Mandatory Advising
If you are looking to learn more about the mandatory advising requirement, you have come to the right place!
For the first three semesters you attend BGSU, you are required to meet with your advisor prior to scheduling your classes. We enforce this requirement by placing a hold on your account until the meeting is complete. If you don't meet this requirement prior to your assigned class registration day, the system will block you.
Once your advising appointment is over, your advisor will remove the hold from your account so you can register for classes on your registration date.
Why is it Mandatory?
The mandatory advising requirement is designed to help you establish a meaningful, working relationship with your advisor; who will help you become familiar with policies, procedures and degree programs and requirements early in your career at BGSU.
The more informed you are, the more likely you will make good decisions about appropriate course loads and course selections.
Preparing for Class Registration
It is important for you to understand what is expected of you during the class registration process so you are able to select the best possible classes for you each semester. Below is an outline of the process, but we encourage you to visit the Registration & Records webpage for the full details.
You should review the course delivery options, understand your prerequisites and the late registration protocols prior to registering. It is also important to know that you are responsible for scheduling your classes. Meeting with an advisor does not mean your classes have been scheduled.
If you are admitted to BGSU, have a valid BGSU email account and no holds on your account, you may register for classes according to the registration calendar. If you are going to be a new student or new transfer student next semester, it's important for you to review the information below.
NEW STUDENTS
The schedules listed online will not reflect the dates you will be registering for classes. Because you haven't started a semester at BGSU, class registration will be one of the steps in your orientation process. You will be sent information on meeting with an advisor and registering for class from the Office of Admissions. It's important you read your BGSU email account and follow the instructions provided to you by your advisors.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
As a transfer student, you are new to BGSU just like all first-year students but you have already earned credits at another institution. Because of this, your registration date can vary. Some transfer students will follow the exact same process listed above for new students and others may follow a different path. It's important you read your BGSU email account and follow the instructions provided to you by your advisors.
Once you have attended a semester at BGSU, you can find your exact registration date at MyBGSU > Student Center > Classes & Registration > Enrollment Dates
Mandatory advising is not the only reason for having a hold on your account and if you have a hold, you will not be able to register for classes. That is why it is very important you check your account to see if you have a hold BEFORE your class registration date.
We highly recommend meeting with your advisor, no matter your class standing, prior to scheduling your classes. You can learn more about scheduling your advisor appointment under the Schedule Your Advising Appointment section on this page.
You will be able to start reviewing class options about a month prior to the registration system opening. This is the time to start looking at your options and start building your class schedule shopping cart. We recommend doing this prior to meeting with your advisor and at the latest, prior to your registration day. Going through this process will help you think of questions when meeting with your advisor and can help speed up your registration process when the system opens for you.
Meeting with your advisor and building your class shopping cart does not mean your classes have been registered. You must follow the step-by-step guide to officially enroll in your classes.
- The registration process will open up for you on your official class registration day. Upperclassmen will gain access to the system earlier.
- Regardless of the date, if you have a hold on your account, you will NOT be able to register for classes.
Schedule Your Advising Appointment
Academic advising is available to you through your college and departments you are affiliated with. Because of this, you may have one advisor or a team of advisors – and if you are enrolled in multiple majors or programs, you may have an advisor for each. This is to ensure you receive advising from individuals who know your specific details.
You are responsible for scheduling your advising appointment. You may receive follow up communications from your advisor(s) with instructions on how they would like you to schedule an appointment with them, but you can be proactive and schedule your appointment early.
You can schedule an appointment by contacting your advisor directly or you can schedule online using the Navigate app. The app also syncs your appointment with your smartphone so you don't forget!
