Registration FAQ

General Frequently Asked Questions Phased Registration Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ

How do I get my pin number? Where do I get my registration data form? Who’s my advisor? What happens if I lose my registration data form? What is a traditional course load? How do I register for an independent study course? I’m a graduate student, how do I register for a Directed Study or Thesis? Can I audit a course? What do I do if it says my registration is blocked? Is my registration guaranteed? I typed in my pin number but when I click validate it says see your advisor, why? Why does registration tell me I don't meet course restriction? What do I do if I can't find my question?

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Phased Registration FAQ

Why do we use a phased registration system? How does the phased registration system work? Why is there a difference in the way that graduate and undergraduate students are registering—i.e., why aren’t graduate students using phased registration? What is a good registration strategy to make sure that I get the courses I need? What else can I do to make the system work more effectively? If I am unable to get the courses that I need, what should I do? If I am a senior who is planning to graduate next semester,  is there the possibility that I will not be able to register for as many courses as I would like? Is there the possibility that I will end up with less than a full load (12 hours) of classes? I need to take more than 18 hours next fall.  What should I do? What benefits are there to this system? I always wait until the beginning of the semester to register.  What will happen if I do this? When should I pay tuition? If I register on time but do not pay my bill by the established deadline and my classes are dropped, will I be able to recover them? Will I be able to graduate in four years? If I have questions about this system or about my own schedule, whom should I contact? What do I do if I can't find my question?

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How do I get my pin number?

New Freshman Will register during quest and should not have an active pin number. Continuing Students In order to receive a pin number will need to be advised. If you have a question about who your advisor is please contact the appropriate Academic Advising Office. Graduate Students Need to contact the Graduate College to ensure a pin number was assigned to them when they were accepted.

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Where do I get my registration data form?

Undergraduate students generally receive their registration data form directly from their advisor/advising coordinator after they’ve had their registration advising appointment.  However, this process can vary from department to department and it’s not unusual for students to be told that there is a specific time frame after the advising sessions where students can pick up their data sheets from either their advisor or, with proper identification, from the department secretaries.  Graduate students are not required, but rather encouraged, to meet with their advisors for registration purposes and, consequently, their registration PIN numbers are assigned by the Graduate Affairs Office. Non-Degree Seeking students aren’t eligible to register until the first day of class and can secure their registration data sheet from thePre-MajorAdvising Center.

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Who’s my advisor?

If a student hasn’t requested a specific faculty member as an advisor, then they are assigned to either the advising coordinator of their college or the department chair of their major.  Undergraduates should contact their college advising centers for further information and Graduate students should contact the Graduate Affairs Office.

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What happens if I lose my registration data form?

Students should contact their advising coordinator or stop by the Registrar’s Office for assistance.  However, the Registrar’s Office can only provide duplicate registration data form information to those students who can prove that they have already met with their advisor, generally a proposed schedule or note that’s been signed by their advisor.

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What is a traditional course load?

Undergraduate students in good academic standing typically register for 15-16 credit hours each semester, while graduate student typically register for 9-14 credit hours.

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How do I register for an independent study course?

To participate in an Independent Study course, students must have their proposal approved by the appropriate department and the Curriculum Committee and then submit the approved proposal to the Registrars Office prior to the deadline for adding courses.  The deadline for undergraduates registering for an independent study course is the Friday of the first week of class and the Graduate deadline in the census date.

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I’m a graduate student, how do I register for a Directed Study or Thesis?

A graduate student wishing to register for a directed study or thesis must submit a written proposal for approval by the supervising professor, adviser, chair of the department, and Graduate Dean.  This proposal should be submitted at least two weeks prior to registration.  The Registrar’s Office must receive a copy of the approved proposal no later than the census date to ensure registration.

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Can I audit a course?

If a student wishes to audit a course they must have the written permission of the class instructor and the instructor’s chairperson.  The deadline for auditing a course is the semester census date and approvals will only be granted on a space available basis.  Tuition and fees for auditing a course are the same as a regular credit course.

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What do I do if it says my registration is blocked?

If you have any unfulfilled obligations to the university (such as unpaid fees or fines, an overdue library book, missing transcripts, etc) you will not be allowed to register for classes.  This is called a block.  You will be denied the opportunity to register for courses if your record has been blocked by any administrative office or unit.  To clear the block, you must personally contact the office that issued the block.  When you have resolved the issue, the originating office will release your block and you will be cleared for registration.  Blocks can substantially delay your ability to register and obtain needed or desired courses, so we encourage students to get these taken care of before their allocated registration times. Blocks are not only identified on students registration data form, but can also be reviewed on the RU Student Information System.

