It is my belief that the university of Waikato should offer a short summer course detailing the enrollment and re-enrollment process which also provides details correct on paper selections.

When I enrolled for first year, I called up to make an appointment to talk to someone about my options. They asked me what I wanted to study. I said I didn't really know, I just wanted to work in conservation. So, when I wondered into the office on the day of my appointment, the lady I spoke to already had the student hand book from the science department, and had a suggested course outline. I said okay, signed on the dotted line, end of story.

Now I am trying to finalize my enrollment for this year... and it had been a journey.

Before final exams last year, I went into the biology office to ask to make an appointment to speak with a course co-ordinator, as I wanted to change my specialization from ecology to genetics, and wanted to make sure I took the right papers to do this. I was told that Dr Mc was available to talk immediately. So, thinking not having to wait was best, I headed up to his office. I told him what I wanted to do, and he outlined seven of the second year biology papers I should choose from, telling me to defiantly take four specific papers, and then choose whichever two of the three others I wanted.

So, I went away, and looked at all the papers and did some more thinking. The hand book has little tables with suggested course structures for students wanting to specialize in different areas. The table for genetics lists two chemistry papers in first year, neither of which I took. So, I sent an email to Dr C, who was listed as the person to talk to if you had questions, asking if I absolutely had to have done chemistry, or if this was just a suggestion. She replied that it wasn't a requirement at all.

Taking these two conversations at face value, I sent in my enrollment application. A couple of weeks late I got a letter saying that I couldn't take the biochemistry paper i had listed for A semester. The letter provided a number to call to take care of this. I phoned up, and was told that I couldn't take it because I hadn't taken first year chemistry. (Which in honesty wasn't a surprise, just a bit annoying). I asked if I could just have it changed for 'statistical data analysis'. I was then asked if I had enrolled online, and when I said yes, I was told that I had to do a change of enrollment online.

So. I logged on to the university website and spent ten minutes trying to figure out how to do a change of enrollment. Finally I found the right page, only to discover I had to go through and reconfirm all my details. Changing the paper was a matter of a few mouse clicks, I hit done, and it came up with a big red sign saying there was a problem with my course selection, and to click here to find out more. SO I clicked, and was told that with making that single change, I had created 11 timetable clashes.

Sigh.

I chose yet another paper, (animal physiology) and this time was met with success. No problems. A week later I got a letter saying my application to enroll was accepted, and my enrollment contract thingy on its way (apparently thy enjoy paper work).

Now I have received an email. Only now do they tell me that it is a requirement of the biology department that students earn 40 points at second or third year level, outside of the major. In short, I have to take at least two papers that are not biology. This is not unreasonable, but I would have thought Dr Mc could have mentioned it instead of insisting that I take all biology.

Grrr.

Luckily, I don't have to change my papers this year, but I would have to compensate for it next year, so I would rather just tidy it all up now so I can all the third year papers I want.

It seems that second year statistical data analysis is in A semester, the the third year follow on is in B. So, next year I could take both. Good I thought, statistics and genetics go well together. But, then I saw that you also have to have done Math 102 to take the third year paper. But, I took math 168. To do math 1o2, I have to first pass 165 (because I didn't do math in high school).

So, to take the statistics paper I want to next year, I would have to drop plant ecology in B semester this year, and take math165, then take math 102 in the A semester next year, allowing with the second year stats paper I don't have room for this year, and only then can I take the third year paper. This, of course, would mean I was two third year papers short, and would have to at lest do a summer school course in order to complete my bachelors.

When will the chaos end?