As finals approach and Fresno State students try to stay focused on finishing their current classes with a bang, many students have already begun thinking about the next semester.

That̢۪s because fall 2008 registration starts today. According to a message sent out to students by Registrar Tina Beddall, priority groups and post-baccalaureate students register the earliest. Seniors, juniors, sophomores, freshmen and returning students are then allowed to register for their classes, and in that order, throughout the rest of this week.

At Fresno State, and most other California State University schools, students register for classes for the following semester two weeks before they take finals for their current semester.

“It’s too much stress,â€Â said Mindy Frabotta, a junior majoring in business management. “The last thing I want to think about is next semester when I’m trying to complete the one I’m enrolled in.â€Â

Criminology majors Matt Rule and Michael Couto agree with Frabotta. Rule, who is graduating in May, feels that registration always comes too early. He would like it to take place after finals so that students can concentrate on studying.

In many cases, students are not able to register for a certain class because they have to pass the prerequsite course first. Since registration happens before finals, grades are not available and students cannot add the class. Many times, the class is already full by the time grades are posted at the end of the semeter.

“I feel that we should register after the grades are all in. That way if you need to repeat a class, you can register instead of dropping it and then adding it,â€Â said Eric Flood, a livestock business management major.

Beddall said the school used to have registration dates after finals, but studies have shown that having the dates before boosts the retention rate.

“Students get to work on their schedules sooner,â€Â Beddall said. “Those who commit early tend to stick with that commitment.â€Â

Beddall also said that from Tuesday to Friday in the University Student Union, registration assistance and laptops will be available to help out students with designing their schedules and registering for their fall classes. An adviser from Student Success Services will also be on hand for those who need general education advising.

Students at other schools face the same problems as Fresno State. Shannon Burleson, a kinesiology major at UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) said students there also register two weeks before finals.

UC Santa Cruz is on a quarter system, instead of the semester system of Fresno State, which means students have to worry about registering and finals four times a year.

“By the time you get settled into one quarter and think you are finally ready to study for finals, you have to plan your next classes,â€Â Burleson said. “It’s a lot different than state schools, too. Almost everyone at UCSC meets with their counselor before they register, so it adds extra stress trying to fit in a meeting with them.â€Â

There are some schools that register after finals, such as San Diego State University (SDSU). Students at SDSU, like Sarah Daniels, who is majoring in communication, like that they don̢۪t have to think about next semester right before finals.

“It’s nice because then you know exactly what classes you can take after you complete your current classes, and you can concentrate more on completing the current class with a good grade,â€Â Daniels said.

After worrying about finals and registering for fall classes, students then have to deal with paying for those classes.

Fees are due on July 25 for those who register during the early or priority registration times. Yet because of a potential fee increase pending the approval of the California state budget, exact fall charges will not appear on students̢۪ accounts until early June.

Registration dates by class level
̢ۢ Monday, April 21: Priority groups and post-baccalaureate students

̢ۢ Tuesday, April 22: Seniors

̢ۢ Wednesday, April 23: Juniors

̢ۢ Thursday, April 24: Sophomores

̢ۢ Friday, April 25: Freshmen and returning students

̢ۢ New undergraduate students will register during Dog Days in June and July