Summer 2017 class registration begins in February, and fall 2017 registration begins in March. Students can register for classes in LionPATH, which features a number of planning and registration tools. You may find the following features especially helpful.
Enrollment Appointment Date
Your Enrollment Appointment Date is the first date that you can schedule courses for the upcoming semester. You can find this date in the “Enrollment Dates” section in your Student Center in LionPATH. Note that your Enrollment Appointment Date is based on the registration timetable, which outlines when students can schedule courses according to their degree status and the number of credits they have already earned.
Note that you will need to complete the LionPATH Pre-Registration Activity Guide, which includes reviewing your personal information and accepting Penn State’s Financial Responsibility Agreement, before you can schedule courses.
Class Search
From the Student Center in LionPATH, you can search for classes using the “Search for Classes” link. This option allows you to enter search criteria for the type of class you’re looking for, and then displays classes that meet those criteria. From here, you can add classes to your shopping cart, which you’ll use when you are ready to enroll for the semester.
View a tutorial on searching for classes.
Schedule Builder
The Schedule Builder is a great tool for students who are taking classes with a specific meeting schedule. You can see where different class sections would fit into your days and weeks, and compare schedule options with different sections. You can also enter break times when you would not want to be in classes, and search for class sections that meet at other times.
The Schedule Builder may not be as helpful for students who plan to take all of their classes online, but it may be useful if you plan to take a combination of online and face-to-face classes.
View a tutorial on using the Schedule Builder.
LionPATH Planner
With the LionPATH planner, you can think ahead to courses you might want to take in future semesters. This may help you think about your degree program and which courses you want to take when, to meet requirements and also to manage your workload and fit in with other personal commitments you may have. Keep in mind that your academic adviser can be a valuable resource to help you plan future courses.
View a tutorial on using the LionPATH Planner.
Shopping Cart
Similar to shopping carts used on many websites for online shopping, your LionPATH shopping cart allows you to temporarily save a selection of classes you wish to take, and then go ahead and enroll in those classes, if space is available, on your Enrollment Appointment Date. You can also validate the classes in your shopping cart to make sure you have not selected any classes you may not actually be able to take, such as classes you have already taken or classes with required prerequisites you have not completed.
View a tutorial on using your Shopping Cart.
Wait List
LionPATH provides an automated wait list for classes that are full. When you are searching for classes, you will see the class status, which indicates if the class is open, closed, or accepting students on the wait list. You can choose to add yourself to the wait list if the class is full. If space becomes available in the class, students will be automatically added to the class in the order in which they joined the wait list.
You can also set up a “swap” so that if you are added to a class from the wait list, it will automatically replace a different class you are registered for. Note that you may not be automatically added to a class if you have a hold on your registration or if the class has controls or prerequisite requirements that you have not met.
Not all classes will have a wait list, and if you decide you are no longer interested in a class, you will need to remove yourself from the wait list in order to avoid being added to the class if a space becomes available.
View Frequently Asked Questions about the Wait List.
Class Swap
Swapping a class allows you to drop a class and try to add a new one simultaneously, so that you can keep your space in the class you are enrolled in until you know that your swap and enrollment in the new class are successful. You can also set up a swap so that if you are added to a class from the wait list, you will automatically drop another class from your registration.
View a tutorial on swapping a class.
Remember that your Enrollment Appointment date will be your first date to register for classes.
Feel free to contact your academic adviser for help with planning your classes, and contact other Penn State World Campus offices if you need technical support or assistance with billing, financial aid, or other concerns.