A Basic Guide to Class Registration via PAWS

This page lists each step in the process. Several steps involve using the new PAWS Internet-based registration system. Basic, step-by-step instructions for each of these steps are provided. There also are several PAWS training clips available from within PAWS and on the University Online Service web site which demonstrate how to complete many tasks in the PAWS system. If you find that you could use some additional assistance, contact the Help Desk.

Several students may need to log in to PAWS two (2) or more times to complete the entire registration process. If this is your case, make sure you sign out of PAWS when you finish each session. This will prevent others from accessing your account. See step 6 for details.

1. Log in to PAWS.
   Access PAWS from the University Online Services web site at http://www.frostburg.edu/computing/onlineservices/ OR directly from the PAWS url at http://paws.frostburg.edu/students
   
   See the Accessing PAWS page for more information.
   
   A successful login will open your Learner Services page (Figure 1-1). From the Learner Services page, you can view the course catalog, enroll in classes, review your schedule, view personal information, and perform other tasks. Read on to learn more.
   
   
2. Check for your Enrollment Appointment in PAWS which is based on your total earned credits.
   
   From the Learner Services page in PAWS (Figure 1-1 above), click Academics.
   
   Under the heading Enrollment, click View Enrollment Appointment. Click on the Term (Semester) for which you plan to register.
   
       
   
   The system will display the Start Date/Time at which you may begin registering (Figure 2-1). You may register anytime between the Start Date/Time and End Date/Time after meeting with your advisor.
   
   
   
   
3. Check for Registration Holds in PAWS that may prevent you from registering.
   
   From the Learner Services page in PAWS (Figure 1-1 above), click Personal Portfolio to open your Portfolio page.
   
   On your Portfolio page, in the area titled Holds and To Dos, locate and click the Holds link.
   
   
   
   PAWS will display a page that summarizes your Holds (if any). If you have any holds, click the underlined text in the Hold Item column to open a page showing detailed information on the hold and instructions on how to proceed.
   
   
4. Meet with your advisor to plan your schedule.
   
   Take a blank Registration Form with you when you meet with your Advisor so you can list the course numbers for the classes you plan to take (this will be very helpful when you begin registering for classes as described in Step 5).
   
   Copies of the blank form are included in the Registration Guidelines booklets and available from the Registrar's Office in Pullen Hall.
   
   Make sure your Advisor authorizes your access to register in the PAWS system before you attempt to register.
   
   
5. Register for classes in PAWS.
   
   You will need to log in to PAWS to register for classes (see step 1 above).
   
   Once logged in, from the Learner Services page (Figure 1-1 above), click Academics.
   
   Under the heading Enrollment, click Enroll in a Class. Click on the Term (Semester) for which you plan to register.
   
       
   
   PAWS will display a list of the classes in which you are already enrolled—your Schedule (Figure 5-1).
   
   Displayed beneath your current schedule are links for adding, dropping, and swapping classes. Swapping allows you to drop a course while instantly adding another course into the same time slot on your schedule.
   
   
   
   5.1 Add Classes
   
   

   1. Click the Add Classes link displayed beneath your current schedule. PAWS will display the Add Classes form (Figure 5-2). The introductory text on this page briefly describes how to use the form; the lookup buttons to which the text refers are located just to the right of the Class Nbr boxes. Each available course and section (called a Class in PAWS) has a unique Class Number (Class Nbr) which you will enter to identify specific classes.

   
   
   

   2. If you already know the Class Nbr of a specific class for which you want to register, click inside an empty Class Nbr box and type the number. Repeat this step for each additional Class Nbr in which you are interested. 3. If you do not know the Class Nbr for a course and section in which you are interested, click the lookup button beside an empty Class Nbr box to open a Basic Class Search form (see Figure 5-2 above). In the Subject box, select the discipline you wish to search (BIOL, for example). Click the yellow Search button beneath the form. PAWS will display detailed information on each of the available classes in the specified discipline (Figure 5-3).

   
   
   

   4. To include one of these classes on your Add Classes form, click the checkbox symbol to the left of the Class Nbr (circled in Figure 5-3 above). PAWS will update the Add Classes screen to include the selected class. 5. Not all PAWS transactions will occur instantly. While waiting for a transaction to complete and a new page to appear, note the red Processing indicator flashing in the upper right area of the page. 6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each additional class you wish to add. 7. Once you have selected all the classes you want to add, click the Submit button in the lower right area of the Add Classes page (Figure 5-2 above). PAWS will display a new page identifying your classes and indicating the Add Status of each (Figure 5-4). If there were no problems with your enrollment, PAWS will display Success under Add Status. If there were problems, PAWS will display an Errors found link which you may click for more information on the problem.

   
   
   

   Academic departments will conduct over-rides to permission-only courses, class limits and/or course prerequisites where applicable. For further information on obtaining permission, contact the department under which the class is offered.

   
   When finished adding, dropping, and swapping classes, view your schedule to verify enrollment. Click the View My Schedule link which is displayed beneath your current schedule. If for each class listed the Status column displays Enrolled, your registration was successful.
6. Sign out of PAWS.
   When finished using PAWS (at least for the time being), be sure to click Sign Out in the upper right corner of the web page. This will prevent others from accessing your account.

Getting Additional Help
For questions accessing PAWS (your PAWS account, your PAWS username, logging in, resetting your password) or regarding the new registration process (registration system, enrollment error messages, apparent malfunctions of the search and registration tools, incorrect personal information), call the FSU Help Desk on-campus at x7777 or off-campus at 301-687-7777 between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday. You may also e-mail your request to studenthelpdesk@frostburg.edu.