NC State University has implemented a lottery system for important procedures such as on-campus parking and sporting events, but has not applied this system to class registration, specifically fitness courses.
Student spaces in fitness classes are being taken by holds for underclassmen, making it far more difficult for upperclassmen to earn the fitness credits they need to graduate. This class debacle is causing many students stress in their road to graduation, and has occasionally resulted in students having to extend their time at NC State, without financial aid.
Rachel Michin, a fourth-year studying communications, struggled to earn her last fitness credit, which forced her to add one more semester to her time at NC State without any financial help from the University.
Michin said her graduation got pushed back into the summer because of the unavailability of fitness classes, and this pushback caused a lot of stress due to the financial burden.
“I had the potential not to graduate, and now I graduate in the summer of this year instead of the spring because I couldn’t get a fitness class,” Michin said. “Specifically with fitness classes, a lot of the financial aid doesn’t support you over the summer, so [the classes] are completely on you.”
Alex Link, a third-year studying environmental and political science, said she had a similar experience when it came time to choose classes and reach out for help.
“Last semester was my first time being able to actually enroll in any fitness class … Half of the class was all freshmen who didn’t have to join a waitlist or anything,” Link said. “It was definitely stressful, but I tried to remain hopeful.”
Link said struggling with getting into fitness classes isn’t just frustrating; it’s also resulted in students having to be resourceful and find solutions on their own.
“My freshman year, I was never told I should try to get into a fitness class early, which was frustrating … [last semester] there were definitely stressed emails sent. I had a big spreadsheet of what transfer credits I could try to transfer in for a fitness class.”
NC State requires students to earn two fitness credits to graduate. Link said this general education requirement puts pressure on students because of the low probability of getting into these classes on time.
“With a requirement of two fitness credits, it makes [getting into these classes] harder since every single person at NC State has to take them,” Link said. “Overall, there’s just not enough fitness classes available.”
Michin said the University could address this issue by lifting the holds on fitness classes and opening them up to all grade levels.
“If we left all of the fitness classes open to everyone, I think that might help solve it. Also, it would give people less to complain about and not something to blame,” Michin said. “[NC State] is huge on lottery systems, so if they implemented that into the fitness classes, it wouldn’t bring as much stress.”
Link agreed with Michin that lifting the holds would be a helpful solution for upperclassmen students trying to get into these classes.
“I’m in the honors program where you have to take two honors seminars, and there’s a subset reserved just for freshmen, and the rest are for everyone,” Link said. “So I feel like it could be easier if the fitness courses did the same, instead of there being a large number of seats reserved for freshmen in the majority of fitness classes. Also, make sure freshmen know that there are fitness classes reserved just for them.”
