How I Created My Class Schedule … Is Using RateMyProfessor a Good Idea?
Making your semester schedule will be a process! On the website the University of South Carolina uses for generating schedules, it allows students to block off certain times and days that you would prefer to not have class. I would start generating the schedule by marking off Fridays to see if you can get away with no Friday classes. Keep in mind that you most likely won’t get the exact schedule you want. Look at your current schedule and even if it’s crazy lock the classes that are in the time frame you would like. I do not enjoy having super early classes or nighttime classes, so I always shoot for afternoon class times. Now I would unblock Friday so that your schedule will shift a bit, this helps with making your classes back to back.
Once you’ve locked in a decent schedule, then you can check ratemyprofessors.com to see the ratings of your potential semester professors. Rate My Professors is an excellent tool that is overlooked by most college students. This website allows you to see comments and complaints about professors at your university. It is filled with student ratings that answer questions like is attendance mandatory, is the textbook used, would the student take this class again, etc.
I believe the number one thing to keep in mind while creating your schedule is to not have long gaps between your class times. If you have long gaps between classes it seems like you will have plenty of time to go back to your dorm/apartment during the day, but once the semester kicks into gear you will feel like you have to be in school all day long. When you’ve gone through and created a decent schedule make sure you take a picture of the CRNs (course registration numbers) just in case there is a website malfunction, or your schedule is accidentally not saved or exported.
Now that your schedule is finished take a deep breath and get excited about the upcoming semester!
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Talia is a 2021 graduate of the University of South Carolina where she majored in public relations. She serves as the public relations specialist of Paving Your Path to College. In her free time, she enjoys traveling the world, experiencing different cultures, and photography. Click here to take a look at her beautiful photoblog.
