Standing in long lines, waking up early and countless paperwork being processed occurs during the most lengthy process at Grambling, registration. The process of registering is simple if done correctly but if not can be stressful as well as time consuming for many.
A total of 4,504 students are currently enrolled at Grambling. Because the university did not have enough students registered at the end of the registration period which was Aug. 22, registration was extended until Sept. 5.
“Due to more selective admissions criteria, more students did not meet the re- quirements in order to enroll at GSU, in addition to the lack of financial aid eligibility and students experiencing challenges with funding,” says university registrar Patricia Hutcherson.
When late registration occurs, a number of factors come into play. For example, students miss assignments from classes and of course the dispersing of student refunds, which is money left over in the student’s account after registration and tuition fees have been paid.
“Financial aid prevents students from registering on time, because they fail to provide the correct paperwork when needed. When that occurs, there is a waiting process that the student has to endure until the necessary documents are placed into the system,” says interim financial aid director Sherita Robertson. Waiting on an approved appeal contributes to the hindrance of reaching enrollment quotas each semester. Academic probation letters are sent out the semester the student has failed to meet the academic requirements of the university to be in good standing, which is a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0.
Letters of appeal give students the opportunity to both return to the university or receive financial aid with intentions on receiving the needed GPA for the upcoming semester. “Appeals should be submitted to the university in advance, or that student risks late registration and or waiting until the appeal is reviewed and approved by our committee,” adds Robertson.
To avoid registering late, students should take advantage of the pre-registration process, which is usually 2-3 months ahead of the next semester. During pre-registration, students are able to add and drop classes as well as complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).