How to Get the Most Out of Your New Student Registration Experience

How to Get the Most Out of Your New Student Registration Experience If youre reading this, youve likely decided to attend Illinois in the fall. Congratulations to you, and lucky us! Now that youre officially an Illini, its time to tackle your next steps to enrollmentâ€"and that includes New Student Registration. New Student Registration is your chance to meet with an advisor to map out your academic strategy and choose your fall classes. It can also help orient you to what being a student at Illinois is really like. Think of it as a trial run for your first day of school: You’ll have the opportunity to meet a ton of your classmates, chow down in the dining hall, and get lost headed from one campus building to another. Kidding! We’re here to make sure that doesn’t happen. Were also here to help you prepare ahead of time and give you some tips on how to make the most out of your time on campus. Before You Attend 1. Sign up! First, you need to sign up through your admitted checklist in myIllini. Because available dates vary depending on your major and space is limited each day, make sure to do this as soon as you can. Sign-ups begin in mid-March. If you live within 500 miles of the university, youll attend an all-day, on-campus registration program. If you live more than 500 miles away, you can choose to participate in an online registration program. If you’re registering for classes on campus, our website provides a schedule of what your day will look like. Online registration looks different depending on what college you’ve been admitted to but includes a virtual meeting with your academic advisor to discuss your academic goals and class options. Both on-campus and online programs allow you to physically register for your first semester of classes. 2. Do your homework. Once May rolls around, you probably thought youd be done with homework until the fall. Sadly (and were very sorry for it), you thought wrong. If it makes you feel any better, though, were using the term homework rather loosely: Your advisor just needs to understand your interests and goals so they can help you choose classes related to those interests and goals! You can access your homework through your admitted student checklist in myIllini beginning in May. 3. Take your placement exams. In order to know what classes youre eligible for, you must also complete placement tests at least 2 weeks before your registration date. The purpose of these exams is to help determine which Illinois courses are most appropriate for you. So although youll want to try your best, you also dont need to stress. Like homework, placement exams are available beginning in May. 4. Check out Illinois courses. While it isnt necessary to come in knowing everything you want to take, it can be overwhelming to sign up for classes on the spot. So it doesn’t hurt to check out the thousands of courses we have to offer using our Course Explorer. Most students have room in their schedules to take a couple classes that have nothing to do with their major, and this is a great time to explore those options. A quick disclaimer, though: Always listen to your advisor for best practices when making your class decisions. Your Registration Day 1. Dress for success. Following are some items you should bring with you to make the day go smoothly. Because you’ll be trekking around campus all day, you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible. An official photo ID (a driver’s license, passport, etc.) to obtain your student ID cardYour Net ID and password to log into the course registration systemComfortable walking shoes for exploringA light jacket for switching between warm outdoor and cool indoor spacesA rain jacket or umbrella if the weather forecast is questionable 2. Ask questions. Everyone at New Student Registration is there for one sole purpose: to help you. Take advantage of this by asking whatever questions you have. Anxious about how different classes will be from high school? Ask current students about their experiences. Curious about how to get a job on campus? Ask staff how to go about finding one. Wondering what to do if you get sick? Talk to the McKinley Health Center. It’s better to leave with your questions answered than to spend the whole summer pondering about them. Ponder over something worth pondering, like space. 3. Explore the community. You took a plane, train, or automobile all the way here, so you might as well spend some time exploring! Take advantage of the tours offered during the program, and feel free to explore on your own as well. Whether you’re looking for local eats, free live music, or an outdoor adventure, Champaign-Urbana has you covered. 4. Embrace the independence. Although you and any guests will start and end your day together, youll spend most of your time here apart. Many students say one of the most difficult parts of college is the transition, so this is a great opportunity to practice being on your own and getting comfortable with the unknown. Talk to the other students you’re registering withâ€"you’re all in the same boat! If you make a friend or two during registration, youll have one or two more familiar faces to look for when you return in the fall. New Student Registration is one of your first steps on your journey as a student at Illinois. Making sure you’re prepared for the day will help ensure you have the best registration experience possible. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to take a look at our FAQs or send us an email. Were here to help! planning visit Illinois Admissions We're here for you as you prepare for college. 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