Applying to college and getting accepted is an exciting time for a student. Academic planning gets overlooked in that excitement, but it couldn’t be more important.

Simply stated, students need a plan to follow. This is what gets a student from the first semester to the second, and from freshman year to graduation. More than just a course schedule for one semester, a plan maps out all the classes a student needs for their degree in sequence.

Timing is everything in executing a solid academic plan. I can remember not getting the class I wanted, at the time I wanted it, with the professor I wanted to take it from… that was how I learned the value of registering as early as possible. When classes are not available due to late registration, or cannot be taken at the optimal time, completion becomes delayed, and for some, fleeting.

From their first semester to their last, students need to focus on their plan, work with their advisors and register for their next semester’s classes as early as possible. Early registration is the key to keeping on track.

At the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, many of our students work full-time or part-time. Work schedules are fixed and family needs are not optional. Classes must fit specific times to allow the student to balance work, family and school. Early registration helps to ensure that students get the classes that fit their busy schedule.

Students who register early can manage their schedule, not let their schedule manage them. Late in the term, when class projects and final tests create stress for students, registration for the next semester can become one burden too many. Last-minute registration is typically rushed and unfocused. With all the distractions of life, getting off track in just one semester can derail a student’s plan and educational goals.

Registering early also gives students time to plan their extra-curricular activities, campus social groups and campus-based activities. Students who are active outside the classroom on their campus are typically more academically successful and more likely to have a well-rounded and fulfilling college experience.

It is critical that more than just professors and advisors deliver the message about early registration. Community leaders, parents and mentors need to reinforce the message to keep our students on track to college graduation. Adding more college graduates to our community benefits our region economically and culturally.

It’s a simple message—have a plan, register early and graduate. 

Dr. Carol Probstfeld is president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.