Half of surveyed Syracuse University students say they haven’t gotten into required classes

Syracuse University’s Spring 2027 registration officially opened Nov. 10, and many students have opinions on how it works. An Orange Pulse survey from Nov. 5-11 revealed that 52% of respondents know when their registration window opens “down to the minute,” while a further 32% know the day. 54% of respondents say they have already built their carts for spring registration.

For many respondents, the registration process has been stressful, with more than 60% rating their registration stress a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale. Fewer than 10% rated their stress level a 1 or 2.

The stress is not without reason. Nearly half of respondents say they have been unable to register for required courses, and 31% say it has happened more than once. Of students who reported this problem, three in four rated their stress a 4 or 5.

“I went to the advising office and had to beg for an override form to keep me on track for my Newhouse classes,” second-year student Jack Knight said after being unable to enroll in a JNL211 section. “It worked out in the end, but created a lot of stress early in the year.”

Another student wrote that they had their cart fully built, but because one class was full, they had to fully redo their registration.

Respondents also dislike the registration order. SU assigns registration day by credits earned and by year, seniors go first. Only 14% said the university’s process is fair, while 48% said it is not. Another 38% said they did not know how it was decided.

Second-year pre-med student Vaanya Churiwalla said a required lab was full by the time it was her registration slot, but more seats opened later.

“I do think that certain majors should get priority; it shouldn’t just be based on grade level,” Churiwalla said.

Graduate student Dominic Chapparone said he wishes MySlice showed “if [he] actually has a realistic chance to get into a class.”

What matters most when picking classes? Sixty-eight percent of respondents said filling a requirement is the most important factor. Only 8% answered “topic,” and 5% said “professor.” Of the tools students use to pick their classes, advisors ranked fifth at 46%, behind Degree Works (88%), MySlice Schedule Builder (72%), Rate My Professors (58%) and friends or upperclassmen (54%). Twenty-eight percent said they had not talked to an advisor and did not plan to.

Respondents want their Fridays off and their classes later in the day. Seventy-two percent said no Friday class is the goal, and one person said Friday classes don’t matter. Only three respondents said they would choose an 8 a.m. class, while 55% said 9-10 a.m. is their cutoff.

Students didn’t hold back on the system.

“I’m pretty sure My Slice has not changed since 1994,” one student jokingly wrote in a survey response. Upperclassman Jack Lindberg had a suggestion: “The date and time of my registration should be easier to find. That seems like something that could easily be emailed to me.”

The data shows that students are prepared for registration, but they do not expect the prep to work. Even with their carts ready at registration time, nearly half of the students said they still lost a class they were hoping to register for.