We are now half way through fall semester, and you have probably picked up a few tricks and tips about college. For example, you don’t really need your books on the first day, just a pen and a pad of paper, or just how far of a walk it is between classes at the Social Science building and the Science building.

A key lesson for this part of the semester is planning ahead for registration, which begins the first week of November. These tips will give you a heads-up to increase your chances of a timely graduation.

Register carefully and always double check class times, locations and online availability. There’s nothing worse than having only 10 minutes to get from Ogden Campus to Davis Campus. If you take a night class, make sure to schedule yourself accordingly. A 10:30 a.m. class followed by a 5:30 p.m. may sound all right on paper, but it can easily turn into a nightmare and increase your chances of failing. Instead, have only your night class on that day or talk to your adviser about other options for that class.

You have one week to make your schedule permanent. After one week of the class, if you don’t like the professor or feel like your workload is too much, you can drop the class and get a purple slip from the registrar to manually register in a new class.

Talk to your adviser and your future professors as early and as often as needed. Your adviser is the one who will guide you to graduation. The more you talk to them, the more you will become aware of new classes, changes in the program or other opportunities that may increase your likelihood of getting a job or finding where your true passions lie. Talking to your adviser is the foundation of a successful semester workload.

Do not rely on ratemyprofessor.com. One person’s angel is another’s demon and vice versa. Try emailing your future professors and ask to meet with them. Your gut instincts can save you from a semester of grief and failure. If they will meet with you before the start of the semester, chances are they are professors you want. Take a look at their office and get a feel of what it would be like to work with them for the next 15 weeks.

Schedule your scheduling. Spring registration for seniors begins Nov. 9, with open registration beginning Nov. 23. It is based on credit hours and class standing, so be sure to check your registration date. Schedule a meeting with your adviser about what classes you want to take next and make a registration plan to simplify the process. Make sure everything is good with financial aid and any other hiccups that might occur. Fall semester is halfway through, but the more you think about spring semester the better your plan will become and the easier it will be to accomplish it.

Talk to your friends and others in your classes about which classes they have taken. Some of the best classes I’ve found have come from other students’ suggestions. For example Zoology 1030, The Nature of Sex, turned out to be a great investment for my schedule and gave me the life science credit I needed for my associate degree.