Local College Guide
Don’t wait another second to register
for spring classes at colleges in NYC
EDUCATION PROFILE – CUNY NEWS
Your Future is Here!
Even in a year that has been this
unpredictable, there is action you
can take to make your future more
secure. There is still time to sign up
for Spring courses at CUNY.
Whether you have already begun
your undergraduate or graduate
studies or you’re just looking to
start, CUNY can help you meet your
educational and career goals. Whatever
your interest or objective, there
is a CUNY program to help boost
your skills.
If you live in New York City,
you live near CUNY. Made up of 25
unique campuses across all five NYC
Caribbean Life, D 18 ecember 11-17, 2020
boroughs, CUNY is the largest, most
diverse urban higher education system
in the country and an indispensable
New York City institution.
CUNY’s seven community colleges,
11 senior colleges and seven
graduate or professional schools provide
nearly 1,800 top-quality and affordable
undergraduate and graduate
academic programs, as well as
continuing ed. Most courses are being
offered online, at least through
this Spring.
To start laying the groundwork for
your future, you don’t have to go far.
Visit cuny.edu/learnmore.
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Colleges and universities across
the New York City area are registering
students for the spring semester
now, so you’ll need to move
quickly to sign up for the classes
you want.
Registration deadlines for new
students at most institutions is in
mid- to late January, and the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic will result
in most, if not all, spring classes being
held online.
The spring 2021 semester will
likely be the last of the pandemic
era with the impending arrival of
the COVID-19 vaccine, and in-person
classes will likely return in the
fall. For the moment, however, virtual
courses offer personal safety
and education from the comfort of
your home.
For New Yorkers who are looking
to expand their education, there’s
never been a better time than to enroll
now, and enroll locally. Courses
can be completed right from your
living room or bedroom — no need
to spend thousands of dollars a year
on dorm rooms or supplies.
Even so, enrolling in college —
whether it’s your fi rst time, or your
return after years away from the
classroom — can be overwhelming.
The selection of courses offered at
most colleges and universities are
vast, and it can be quite challenging
to fi nd the right ones in balance
with your core requirements to create
the ideal education schedule.
The College Board, a nonprofi t
organization that aims to expand
higher education access to Americans,
offers some advice for prospective
students as they consider
registering classes for the spring:
Consider all your options available.
Don’t just settle on one college
right away; consider several candidates
and choose the one that’s
right for you based on access, affordability
and educational opportunities,
among other criteria.
Create the schedule that’s right
for you. The path to a college degree
is a marathon, not a sprint.
Try not to schedule too many
classes early on to avoid burnout.
Choose a schedule that meets the
requisite number of semester credits,
but also allows you the time to
rest, study, prepare reports and refi
ne your skills.
Seek out an adviser’s help. This
is especially true for fi rst-time college
students who might fi nd diffi
culty creating a schedule. Reach
out to a college adviser in your fi eld
of interest to help you determine
the best path forward.
Clear the core requirements
early. Your fi rst years in college
should not just focus primarily on
your fi eld of study, but also meeting
the core curriculum so you can
concentrate more on your major as
graduation day draws nearer.
Maintain balance in your
course schedule. Try not to challenge
yourself early on by taking
more advanced classes. Save those
for later in your academic career.
Seek out college credits and fi -
nancial aid. Visit the College Board
website, collegeboard.org, to fi nd
resources.
Take a writing course to help
you better prepare for term papers
and adopt your writing style.
Register early. The earlier you
register, the better chance you have
to obtain the classes you want.
Registration is ongoing at local colleges and universities for courses in the Spring 2021
semester. Getty Images
/learnmore
/collegeboard.org
