Registering for Classes

This section contains important information about registering for courses, academic advising, and using PRESTO, Oberlin's online student records system.


Academic Advising and Planning Your Schedule

Before you begin planning your course schedule, please read the Academic and Advising Information section in the Big Book of Forms that pertains to your degree program. The following resources will help you in the planning process.

Big Book of Forms

Course Catalog contains information on Oberlin College's academic policies and a descriptive listing of courses offered at Oberlin in a given academic year.

Schedule of Classes provides an up-to-date listing of courses that will be offered during the fall semester, including class meeting times and days.

Courses Open to First-Year Students (available late May) includes Arts and Sciences courses that are appropriate and available for first-year students.

First-Year Seminar Program Catalog includes detailed descriptions of the courses in Oberlin's seminar program for first-year students. Students are strongly encouraged to register for a first-year seminar.

Academic Dates/Holidays provides an up-to-date listing of official academic dates and deadlines.


Summer Course Registration

First-year students in the College of Arts and Sciences and the double-degree program are required to register for one or two courses over the summer.

Transfer students are asked to wait until they have come to campus and met with their advisor before registering for any courses.

A Summer Registration Request form is available in the Big Book of Forms. Please return the form to the Office of the Registrar by June 13, 2008. Results of your registration request will be available in PRESTO beginning Aug. 18, 2008. Once you know these results, you should begin planning the rest of your fall semester course schedule.

Big Book of Forms

Open Classes is a listing (available late May) provided by the office of the Registrar of courses open to first-year students.

Office of the Registrar


PRESTO

Oberlin utilizes a web-based student records system, PRESTO, for such commonly used services as student record information, financial aid, and student accounts. During their time at Oberlin, students use PRESTO to register for classes, add and drop courses, search for course offerings, see their personal information (such as name and address), and review their semester grades and unofficial transcript.

To log on to PRESTO, you will need the T Number (Student Identification Number) and PIN (Personal Identification Number) printed on the cover of the Big Book of Forms that was mailed to you. These numbers are confidential, and you should safeguard them while you are a student.

When you enter PRESTO for the first time, your PIN will be preset to your birth date in a MMDDYY format. For security reasons, once you sign on using that PIN, you will be told that the PIN is disabled and asked to create a new PIN immediately. You will be prompted to select a new PIN and a security question that will allow you to access PRESTO if you forget your PIN. Please call or e-mail the registrar's office if you have any questions or experience any difficulties logging on.

To use PRESTO for course registration, you will also need a six-digit Registration Alternate PIN (RAP) that will be given to you by your academic advisor at the end of your individual advising appointment.

PRESTO
PRESTO instructions


Course Registration during Orientation

On Aug. 28 and 29, 2008, all incoming students (including those who participated in the summer registration process) will register for fall courses during their scheduled registration appointment. All Oberlin students are assigned appointments for their registration period. Your registration appointment will be included in the materials you receive when you arrive on campus, or you can look it up in PRESTO beginning Aug. 18. Log on to PRESTO, select the Student Menu, and follow the Registration link to the Check Your Registration Status link.

Before registration begins, staff members from the Office of the Registrar will offer short overview sessions about how to register on PRESTO. This is not required but provided in case you want to learn more about PRESTO. When you register, staff members from the Office of the Registrar and student "academic ambassadors" will be available to assist you. We suggest that you use the registration worksheet provided by the Office of the Registrar to plan your schedule in advance. It's a good idea to make several copies of the worksheet and draft several alternative schedules.

It is essential that you have a tentative schedule with alternate course selections prepared before you arrive on campus.

PRESTO
Registration worksheet (MS Word document)


Avoiding Student Record Holds

A student record hold—which prevents a student from enrolling—results when a student has not submitted all necessary forms and information. Student record holds are posted in PRESTO by Aug. 18, 2008. To check your status, log on to PRESTO, select the Student Menu, and follow the Registration link to the View Holds link.

Big Book of Forms
PRESTO


What to Expect When You Come to Campus

When you arrive, the Office of the Registrar will have an information packet prepared for you. It will include the following items:

the name of your academic advisor
the times and locations of your required advising meetings (group advising sessions and individual appointment(s) with your academic advisor)
detailed instructions for using PRESTO, which will prepare you for course registration
the time and location for your registration appointment
a printed copy of the 2008-09 Course Catalog

The Orientation schedule will be available online June 1, 2008. The printed Orientation booklet will be available when you arrive on campus.

Orientation Schedule