Most people know that the college experience is about a lot more than just the classes that you take and the degree that they hand you at graduation. But, that doesn't mean that you're not going to want to put some thought into your courses and which ones are going to best prepare you to work at a realtors office or at a dentist surgery. Selecting your first year courses can be especially nerve wracking for newcomer students. But there is a way to get it done right and be happy with your choices.

First, you're always going to want to make sure that you are signed up for all of the required classes for your degree. If you're planning to one day make innovative art as a visual arts major then you might need to take a class on drawing or one on art history. Someone doing an English major might start out with a survey course that covers all of the major authors of the twentieth century. If there are several sections of one class then you should have a list of which you prefer but be aware that you might not get your first choice.

Once you have fit all of the required courses into your schedule you can start having some fun and browse the other classes that you might want to take. Some people like to stay within their field and might take a class on making the compounds that create chemical reactions as part of their science degree or take a class on law for their business major. Others want to get a little further away from their chosen field of study when it comes to their electives. This might be your chance to learn a new language or to take a class on the classics. Just because you're working towards becoming an optometrist (see here) or even work as a hygienist at a dental clinic doesn't mean that you can't take some classes that cover your other interests.

Make sure that you fully understand how you are meant to sign up for classes, when this happens, and how many classes you are advised to take per semester. You don't want to find out a week late that you were meant to sign up for your required courses and then need to chase professors around to explain. Some schools also might sign you up for all of your required classes without any input from you. So you might be learning about anthropology at eight in the morning on Monday whether you like it or not.