Selecting courses to take your first semester at Providence College may seem a daunting task.  It’s NOT.  Below are some things to remember as you begin to plan for registration for the fall semester.

• Your schedule for the fall will include four courses including DWC (Development of Western Civilization).  You should try to select at least two courses that will allow you explore your interests. 
• All the courses offered during the fall semester are listed on CyberFriar.  Log on and you will have access to “real-time” information about course availability.  The print version of the Course Registration List for Fall 2003 may include information that is out of date.
• EXPLORE!  If you have already identified a particular academic area of interest, be sure to register for a course that will allow you to explore it.  See Choosing Courses to Explore Academic Options
• Curiosity is bad for cats but good for students!  If you are curious about a course or subject that you have never studied, by all means select an exploratory course in that area.
• Some majors require an early start.  If you are thinking about Elementary/Special Education, Music Education, the Sciences, or Accountancy, be sure to review the relevant Academic Planning Forms in the tabbed section of the Guidebook and to select the recommended first semester/year course(s).
• If you are interested in continuing with a language or starting a new one, now is the time.  This is a good way to develop your college level academic skills.  You may decide later to complete a language minor.
• If you are required to take ENG101: Freshman Writing Seminar, be sure to include this course in your schedule.   You may want to develop your writing skills by selecting this or another writing course.
• You may or may not want to take Mathematics in your first semester.  Your high school math skills are sharper now than they will be next semester.  However, you should carefully consider what math course you should select based on your interests.   Some majors have specific math requirements; some require more than one semester; Generally, you should take the highest level math for which you qualify.  If it is a higher level math than required for a major, it will still satisfy the major requirement.  If it is a lower level math, you will need to take another course later. 
• Don’t focus on completing the core requirements during your first semester.  Many of the exploratory courses you select will also meet core requirements, and, with very few exceptions, you have plenty of room in your four-year program of study for electives.   Courses that meet specific core curriculum requirements are identified in the Course Registration List for Fall 2003 and on CyberFriar.
• All freshmen must register for a section of DWC 101: Development of Western Civilization.  Since that is a given, don’t think about it until the rest of your schedule is planned.  Then, you can select a section that will fit.
• BE FLEXIBLE!  Once you have selected four courses you want to take, be sure to identify some alternatives.  You are never guaranteed that your first choices will have seats available.   
• BE ORGANIZED!  Use the Sample Registration Form and the Class Schedule Worksheet to plan and organize your fall schedule.  
• BE ADVISED!  If you’re not sure, ask your advisor!