Registration: Tips on How to Prepare, Plan and Enroll

Step 1: Prepare

The best way to set yourself up for success is to set aside a bit of time to prepare. There are three things you need to do before enrolling for classes.

Resolve Registration Holds

Why it’s important:
You might have a registration hold on your record for financial, advising, academic, health or student conduct reasons. These must be resolved before registering for classes. If you wait too long, you may miss your enrollment window and prolong your studies.

When to do this:
Resolve all holds and to-dos immediately after you’re notified and before your enrollment window opens. It takes some time for the hold to be processed and cleared.

Here’s how:

Log into Buff Portal.
Select the notifications icon or go to the holds and to-dos card.

Learn More About Holds

Resolve To-Do Items

Why it’s important:
To-do items are actions you should take to ensure you get what you need. This could be a financial aid to-do, a tuition to-do, etc.

When to do this:
Resolve all to-dos immediately after notified and before your enrollment window opens. This gives the to-do time to process and clear.

Here’s how:

Log in to Buff Portal.
Follow the “to-do” prompt card under the “prepare” section.

Learn More About To-Do Items

Complete Preregistration

Why it’s important:
Preregistration verifies your most current contact information, and that you understand tuition and fees. Preregistration is required before enrolling in classes.

When to do this:
You’ll want to complete this step before you begin planning.

Here’s how:

Log in to Buff Portal.
Follow the “preregistration” prompt card under the “prepare” section of the class registration guide card .

Learn More About Preregistration

Step 2: Plan

You’re here to fulfill your potential. One proactive way to do so is to plan ahead. There are three things you need to plan to ensure you stay on track.

Review Your Full Degree Plan

Why it’s important:
It’s best to pick your classes within the context of your full undergraduate plan. Each semester before you begin enrollment, review your degree plan to ensure you’re on track and to see what classes best fit your overarching plan and goals.

When to do this:
Before you plan classes for next semester. We recommend scheduling an hour of time to review your degree plan, which will help inform the next step of enrollment.

Here’s how:

Log in to Buff Portal.
Select “View Degree Audit” in the “Plan” section of the class registration guide card.

Learn More About Planning Your Degree

Search for Classes and Create a Semester Plan

Why it’s important:
This is the exciting part—seeing what classes are offered and which meet your academic goals.

When to do this:
We recommend starting 2 - 3 weeks before your enrollment window to think through a solid plan for next semester. During this time you should:

Map out what classes you need.
Make note of which ones are your first choice.
Create a backup plan in case your first choices are not available. You can add extra, backup classes while enrolling and can later select “drop if enrolled” when your waitlisted, first choice class becomes available.

Here’s how:

Log in to CU Boulder Class Search.
Search for classes and start to build your cart in advance of your enrollment window.
Review course prerequisites.
Create a list of backup classes in case your first-choice classes are full.

Check Your Plan With an Advisor

Why it’s important:
Meeting with your academic advisor regularly throughout the semester is really important. You can check in, have your questions answered and be sure you understand how to best meet your academic goals and needs.

When to do this:
We recommend meeting with your advisor at the beginning of the semester and again before your enrollment window.

Here’s how:
We offer a few options for advising:

Learn More About Connecting With an Advisor

Step 3: Enroll

You’re prepped, you’ve planned, and now you're ready to go.

Enroll

Why it’s important:
“Enrolling” means choosing the classes you wish to take next semester and officially registering for the courses. There are six actions you can take during the enrollment process:

Add a class
Waitlist for a closed class
Drop a class
Swap a class
Edit your class options
Reserve a course

Learn More About Registration Actions

When to do this:
Check Buff Portal's enrollment dates card for your enrollment window.

Here’s how:
Set two reminders:

One reminder one day before your window opens, ensuring you’re ready to go—with no registration holds—and that you have your plan in place.
Set a second reminder 15 minutes before your enrollment window opens so you don’t accidentally miss your enrollment window.

Learn More About Registering

Step 4: Review

You’re almost there—just one more step before officially registering for fall 2022.

Review Your Classes

Why it’s important:
After you’ve enrolled in your classes, it’s important to review your semester holistically. Take a final step to look back through your selections, check the number and types of classes in which you’ve enrolled to ensure that your semester overview aligns with your degree plan and goals.

When to do this:
Immediately after you enroll.

Here’s how:

Log in to Buff Portal.
View the class schedule card.
Make sure your enrolled classes reflect your plan.

Review Your Classes in Buff Portal

Have more questions? Live chat with our Registrar’s Office

Tips for class enrollment:

Know your enrollment window!

This information is available in Buff Portal.

Be sure to know if you have registration holds.

You can’t enroll in classes until these are resolved.

Create two lists of classes: First choice and backups.

It’s always good to have backup options in case your first choices are unavailable.

Get familiar with Class Search & Buff Portal.

CU Boulder Class Search is our registration tool. You can also complete most of your class registration transactions through Buff Portal. If you have questions about Buff Portal, you can learn more here.

Start the process early!

We recommend connecting with your advisor throughout the semester to ensure you’re staying on track.

Set reminders on your tech.

Setting reminders helps keep you on track to take enrollment actions. Our timeline can help you with this.

Registration: Tips on How to Prepare, Plan and Enroll

Step 1: Prepare

Step 2: Plan

Step 3: Enroll

Step 4: Review

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Registration: Tips on How to Prepare, Plan and Enroll

Step 1: Prepare

Step 2: Plan

Step 3: Enroll

Step 4: Review

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