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Is my registration guaranteed?

Students who registered and saved their course schedule correctly can feel confident that their registration is secure. However, if a student doesn’t complete the registration process correctly or neglects to pay their tuition on time, then their registration will most certainly be in jeopardy.  Tuition, fees, room and board must be paid by the advertised deadline for each semester or the student’s registration will be cancelled.  In addition, if a student managed to register for a course for which they don’t meet the prerequisite for or is otherwise ineligible to participate in (ie., academic deficiencies or suspension), their registration can be altered or even cancelled.

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I typed in my pin number but when I click validate it says see your advisor, why?

Typically when that happens the pin number is being typed in incorrectly. Please verify that you are typing in the pin number correctly by checking the registration ticket. Ensure that you are registering for the correct term and school. Please review the "How to guide" for registration. If the problem persists contact the Registrars Office. We cannot release pin numbers over the phone. We cannot register a student without proof the student has been advised. i.e. Registration Ticket, Advising Checksheet or signed note from the advisor.

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Why do we use a phased registration system?

We found it to be an efficient way to insure that all students registering for fall or spring courses were able to build full-time schedules that met their curricular needs.  It is not necessary to use the phased registration system during the summer because overall enrollments and average individual class sizes tend to be considerably smaller than those during the fall and spring semesters.

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How does the phased registration system work?

For detailed information about the phased registration process, click here.

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Why is there a difference in the way that graduate and undergraduate students are registering—i.e., why aren’t graduate students using phased registration?

Graduate students rarely register for undergraduate courses.  Moreover, they seldom take more than 12 hours.  Since they are not competing for courses with undergraduates, there is no need to use phased registration for graduate students.

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What is a good registration strategy to make sure that I get the courses I need?

Plan ahead.  Before you register, sort your choices into those you must have next semester (those where you have few if any alternatives), those you would like to take to meet a requirement that might also be met with alternative courses, and those where you have great flexibility (e.g., general education courses). Your advisor will help you do this; make sure to meet with him/her to discuss your course selections.  Of course, you will need to see your advisor anyway to pick up the form with your registration PIN.  If there are any courses in your major that you must take next semester to keep you on track toward graduation, register for them during Phase I (unless you are in a department with a relatively small number of majors, where the demand for those courses is low).  Then, during Phase II, complete your schedule with courses in areas where you have more flexibility: general education courses (where virtually every area offers numerous options for most majors) and elective courses.

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What else can I do to make the system work more effectively?

There are a number of things you can do to help us make this system work. First and foremost, register when you are supposed to register.  Much of the success of a phased registration system is dependent upon students completing their registration activity during the times they are assigned.  If you miss your registration window in either Phase I or Phase II, you will lose your registration seniority, and you will not be permitted to register until the end of that phase.  Registration for summer classes is not phased.  However, it is important that you register for summer classes as soon as you have the opportunity to do so, since summer enrollments are carefully monitored, and under-enrolled classes may be cancelled. Second, make sure that you have removed all registration blocks before you attempt to register. Third, check the Student Information System for course availability before you enter the registration system. Fourth, be considerate of your colleagues by not signing up for more hours or courses than you plan to keep.  Each seat that you leave vacant with a drop (or a withdrawal) costs the University money and denies that seat to a fellow student who needed it. Fifth, BE FLEXIBLE.  The more alternatives you have in both courses and times, the more likely you will be to satisfactorily complete the process.  You need to be willing to enroll in courses that you need even if the times may not be desirable.  (Those courses may not be offered at better times before you graduate!) Finally, be patient and do not panic if you encounter registration difficulties.  For example, a message that students may receive during registration  is that they lack the prerequisite(s) to take a course, even though they are taking the prerequisite(s) now While we try to program the computer to account for this situation, it is almost inevitable that not all prerequisites will be “caught.”  The staffs in the Advising Centers, the Registrar’s Office, the Office of New Student Programs, and Information Technology are committed to working with you to successfully negotiate registration and deal with this type of problem.  If you face this or any other obstacle, bring it to our attention and we will do whatever we can to help you surmount it. Graduate students having difficulty accessing the system should contact the College for assistance and directives.

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If I am unable to get the courses that I need, what should I do?

See your advisor, department chair, or someone in your Advising Center.  It could be that there are other options of which you are unaware.

