How to Make Your Schedule

The following information is written to provide guidance freshmen who are entering into their second semester. A more detailed version of this information can be found in Chapter 7, "Good Academic Planning", of your 101 textbook: Your First Year at Stony Brook: The Beginning of an Incredible Journey 2008-2009.

Pre-Registration Preparation
  • Meeting with your advisor

    • What will the advisor expect of me?

      Your advisor will expect you to:

      1. Come to see him/her! Make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to make an appointment to speak with your advisor when you have a question or a concern.
      2. Be on time for appointments and call or e-mail ahead of time if you won’t be able to make your appointment. Conduct yourself in a courteous and respectful manner.
      3. Be prepared for your appointment. Do your research first; become knowledgeable about policies, procedures and deadlines. Think about what you want to discuss; write down your questions so you won’t forget.
      4. Be open to new ideas—Now is the time to learn!
      Building a strong relationship with your Advisor can be central to your academic success. Your first year at Stony Brook can be an exciting and sometimes confusing time. Your advisor is here to help clarify things for you when they become confusing as well as to share in your excitement as you begin your college career.

    • What can I expect from the advisor?

      You can expect a number of things from your Advisor. Here are some of the most notable:

      1. Your advisor will make time to see you. All advisors post weekly appointment and/or walk-in schedules so students know when they can plan to their advisor.
      2. Your advisor will listen to your concerns and ideas in a respectful and caring manner.
      3. Your advisor will help you to define, develop, and achieve realistic educational and career goals.
      4. Your advisor will assist you with interpreting academic policies and procedures, choosing a major, planning your academic schedule, registering for classes, and understanding graduation requirements.
      5. Your advisor will serve as a point of connection to other important and useful resources on campus, including special Undergraduate College and University events and programs.
  • Freshman Seminar 101 Instructor

    • Your 101 instructor is a trained University staff member who can assist you with any question you may have.  They will probably schedule a 1-on-1 meeting with you or work with you in class to answer advising and registration questions.  Do not hesitate to talk to them as your first step down the road of making your schedule.
  • Other areas of advising

    • Who is my advisor and where can I find him or her?

      There are a variety of advising resources available on campus. Although most of your initial academic questions should be posed to your College Advisor first, you should be aware of the other advising resources here for you to take advantage of. Good advising begins with your College Advisor, but certainly doesn’t end there. The following is a brief description of places and people on campus who also provide academic advice. Specific contact information about many of these offices can be found in chapter 3 of your Freshman Seminar 101 course text book.

      • Academic and Pre-Professional Advising Center: Located in the Melville Library on West campus, this is the largest academic advising office and serves all undergraduate students with majors housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, all undeclared students (those without definite majors yet), and all students interested in graduate studies in the health and law professions.
      • College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Undergraduate Student Office: This office is home to academic advisors who specialize in serving undergraduate students in majors housed in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
      • School of Health Technology and Management: Located on East campus, adjacent to University Hospital, this School provides specialized advising for students interested in health-related undergraduate programs in Adapted Aquatics, Athletic Training, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Cytotechnology, Health Science, Occupational Therapy (BS/MS), and Respiratory Care, as well as graduate programs in Health Care Policy and Management, Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant.
      • Academic Departments: Every academic discipline at Stony Brook has a department with faculty and staff available to help students in specific areas of study. Students who have selected their major and/or minor program should regularly consult the advice of faculty experts in their chosen field of study. Those who are still considering pursuing a specific area of study should also consult the corresponding academic department for good counsel.
      • EOP/AIM Office: Also located on the third floor of the Melville Library, the EOP/AIM (Educational Opportunity Program/Advancement on Individual Merit) Program provides comprehensive advising services to all enrolled members of that program. If you are an EOP/AIM student, you should work with your program counselor for all academic planning.
      • Student Athlete-Development Office: All of Stony Brook’s athletes have an assigned academic advisor for their team. New freshmen athletes must seek the advice of their team advisor on all academic issues. This office is located in the Indoor Sports Complex, West Campus.
      • Tutoring Centers: Extra help in a variety of academic disciplines is available free of charge from a number of tutoring centers on campus including: Residential Tutoring Centers (covering primarily biology, chemistry, math, physics, and economics courses), AMS Help Room, Biology Learning Center, Chemistry Help Rooms, Economics Help, Mathematics Learning Center, Physics Help Rooms, the Writing Center, and Spanish Writing Center. Specific contact information about many of these offices can be found in chapter 3 of this book.
      • Career Center: Also located in the Melville Library, West Campus, the Career Center is an invaluable resource for all students, from freshmen to seniors, graduate students and alumni. The Career Center’s counselors serve students through interest inventory/skills testing, career advising, career classes, resumé preparation and review, internship placement, graduate school application, job searching and credentials services. The Career Center also has a large resource library with information on graduate schools, entrance examinations, and job market outlooks.
      • Your Peers: One of the richest and yet often overlooked academic resources are your fellow students at Stony Brook. Talk to your friends and classmates about what you are learning, ask each other questions, and challenge each other to look at things in new and different ways. Consider forming or joining study groups. You have much to learn from your peers and they have much to learn from you.

