As of Monday, November 6, spring classes at Alaska Pacific University are open for student enrollment. While spring block may seem like eons away, it’s still important to register early. Why? Here are six reasons to register as early as possible.
1. You’ll get the classes that you want.
“The demand for classes can vary from year to year,” said Caitlin Poindexter, first-year advisor. “Students are at different levels, have different strengths, need different classes, so it can be difficult to say whether a class will fill up quickly or not. Signing up early ensures you get the class you need, when you need it.”
2. It helps administrators plan for classes.
“Signing up for classes early ensures that the classes stay open,” said Carla Doroff, Graduation/Transfer Credit Coordinator. Simply put, if not enough students enroll in a certain class, it will be closed. So if several students wait until the last minute to sign-up for a particular class, it could mean it’s no longer being offered.
3. More demand for a class could result in additional sections.
Alternatively, if the demand is so great that it warrants adding an additional section of the class, knowing early gives the Registrar office time to find a faculty member to teach, a room to occupy, and a time slot that works for the students who need the class.
4. It’ll give you time to figure out how you’ll pay for classes.
“Registering early gives us time to determine if you’re a full or half-time student,” Financial Aid Counselor Erica Buckhanan said. “Which allows us to determine the aid you are eligible to receive and gives you time to figure out how you’ll pay the rest.”
It also allows for time to apply for scholarships, both internally and externally, which if awarded, would bring down your total college cost.
5. You won’t run the risk of getting late fees.
The Friday before classes start is when Financial Aid expects students to have plans in place to pay for their semester. Meaning, if you haven’t signed up for classes by then, you haven’t finished your financial aid, and aren’t ready to pay your balance. That domino effect of not being prepared will result in late fees when it’s finally squared away.
6. You won’t have to stress out it over break.
You’ve finished your finals, turned in your last projects, filled the car with dirty clothes to wash at home, and unplugged the mini-fridge; the last thing you’ll want to think about on vacation is getting registered for classes. Getting it done before the end of the semester ensures you can kick back and relax over break and be ready to go once the school year resumes.
