as "the rest of us are all traumatized waiting."
Jane Anderson, a speech and hearing science sophomore, said to guarantee she gets a specific speech and hearing course next semester, she made a friend of hers, who has already registered, hold the class for her.
When Anderson registers, her friend will drop the class she is holding so Anderson can pick it up.
"Registration can be a problem. ... It's hard to get classes as an underclassman," Anderson said. "But (you should) not just stop looking for a class if it's full."
Jerry Hogle, vice provost of instruction, said to combat the availability problem among certain courses, such as tier one general education courses, additional sections are opened gradually during registration.
The practice allows students who are registering later to find seats in general education courses, Hogle said, rather than the classes being filled up within the first few rounds of registration.
"This method has proven quite effective for preventing most availability problems at that level," Hogle said. "We are always willing to make adjustments in general education areas where more seats are needed."
Students also try to get into courses by attending the first day of a desired class with a drop/add form for the instructor to sign.
Carey Geier, a pre-pharmacy sophomore, said although it took her two weeks to get into biology, the professors added a number of students who continued to show up to class.
Kaye Jay, course administrator for Biochemistry 181, said within the first few days of the semester, she added about 100 students to the biology lecture this fall, while about 10 percent of the 1,454 students dropped within the first few weeks.
Since many students are dropping and adding classes at the beginning of the semester, Jay said when trying to get into a course, students should be persistent.
Doug Weiner, a professor in the history department, said the first few days of class result in dramatic changes in the number of students, and professors are usually willing to add students who need the course for degree requirements.
"I, personally, and others have taken on overloads in order to accommodate students who are facing real critical consequences for graduation," Weiner said.
When registering, some students said they also pick classes based on instructors rather than course times.
Lia Rugger, an anthropology senior, said before registering for a course, she talks with friends about the professor.
"Now I'm more into the rhythm," Rugger said. "I'm more willing to switch classes for a teacher ... it makes a big difference."
In addition to consulting friends about courses and instructors, many upperclassmen use the online Teacher-Course Evaluation results, which can be found on Student Link.
Emily Upstill, director of academic affairs for Associated Students of the University of Arizona, said the Web site provides reliable data and is an excellent tool for student to utilize during registration.
"It's a very advantageous site for students because it provides student insight on topics like overall course difficulty, workload (and), teacher's effectiveness ... from a large and diverse number of students" Upstill said.
Tabatha Schwyhart, a pre-nursing freshman, said she doesn't have any methods to registration, and the only advice she has received is to be online at 7 a.m. sharp.
"I'm just going to have to play with it and see what happens," Schwyhart said.