How are class schedules prepared for new students?

Students are enrolled into a preceptorial course in the following manner. All entering freshman students are sent a Freshman Preceptorial Program brochure and a Freshman Advising Questionnaire. The brochure contains descriptions of either the regular preceptorial courses (for most students) or the honors preceptorial courses (for honors students). After reading the brochure, the students then fill out the advising questionnaire. The last page of the questionnaire asks them to list their top 8-10 choices for their preceptorial course. The rest of the questionnaire conveys information about our general education program as well as typical schedules for students in various types of majors and then guides the students through choosing courses in which they are interested and which they need for specific majors. The questionnaires are mailed to the Dean’s office of Arts & Sciences. They are read by faculty advisors in the order in which they were received. The advisors construct a class schedule for each student based upon the questionnaire, background information about the student as such SAT scores, high school G.P.A. and class rank, and specific high school courses taken and the grades received in those courses, e.g. which math courses were taken, what grades were earned, and the student’s proposed major all affect the USD mathematics course in which the student is enrolled. This schedule is sent to the student, who may either accept it or request changes. In the latter case a new schedule is devised and the process continues until the student accepts a schedule.