First Year Course Selection Advice

Dear Students,

Are you enrolled in 4 courses? Are you sure?  SEE NOTES BELOW.

Have you checked your Language Placement Results? SEE NOTES BELOW.

Are you on a waitlist for a course? SEE NOTES BELOW.

Need help? SEE NOTES BELOW.

A Message from Dr. Rickert, Dean of Academic Advising:

We are currently in the process of assigning housing placements and academic advisors. It is imperative that you complete the enrollment process. I am happy to assist you in any way I can. If you need help, please contact me grickert@gettysburg.edu or 717-337-6579.

You have full access at this time to the Student Center where you can find open courses, course descriptions, AND enroll directly. Select this LINK to the Student Center. For technical Directions to enroll in courses through the Student Center use this link to enrollment directions. If you need technical assistance, again, please contact me.

Please read carefully through the notes below and contact me if you have questions.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Dr. Rickert, Dean of Academic Advising

1.     To construct your schedule: Special note on Waitlist courses: Check any course for which you are on the waitlist and not actually enrolled to see if there is another section of the course open at this time. If so, use the online system to add the course if you still want to enroll in it. Review the information below before making that decision. If there is at this time no open section of a waitlisted course you wish to enter, I STRONGLY URGE that you find some other course that suits your interests and has open places now and that you enroll in such a course instead of the waitlisted course (the exception to this is language courses-see below). Since our returning students will have access to the online system to add courses and make changes to their schedules, there will be fewer possibilities as the summer progresses. So it is best to enroll in 4 courses now.

2.     First Year Seminar and First Year Writing Courses: If you are already enrolled in a first year seminar or First Year Writing class, do not drop this or try to switch to a different section. Doing so will affect your housing assignment.

3.     Foreign Language Study: If you have been placed in a course ABOVE the 103 level and wish to continue your study of that language, we strongly urge you to do so in the fall so that your current skill level does not fade. The College's language requirement is completion of a 202-level language course. If you have not taken a language placement test online, you have another opportunity to do so during the Orientation program later in August. If you are currently waitlisted for the appropriate language course, we recommend that you remain on the waitlist and watch to see if there is any movement in these courses in the coming month.

4.     If you have interest in a particular field of study, check the first semester course recommendations from each of our academic departments. Use this link to access this information.

5.     Consider taking a natural science course while your high school science studies are still fresh in your mind. Gettysburg College currently requires students to take two natural science courses, one of which must include a lab. If a course has a lab component, you are not enrolled in the lecture portion of the course unless you also enroll in (not waitlist) a lab section.

6.     Look for courses that seem interesting to you. Use the First-Year Announcement of Courses pamphlet for courses appropriate for first-year students. Browse courses in the Student Center to find course descriptions. Most first year courses satisfy one or more of our curriculum requirements, so you should choose courses with an eye for what topics might challenge you or interest you in your first semester here rather than seeking to fulfill requirements.

7.     MAKE SURE YOU COMPLETE THE ENROLLMENT PROCESS ACCURATELY. Check your Student Center page for your Class Schedule. You need 4 enrolled courses. I do not recommend using the waitlist at this time.