BU Class Registration

BU registration opens on Student Link (bu.edu/studentlink) in waves - seniors first, then juniors, sophomores, freshmen. Have 2-3 backup courses for every slot. Write down the 5-digit registration numbers beforehand. Clear any holds on your account BEFORE your registration window. Popular classes fill in minutes.

Course registration at BU happens twice a year: November for spring semester and April for fall. It's simultaneously straightforward (enter a number, click register) and incredibly stressful (everyone wants the same classes).

The system:

1. BU assigns you an enrollment appointment - a specific date and time when you can start registering
2. Priority goes by class standing: seniors > juniors > sophomores > freshmen
3. Within each class, order is based on total credits earned (AP credits count!)
4. Once your appointment time arrives, you log into Student Link and add courses
5. Add/drop period (first two weeks of the semester) lets you adjust

Popular classes (think: anything with a great professor, most WR 120 sections, anything on Friday) fill within minutes of opening. The students who get what they want are the ones who plan obsessively and have backups ready.

This is when the real work happens:

Step 1: Check your enrollment appointment

Go to Student Link > Registration to see your exact date and time. Mark it in your calendar with an alarm.

Step 2: Clear any holds

Holds block registration. Common ones:

• Health hold: Upload immunization records to Patient Connect
• Advising hold: Meet with your academic advisor (some colleges require this)
• Library hold: Return overdue books or pay fines
• Financial hold: Resolve outstanding balance

Step 3: Research courses

Use these resources:

• BU Course Search: Official catalog with descriptions, times, and availability
• RateMyProfessors: Student reviews of professors (take extreme reviews with a grain of salt)
• BU Spark: See grade distributions for past semesters of each course
• Your degree audit: Check what requirements you still need to fill
• Upperclassmen in your major: They know which professors and courses are actually good

Create a primary schedule AND a complete alternate for every single course. Write down the 5-digit registration number for each one.

• Log into Student Link
• Have your registration numbers ready (written on paper, not just on your phone)
• Open the registration page but DON'T try to register early - it won't work
• Close other tabs to keep your connection fast

1. Go to Registration > Add Classes
2. Enter your first choice registration number
3. Click Register
4. Don't wait for confirmation before adding the next class - enter the next number immediately
5. Repeat for all courses
6. THEN go back and verify everything registered correctly

If a class is full:

• Check for other sections of the same course
• Join the waitlist if one exists (not all courses have them)
• Try your backup course immediately
• Check back during add/drop - spots open as students adjust their schedules
• Email the professor (politely) explaining your situation. Some can issue overrides.

These are the tricks experienced students use:

The AP credit advantage: AP credits count toward your total credits, which determines your registration order within your class year. Five AP credits can mean registering hours before your peers.

The waitlist play: If you're waitlisted, register for a backup course in the same time slot. If you get off the waitlist, the backup automatically drops. Don't leave the slot empty hoping.

The add/drop goldmine: The first two weeks of the semester are when the real schedule shuffling happens. Students drop classes they don't like, creating openings in previously full courses. Check Student Link multiple times a day during add/drop.

The professor email: For small seminars and capped courses, a polite email to the professor explaining why you specifically want to take their course can sometimes result in an override. This works better for upperclassmen and students in the professor's department.

The 8 AM gamble: Nobody wants 8 AM classes. If you're a morning person, you can build an incredibly strong schedule while everyone else fights over 10 AM slots.

Hub stacking: Look for courses that satisfy multiple Hub requirements simultaneously. A class that counts for both a Hub area AND your major requirement is worth its weight in gold.

Ignoring Hub requirements: Don't leave Hub requirements until senior year. Sprinkle them across semesters. The Hub panic of senior year is real and avoidable.

Overloading: Taking 5 difficult courses because they're all 'interesting' is a recipe for burnout. Balance challenging courses with lighter ones. Aim for 14-16 credits as a baseline.

Only looking at RateMyProfessors: Some of the best professors at BU have mixed reviews because their courses are challenging. Some of the worst have good reviews because they're easy. Talk to students in your major for better intel.

Forgetting about the commute: BU's campus is 2+ miles long. Back-to-back classes on opposite ends of campus with no break is miserable, especially in winter. Build in travel time.

Not checking prerequisites: Student Link will reject your registration if you don't have the prerequisite. Check this BEFORE registration day so you're not scrambling.

'I lost my top three course choices in the first 90 seconds of registration because I was checking each one before adding the next. Now I rapid-fire all my registration numbers first, then verify after.' - Junior, CAS

'The best registration tip I ever got: befriend a senior in your major. They know which professors are actually good, which courses are manageable, and which 'easy A' courses are traps.' - Sophomore, COM

'I always register for one more class than I need, then drop the worst one after attending the first week. First impressions of a professor are usually accurate.' - Senior, Questrom

'Add/drop period is underrated. I've gotten into 'impossible to get' classes just by checking Student Link obsessively during the first two weeks.' - Junior, ENG

'My freshman year I registered for all morning classes because that's what I was used to in high school. By October I was miserable. Know yourself and build your schedule around when you actually function well.' - Sophomore, CFA