(Photo by: Elizabeth Taylor)

Registration for fall classes opened on April 23, and if you have not started looking at what your schedule will look like next semester, now is the right time to do so. JCCC’s Counseling Center is here to help you with planning your classes. 

We spoke with Melanie Roberts, a counselor, about what you need to know about Fall registration.

“Registration actually lasts through the second day of classes in August, so the last day to register would be [August] 26th,” Roberts said. “We consider that late registration. So we always encourage students to get in early if they need to see a counselor so that they can plan for the fall semester.”

Some classes are filling up quickly. 

“I think students are really getting in there and starting to get their classes,” Roberts declared. “You know, of course we have some classes that fill quickly. And so those typical courses are filling up right now. So I would just encourage you to get in and either enroll or see a counselor before you do that.” 

Roberts thinks that it is very important to meet with a counselor if you are a first-time student. 

“If you’re choosing for the first time, I highly recommend that you schedule an appointment with the counselor,” Roberts said. “We can sit down, we have a lot of time to plan, get to know you, your goals and kind of help create a plan for you while you’re here. Whether it’s, you know, just a short-term plan for a couple of semesters or working towards a degree, we can do that as well.” 

Even if it is not your first semester at JCCC, Roberts thinks it is still important to meet with a counselor to make sure you are still on the right path.

“For students who have been here, I think that meeting, even if they have not met with a counselor, it kind of can affirm what they’re doing so that they know that they’re, you know, on the right track,” Roberts said. “Programs do change, and so if the program they’re looking at does change, we can help them with understanding those changes. I always encourage students to, even though they may be doing a lot of self-advising themselves, to always check in to make sure that they’re making the right decisions.” 

Another way to stay on top of the classes you need to take is Plan My Classes on your My JCCC account.

“Plan My Classes is a way to actually plan out every semester that you’re going to be here,”Roberts declared. “Students can go ahead and put together a plan, and then they can ask or request that that plan be checked by a counselor. So that’s another way to, you know, make sure you’re on the right path.” 

Counselors can help students choose their classes, but they also do a lot more to help benefit students. 

“We can help students with actually planning out their educational career here,” Roberts said. “We can help students with transfer information, course selection, deciding on a major. We do a lot in our office. What we like to do is meet the student where they’re at so that we can help guide them to where they want to go.” 

To meet with a counselor either face-to-face or on Zoom, you can make an appointment on their website, or call 913-469-3809. They also accept walk-ins either in person or virtually for 15 minutes discussions.