As the beginning of the spring 2021 registration period comes to a close, many Pace students are left feeling overwhelmed with the registration process and express concern for their ability to enroll in certain courses due to lack of resources and university assistance.

With the option of remote learning still in place, the registration process has been changed from previous years. Students are now required to schedule virtual appointments with their academic advisors as opposed to in-person meetings to discuss course enrollment and other questions and/or concerns that the student may have in regards to their schedules, courses and credits.

With limited appointment availability and the inability to receive answers about what direction to go in, many students have had to register without consulting with their advisors. This led to uncertainty in their course enrollment decisions and challenges watching their courses close. 

“This semester has been a little different with the difficulty for finding a time to be able to meet with [my advisor] to finalize a schedule,” senior Business Informations Systems major, Haley Sellar says, “I reached out to my advisor but as of now, some of the classes I need aren’t available so it’s been a little stressful making sure I can complete all my courses so that I can graduate on time.”

Other students have expressed more concerns with financial holds on their student accounts restricting them from registering for classes. Students have complained that the University did not inform them of the holds on their accounts and were forced to find out on their own. 

The Financial Aid Office and Office of Student Assistance (OSA) are two offices that students should contact when dealing with financial holds, but with an influx of calls as registration approaches, receiving answers simply takes too long. Stephan Lutz, a senior Communications major located on the NYC campus, says that he waited on hold with OSA for almost three hours just to be told that OSA could not lift the hold.

Moreover, Pace is utilizing a registrar’s office for registration purposes and transfer credits.

“I did not pay my fall 2020 bill because Pace has not verified my WTC or TAP scholarship money that was already approved by HESC,” says Lutz, “I thought the hold was temporary and would be taken off by registration but then I was not allowed to register, I had to call OSA to try and get the hold lifted and waited three hours and I still have to wait to hear back.” 

According to Mark Stephens, the University Director of Financial Aid, a number of students have switched from on-campus housing to commuting this Fall semester; a switch that has a potential effect on the student’s cost of attendance and financial aid. 

“We are required by Federal Department of Education regulations to update the cost of attendance for students with housing changes and reduce/cancel aid the students no longer qualify for,” Stephens continued. “Reduction in cost of attendance usually reduces the students’ aid eligibility; including federal and Pace grants, student loans, parent loans, and federal work-study.”

Stephens advises that all students with holds on their accounts should contact the Student Accounts Department to establish a payment plan so that students are not left paying off a large balance or restricted from registration in the future. 

Despite students finding ways to successfully beat holds and being cleared to register for their desired classes, the virtual registration process has left some students unable to enroll for certain classes and has raised concern in other students regarding a possible lack of resources during such a limited time.