      A word of caution:
      Do not rely on your peers to correctly interpret academic policies and regulations or to remind you of deadlines; always ask your College Advisor for clarification of these issues. Although other students may freely share with you which instructors and classes they liked and disliked, always view this kind of information with a critical eye. Just because your friend didn’t like a particular course doesn’t mean that you won’t enjoy it. The reverse is also true. A number of popular websites, blogs, and other on-line forums have become favorite virtual-hangouts for many students. These are also peer-driven resources whose contents must be scrutinized carefully. While some of the information may have some value, some of it is just venting; and you are going to need to develop an understanding of the differences between the two.

  • I have questions about the major I am considering, who should I talk to about this?
    • Your College Advisor is a great source for general questions, however they are not the experts is all areas.  Please see the Academic Departments Advising Schedule for a list of a contact person, phone number, and office location for every major we have here on campus.
Registering for Classes/Enrollment
  • When can I register and how do I do this?
  • How will I know what classes to take? What will my class schedule look like?
    • You will need to register for a Freshman Seminar 102 course. In addition to this you should be completing your basic math and writing requirements if these are not already done. Your other options include major or minor classes (if you know what this will be), a pre-health requirement if this is an area of interest for you, and you should also be taking 1-2 DEC course requirements.
    • Please refer to the Undergraduate Bulletin for more information on each of these areas and what classes will fulfill the requirements, or Chapter 8 of your Freshman Seminar 101 text book.
  • How do I find times for the classes I need in SOLAR?
  • How do I know if I have a hold on my SOLAR account? If I do how do I get it removed?
  • What happens when a class I wanted is full?
    • It is always good to have multiple choices for classes you want to take. You should consider a variety of times and sections of specific courses as well as a variety of topic choices. Remember to be flexible and know that if you do not get to take something now you will be able to take it in the future.
  • What does it mean if I get an error message for a class I am trying to register for?
  • When the bulletin says “pre-requisites required” what does that mean?
  • How do waitlists work?
    • Please check out the SOLAR FAQ for a description of a waitlist. Also, understand that putting yourself on a waitlist is not a guarantee that you will get into the class. Make sure to be registered for enough credits to keep yourself at full time status whether you get into the waitlisted course or not. The waitlisted course will NOT be counted into your overall credit count so also be sure that you will not be over 17 credits upon getting into the waitlisted course.
  • I am in a math and/or chemistry class right now, what class should I take next?

      • Math:

      If in MAP 101 you will go to MAP 103

      If in MAP 103 you will go to MAT 118 OR MAT 122 OR MAT 123
      MAT 118 should ONLY be taken if you will be pursing a major that does not require math or science
      MAT 122 is for Business majors
      MAT 123 is for anyone interested in a major that will require further math and science courses

      If in MAT 118 or AMS 102 you will have completed your math requirements

      If in MAT 122 (business majors only) you will have completed your math requirements

      If in MAT 123 you will go to MAT 125 (please note, if you get a B or higher in MAT 123 you may go directly to MAT 131, please consult an advisor before doing so).

      If in MAT 125 you will go to MAT 126

      If in MAT 126 you will go to MAT 127

      If in MAT 127 you will have completed your math sequence or go onto a 200 level math required for you major. Please refer to the bulletin and/or an advisor for assistance with selecting the appropriate course.

      If in MAT 131, or 141(honors), or AMS 151 you will go to MAT 132 OR MAT 141 (honors) OR AMS 161

      If in MAT 132, or 142(honors) or AMS 161 you will have completed your math sequence or go onto a 200 level math required for you major. Please refer to the bulletin and/or an advisor for assistance with selecting the appropriate course.

      Chemistry:

      If in CHE 129/130 you will go to CHE 132

      If in CHE 131 you will go to CHE 132

      If in CHE 133 you will go to CHE 134

      If in CHE 141 you will go to CHE 142

      If in CHE 143 you will go to CHE 144

      For more information please refer to the Undergraduate Bulletin

  • What if I have other questions?
    • For more specific information do not forget to review Chapter 8 of your Freshman Seminar 101 course textbook.
Beginning of the Semester
  • After all of the above work is completed it is always a good idea to print yourself a copy of the final product, your schedule, so you can review it, buy your books before classes start, and be able to start preparing yourself for the semester ahead.  However, it is always very important to reprint a copy of your schedule the very first day of classes.  Many times room assignments will be changed for one reason or another and you do not want to take the chance of being late on your very first day of classes!
  • The credit limit for spring semester will increase from 17 credits to 19 credits a few days before the semester starts (specific dates vary each year, please see the Academic Calendar for more information).  If you are interested in increasing your credit load be sure to consult with your advisor first.