Registration

When do I register for classes? Will I have someone to help me register? Will my prior courses and college credit transfer to Otterbein? These questions and more will be answered here.

Prior to orientation, you will receive a link to our online course registration survey. Our experienced staff will prepare your first term schedule using the survey responses you provide.  

At Orientation, you will meet with a faculty advisor, who will review your course schedule with you and answer questions you may have. If changes are needed, the faculty advisor will work with you to make those changes before you leave. 

On this page:

Course Registration

What is the course registration survey?

The course registration survey gathers information regarding your intended major, First Year Seminar or Transition Year Seminar course preferences, and important information about math and modern language courses. Your responses to the survey questions provide valuable information to build your course schedule and will help improve the advising process in the future. It is important that you complete the survey in a timely manner and no later than two weeks prior to your scheduled orientation date.

How do I fill out the survey?

You will receive your individualized Course Registration Survey in your Otterbein email. You will complete and submit the survey online. You must set up your Otterbein email to receive your survey.

Is the course registration survey required?

Yes. You must complete the survey no later than two weeks prior to your prior to your scheduled Orientation date. We create schedules based on when you complete your survey, so the sooner you complete it, the more classes will be available. If you do not complete the survey, you will not be registered for courses.

Who should I contact if I’m having problems accessing my course registration survey?

If you cannot access or have problems with your course registration survey, please contact the Orientation team at 614.823.1624.

Who registers me for my courses?

FIRST YEAR STUDENT: Once you complete the course registration survey, Otterbein’s team of advisors will review your survey and begin to build your preliminary course schedule.

TRANSFER STUDENT: Once you have made the decision to attend Otterbein you must complete the course registration survey and then you will be contacted by an advisor to consult on your first term schedule.

What if I need accommodations for my disability?

We encourage all students who have a disability to contact DisabilityServices@otterbein.edu or 614.823.1610 to discuss accommodation requests and potential documentation requirements, which may vary by situation and individual. The Disability Services staff will determine appropriate accommodations through an interactive process based on discussion with the student, the student’s history of accommodations, and documentation. See the Academic Support and Transition Services section for more information.

Advising at Otterbein

If you have declared a major, you will be assigned a faculty advisor from your academic department. If you have not declared a major, you will be assigned an advisor who will assist you with exploring major options. The faculty advisor with whom you meet at Orientation may not be your permanent faculty advisor.

When your school year officially starts, you will have the opportunity to meet your permanent faculty advisor. This advisor will be with you throughout your time at Otterbein to help you register for courses each year, make decisions about your personal and educational goals, and keep you on track until graduation.

Advisors and students work together in the advising relationship, and both have responsibilities to make the relationship work. Learn more about advising and how to be successful in this partnership at www.otterbein.edu/sscd/academic-advising.

Student responsibilities:

  • Making an appointment for consultations during posted office hours, when possible, and keeping appointments.
  • Consulting with your advisor at least once per semester.
  • Seeking assistance with the decisions to be made rather than expecting the advisor to make them.
  • Seeking additional counsel from other appropriate sources if necessary.
  • Running a degree audit each term, in DegreeWorks, to check how you are progressing with your graduation requirements.

Advisor responsibilities:

  • Understanding all aspects of Otterbein’s grading policy.
  • Understanding the mechanics of enrolling a student, such as scheduling, the add/drop process and closed section situations.
  • Knowing where to refer students when needs arise.
  • Helping the student plan a complete course designed through personal interaction between the student and the advisor, utilizing career interests and academic records.
  • Relaying information that they may have about extracurricular activities and career opportunities that could enhance the student’s learning experiences.

What is the difference between a guidance counselor and advisor?

In high school you likely had a guidance counselor who was available to assist with your course scheduling and college planning. You may or may not have used this person very much, and such roles may have varied from school to school. Academic advisors at Otterbein are faculty members in your academic department (based on major). This person is both a resource for the logistics and mechanics of scheduling, but more importantly, they are also a guide and mentor to help you make the most of your education at Otterbein. They can help you think through what you want to do with your degree, what types of research or involvement you might like to pursue, and how to make the most of your time at Otterbein.

How often should I meet with my advisor?

You should meet with your advisor at least once per semester prior to course registration for the following semester. Your advisor can help make your Otterbein experience richer and more meaningful by suggesting courses, activities and lectures in which you might be interested. They can recommend how to handle different academic situations and resolve scheduling issues. Ultimately, your advisor may be someone who helps you find an internship, writes you a letter of recommendation for graduate school or serves as a reference for your first job.

What if I want to change my advisor?

If you need to change advisors, you can pick out another advisor with whom you’d like to work. Ideally, you will pick someone in your field of interest, from whom you have taken one or more classes, with whom you have spoken outside of class, and who has a communication style/personality that meshes with yours. The Office of the Registrar will be more than happy to help you facilitate an advisor change if you decide you’d like to make one.

Is my advisor the only person that can help me with my academic plans?

No. Otterbein has many people who want to help you succeed. Your advisor is your official guide when it comes to academic planning, but you can also seek advice and guidance from other faculty in your department or from whom you’ve taken classes, and staff from various departments on campus. Student Success and Career Development can be a great starting point for any questions or concerns.

Dual Enrollment/College Credit Plus/Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB)

Did you take college courses while in high school?

If you took college courses through College Credit Plus, Post Secondary Enrollment Options or Dual Enrollment, you must send an official transcript from the college or university that offered those courses. Although the courses might be listed on your high school transcript, we still need to receive an official college/university transcript in order to award transfer credit. It is very important to submit your college transcripts as soon as possible so the coursework can be reviewed for possible transfer credit prior to your first term course schedule being completed.

In order for your transcript to be considered official, it must be sent directly from the issuing institution to Otterbein. Please have your transcript sent to Otterbein University, 1 South Grove Street, Westerville, OH 43081, or as an electronic copy to enrollmentservices@otterbein.edu.

When should I send you a transcript?

It is important that you send an official transcript as soon as your course grades are posted so that we can evaluate your credits and let you know how they will apply to your Otterbein requirements. Knowing your incoming credits will help to avoid duplicate credit registrations.

If you have already completed some courses but are still taking courses, have a transcript sent now. That way we can evaluate the work that is already completed. Then, when the current term is completed and graded, have an updated transcript sent to the address shown above. Most schools will allow you to request a transcript before a term is completed — just be sure to indicate that the transcript should not be mailed until all grades are posted.

I have a copy of my transcript. Can I just bring it to you?

A transcript is only considered to be official when it is sent directly to Otterbein from the issuing institution, or if it is hand-delivered to us in an unopened, sealed, official envelope from the issuing institution. The easiest thing to do is have the other institution send the transcript directly to the address shown above.

How will my AP or IB classes transfer to Otterbein?

Information regarding applicable credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit can be found in the online Otterbein University Course Catalog, under Academic Policies and Procedures.

If you listed Otterbein University as a recipient, your AP score report will be sent automatically. Credit, based on exam and score, will be posted to your academic record at that time. If you did not list Otterbein as a recipient of the AP score report, please contact the College Board and request that a copy be sent to the Otterbein University Registrar’s Office.

IB transcript information is downloaded by the Office of Admission during the summer following your high school graduation. Contact the Otterbein University Office of Admission (614-823-1500) if you did not request that the information be provided to Otterbein.

Contact Us

Student Success & Career Development
Towers Hall, room 27
614-823-1624
studentsuccess@otterbein.edu