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If I am a senior who is planning to graduate next semester,  is there the possibility that I will not be able to register for as many courses as I would like?

NO, provided you need no more than 18 hours and submitted your application for graduation before the deadline.  Graduating seniors will be able to register for up to 18 hours before any other undergraduates have access to registration. While it is hard to imagine a situation in which every single specific course a senior is taking is one he/she must have, the fact that graduating seniors have priority in registration should insure that you get what you need. If you need more than 18 hours to graduate, you will need to wait until Phase III to request an overload.  The course you should add at that time should be an elective, where you have a great number of possible choices.

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Is there the possibility that I will end up with less than a full load (12 hours) of classes?

NO. Anyone who completes Phase I with less than 12 hours should visit his/her Advising Center.  Our goal is to have everyone enter Phase II with at least 12 hours, which in most cases will mean four courses.  We also want to have everyone enrolled in all courses they need and the number of hours they want before they leave campus at the end of the semester. Naturally, the more flexible you are in putting together a schedule, the more success you will have.  If you refuse to take anything other than your first choices of courses and are unwilling to take anything before 10:00 a.m. or after 2:00 p.m., you are going to have some problems creating a schedule, but that is as it has always been.

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I need to take more than 18 hours next fall.  What should I do?

Register for the 18 hours you are permitted during Phases I and II.  Overload requests will be accepted only after all students have been through two phases of the registration process.  It would not be fair to allow some students to register for more than 18 hours if others have not yet had the opportunity to register for up to 18.

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What benefits are there to this system?

Limiting all students except graduating seniors to 14 hours in Phase I helps distribute classes more equitably to all students.  Under a non-phased system, students with little seniority often found very few options when their time came to register.

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I always wait until the beginning of the semester to register.  What will happen if I do this?

This has always been a very risky strategy that results in frustration and disappointment.  While you can try to continue to use some combination of on-line schedule adjustment and the inefficient “run around and beg” approach at the beginning of the semester, class availability is likely to be extremely limited at that time.  So, no matter how plaintive your appeal (“I’m a graduating senior, and I MUST have this course at 11:00 . . .”) or how much your department chair likes you, your appeals are likely to be denied.  You will then be left with a partial schedule or no schedule, and we will not be able to help you.  Register when you are assigned to do so, and let us help you resolve problems before web registration concludes each semester.

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When should I pay tuition?

You must pay tuition, fees, room and board to the Student Accounts Office by the payment deadline. If your payment is late a $75 late fee may be assessed and classes may be cancelled.  If your registration takes place after the payment deadline you must pay the day you register for classes to avoid the $75 late fee and possible cancellation of classes.

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If I register on time but do not pay my bill by the established deadline and my classes are dropped, will I be able to recover them?

You almost certainly will not be able to recover your classes.  Once classes are dropped, they are fair game for other students to add them. To avoid having your classes dropped, check your financial aid information and the balance on your student account on the Student Information System often and before the tuition payment deadline.  If you discover any problems, resolve them as soon as possible. Obviously, if others (e.g., your parents) are making tuition and fee payments for you, remind them of all advertised deadlines.

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Will I be able to graduate in four years?

Radford University has offered the same response to this question for many years.  We have consistently told students and parents that, except for programs that by design are expected to take more than four years to complete, students can graduate in four years if they register for an average of 15 hours per semester; if they do not drop, withdraw from, or fail courses; or—if they do finish semesters with less than 15 hours—they attend summer school to make up their deficits

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If I have questions about this system or about my own schedule, whom should I contact?

Contact someone in your Advising Center.  In most cases, it is easier to resolve problems in face-to-face encounters rather than over the phone or via email.  The centers are open 8-5 weekdays. College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences: Russell 127 College of Business and Economics: Whitt 114 College of Education and Human Development: Peters A-104 College of Science and Technology: Stuart 163 College of Visual and Performing Arts: Porterfield 241 Waldron College of Health and Human Services: Waldron 351 Pre-Major Advising Center: First floor, Walker 103 College of Graduate and Extended Education: Preston Hall, Room 211 (for assistance in accessing the system or directives to academic advisors)

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Why does registration tell me I don't meet course restriction?

The restrictions can vary from course to course, many times the courses are restricted to individuals whose major falls within that department. To discern whether the course you are registering for is restricted to majors contact the department.

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What do I do if I can't find my question?

Email your question to registra@radford.edu for an answer and if enough people have the same question it might end up here.

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