Registering for the proper courses can be difficult for new university students. Over the spring and summer, high school students that are newly accepted to the University of Calgary must begin planning their degree.
On May 14, New Student Registration Assistance opened to help new students transition from high school to university. A team of seven students will be available over the summer to help any students experiencing issues with registration.
Manager and program advisor at the Student Success Centre Lesley Gerein said nsra offers peer-to-peer advising and orientations over the summer to help new students prepare for university life.
“It’s to help first-year students register throughout the summer on the phone, or they can drop in,” said Gerein. “They teach students how to register and how to select their courses for the first year.”
nsra is in its fourth year as a program and has an active role in providing proper support for students.
This year, the team will visit seven high schools in Calgary to help with registration on the spot.
“We all know that first-year students need more support because the whole thing is so new,” said Gerein. “We are not only orienting them to university, but teaching them the registration process. It’s a complicated thing when you are new to the system.”
The Program Coordination Committee reviews courses every year to determine what is working and in order to stay competitive with other universities. Course changes are approved by March for the following year.
“Sometimes it’s little things like prerequisites need to be changed, but sometimes it’s a more structural degree issue and they change degree programs,” said Gerein.
First-year experience coordinator Aleesha Bray said course changes happen every year, and nsra is available for any student struggling with registration.
“Sometimes it’s just really nice for students to have this peer-based model for them to discuss anything on campus — residence, how to get involved, all kinds of things,” said Bray. “A lot of students have an idea of what major they want to be in, but they don’t really know what that means or how to prepare.”
Devan Dekeyser, a second-year geology student, said there are proper resources in place if a student is having difficulties with registration.
“There is a lot to choose from,” he said. “With degree navigator, student centre and other things, it’s easy.”
nsra runs until August 10, and Gerein says with faculty advising offices, there is a lot of help available for students after the program finishes.
“It actually works well in terms of the student life cycle and when it is actually busy,” said Gerein. “We cover the really busy time throughout the summer.”