Blog

When I first registered for classes at orientation in the basement of East Quad with maybe 20 plus other freshmen, it was easy to get overwhelmed with the various majors, distribution requirements, and general registration process. But in hindsight, deciding what classes to take and creating the perfect schedule was simple.

Sometimes getting an absolutely “perfect” schedule may not be within your control, but with these tips, you can create a schedule that sets you up for success.

1. Choose the number of credits you want to take - Before you even consider what you want to take, consider how much you are prepared to handle. This will vary depending on how busy you will be, whether you plan on playing a sport, or prefer a more rigorous schedule. I found that 15 credits is a nice sweet spot to ease into your first semester while also challenging yourself and making use of your tuition dollars.

2. Diversify your schedule - In my experience, taking classes across various disciplines — humanities, natural sciences, business, etc. — keeps me the most engaged throughout the semester. That doesn’t mean you should just take random classes; I recommend selecting a course that fulfills a distribution requirement, a general requirement, (e.g. a first-year writing seminar) and a course or two that interests you and/or falls under your prospective major.

3. Use Google Maps to calculate the walking distance between buildings (Pro tip: you can usually shave off two minutes from their estimate) - When you are scheduling classes that are back-to-back, they should be no more than a 10-minute walking distance from one another to save yourself the unnecessary hassle of speed-walking across campus in winter. Most buildings on Central Campus are within walking distance, but if you are taking classes on North Campus, remember to factor in the bus wait and ride too.

4. Make room for lunch - Going to class is 100% easier on a full stomach. I made the mistake of scheduling back-to-back classes around midday last semester and would end my school day hangry (hungry and angry) and drained. Just don’t skip lunch!

5. Factor in homework time - Unlike high school, the bulk of your school work will typically be spent outside of the classroom. It may sound counterintuitive, but consider scheduling classes when you are less productive so that when you are out of the classroom you still have the motivation to work on homework.

6. Backpack back-ups! - There’s nothing worse than when it’s almost your time to register and the classes that were just open ten minutes ago are now all full. Have at least one back-up class for each course you want to take in your backpack.

7. When in doubt, ask – Still not sure what you want to take? That’s okay! Select courses that fulfill prerequisites for multiple majors (ECON 101 is a good example of this.) Remember, you’ll have the support of many orientation staff members who are there to help you.

You will have time to navigate the registration process at orientation. Hopefully by applying these tips you can create a schedule tailored to your goals and improve your first semester experience at U-M. Best of luck to the class of 2023!