As the summer season approaches, California Baptist University students are planning to register for the Fall 2021 semester. Class schedules, financial planning and career readiness are a few critical tasks to keep in mind amid the spring semester. Planning now can help better prepare any students to come to school ready for next fall.
During the spring semester, students are advised to create a checklist of essential tasks that will help them prepare for the fall semester. Some items to include on their checklists are important dates, an updated major planning guide, financial aid plan, resume and goals for the semester.
Setting reminders or writing down important dates on a calendar can help better prepare for major deadlines. Class registration and add/drop class deadlines are important dates to keep in mind, along with making sure FAFSA is complete and payment plan options are finalized before the deadlines.
Reaching out to Financial Aid or Student Accounts will help ensure the semester is paid for and holds are clear for class registration. Staying on top of scheduling classes will set you up for success in the fall. Be on the lookout for emails with your scheduled registration time, and be sure to set a calendar reminder to register. Making a list of all the dates and times of future classes may help secure your spot once registration opens.
Academic Advising is a great place to create a major planning guide that can help with class scheduling. Color coding complete classes currently in progress and future classes of interest can be helpful when it comes to scheduling classes. Meet with your adviser to go over the class schedule and to stay on track to graduate.
Madeleine Warman, sophomore psychology major, uses Academic Advising every semester to plan for the next school year.
“I meet with my adviser every semester, and it has been helpful for planning,” Warman said. “She ensures that I am on track for graduation and can explore different options within my major for classes and potential careers.”
She has used Academic Advising every semester to make sure she is on track with her degree and can explore different classes.
Being financially ready to tackle next semester can be a challenge. Reaching out to Financial Aid can help prepare students for the fall semester. Creating saving goals or keeping a budget each month will be beneficial in saving for future investments.
Giorvi Alvarez, junior mechanical engineering major, recommends preparing early.
“Getting your resume and your face in front of as many people as possible is important to prepare for internships,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez said he has used the Career Center every year to prepare him for internships and job interviews on campus.
“Freshman year, I got my resume ready because I wanted to get a job on campus and I had never actually had to make a resume before, so they helped me there,” Alvarez said.
Visiting the Career Center can help students feel confident in their professional skills as they work to land a dream job after finishing a degree at CBU.
Laura Acosta, assistant director of the Career Center, helps students plan for their future after graduation.
“We want to make sure that you have those written documents right, whether it’s the resume or the cover letter,” Acosta said.
Acosta is a part of a team that provides resources year-round to help students prepare resumes, Handshake profiles, LinkedIn and job interview skills. As the semester ends, students are encouraged to take advantage of these resources over summer to build well-rounded professional skills.
“My advice would be to start preparing now,” said Acosta. “We all have the idea that it’s going to all work out. Your competition is already out there doing their homework so you should be out there too. Start preparing now. Again, that is putting together your documents, preparing for interviews watching the videos that we’ve put together on our website, doing the informational interview. So start preparing now – don’t wait.”
Setting goals for the new school year, networking for future opportunities and making use of the Career Center can ease the stress of a new school year.
