Collegio Online

Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Front Page

I had my numbers ready to go Monday morning-Jody Ann Jongeling, graduate student in psychology

I met with my advisro before and she was pretty helpful. But for the most part I did the schedule by myself.-Taylor Woodson, freshman in nursing

I thought it was pretty easy considering it was the second time I've enrolled.-Stephen Artinger, undeclared freshman

Chad Hays will be rising early next semester and is not too happy about it.
"I was one of the last to enroll on Friday so I got all 8 o'clock classes," said Hays, freshman in accounting. "I usually like to get my sleep, but ..."
As a freshman Hays had little choice about when he could enroll and wasn't completely satisfied. However, freshmen aren't the only ones who get stuck with a less-than-perfect schedule.
Dan Mozdren, junior in psychology, was unable to enroll when he had planned to because an adviser was unavailable on the day Mozdren was scheduled to enroll.
"There were no problems getting enrolled, but it was kind of a bummer because a class I needed filled up."
Enrollment problems are not unusual among students, at PSU or any other school. But several students and faculty say that being prepared is the key to a smooth enrollment.
Daniel Creitz, sophomore in political science, spent time with his adviser before enrollment week and reaped the benefits.
"Enrollment was fairly easy this year due to the fact that I enrolled myself online rather than going through the adviser," said Creitz. "I got my advisement number early and that helped."
Delaying meetings with advisers can lead to enrollment problems, says Mary Jo Litten, associate professor of psychology. She adds that the Psychology and Counseling Department has plenty of advisers and those advisers try to get students into their office the week before enrollment, but it doesn't always work out that way.
"Most of our students pre-enroll, but there is a certain percentage that doesn't come in until enrollment has passed," said Litten. "Many, many gen-ed classes were already full."
One school on campus has even taken a step of designating a specific office to handle advisement chores. The School of Business designates the Academic Advising Office to help its students with enrollment. Instructors are assigned advisees, but students not yet admitted into the school must go through the advising office.
Cindy Serrano, freshman in international business who works as a peer adviser in the advising office, says that students seemed confused this year.
"The biggest problem was students not being aware that the sign-up sheet was outside the office for scheduling advisement appointments," said Serrano. "There were a lot of people coming in last minute asking for advisement codes. Some people didn't even know who their adviser was. I think the university sends out bulk e-mail, but not everyone checks their e-mail."
University officials say that many of the enrollment snags students encounter can be avoided if students prepare early for enrollment.
For example, Janet Hoyer, assistant registrar for degree certification, says that her office is always busy during enrollment week with students completing degree audits.
"We have a lot of students who will graduate in May, and they are making sure that their schedule is correct."
In addition, says registrar Debbie Greve, students and advisers have plenty of questions each semester.
"There are lots of advisers with questions and concerns, such as how to go about getting special permission for advisees," said Greve. "Students are concerned about classes filling and what choices they have when a class is full, like getting on wait lists."
But one student says she has no complaints about enrollment.
Lizz Holtel, senior in psychology, says she encountered some problems but got over them.
"My adviser was sick the day I was supposed to enroll, but it ended up being OK," said Holtel. "But it's much better than the school that I transferred here from."

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