How priority registration dates are determined sometimes seems like a

mystery to many students. For example, a student gets a late

registration date one semester, only to find out that a friend, who is

a year younger than the student, has a much earlier date for no

apparent reason.

There is rhyme and reason to the process, however, and there are

ways to ensure an early registration date.

Registration dates are determined by the Faculty Senate, according

to Eric Forbes, director of Admissions and Records. First-time freshmen

get the best dates so they have a better chance of getting into

beginning-level classes, he said.

Next on the priority registration list are graduating seniors,

followed by students with special priorities, which include disabled

students, presidential scholars, athletes, Associated Students officers

and volunteers, Forbes said.

Rounding out the list are second-semester freshman, classified

graduate students, seniors, juniors and sophomores in descending order

based on units earned, Forbes said.

Presidential scholars are undergraduate students who receive

scholarships for maintaining a minimum 3.5 grade point average and who

work on a project each semester with a faculty member, according to

CSUN’s Financial Aid website.

Student athletes get priority registration because they have an

academic requirement that must be met in order to be allowed to

compete, Forbes said. If they do not get into their classes, they

cannot participate in sports, he said.

The broadest category of priority registration recipients is

volunteers. Volunteers must be involved in campus service in some way

to get priority registration, Forbes said.

A majority of volunteers were previously involved with the

registration process itself, Forbes said, back when it was done in

person. But now that registration is done online, volunteer services

are no longer needed.

‘?The number of persons with early registration dates has declined

because the number of volunteers has declined,’ he said.

New student orientation leaders also get early registration dates.

Victoria Wilson, junior journalism major, said she heard about the

job at her own transfer student orientation. She said she wanted to get

involved in some campus activities, and decided to apply for the

position.

Once accepted, she went through a number of training sessions and a

summer retreat.

‘?Not just anybody can do it,’ she said. ‘?You must be interviewed and

a have a recommendation.’

New student orientation leaders assist new students in becoming

familiar with CSUN.

‘?We give them the rundown, a campus tour and (introduce them to) all

sorts of resources,’ she said. ‘?It’s a day-long thing. We feed them and

answer questions. They also get to see a presentation from TAKE. It’s a

situational drama put on by a dozen or so CSUN students about the

pressures of being a freshman in college.’

Another way to get an early registration date is to become a

residential adviser for the Department of Residential Life.

RAs live in the residence halls with other students and are assigned

a floor to oversee, according to Crystal Becks, community coordinator

for staff training and development in Residential Life.

Aside from the 15 hours per week RAs are required to work, they

typically spend between five and 10 additional hours per week helping

other students, Becks said.

‘?(RAs) walk (students) to the counseling center and sit in on

counseling sessions,’ she said. ‘?When students lose financial aid and

are dropped from their classes, RAs try to help them navigate the

situation. They do more than I can really articulate.’

In addition, members of the Residence Halls Association, a student

advocacy and programming organization based out of Residential Life,

receive priority registration, Becks said.