Planning your first semester schedule
At Redlands, we custom-build your first-year schedule with care and personal attention — drawing on your interests, goals, and academic background. Follow the steps to get ready.
Step 1: Explore First-Year Seminar options
All first-year students take a First-Year Seminar (FYS) — a small, discussion-based course designed to build college skills and introduce you to Redlands' academic life. You can find the descriptions of this year’s FYS options here.
Pro tip: Your First-Year Seminar professor will also be your faculty advisor, serving as your guide for course planning, academics, and more.
Step 2: Complete the BARQ
The Bulldog Advising & Registration Questionnaire (BARQ) is a short online survey (15 minutes) that helps us get to know you. You’ll tell us about your interests and rank your preferred First-Year Seminars. The BARQ also helps identify which placements you need to take.
Step 3: Complete your placements
When you complete the BARQ, you'll learn next steps which include placements you should complete (you can also find this information in your email – look for an email from BARQ@surveys.redlands.edu).
These are not pass/fail exams, but instead designed to help us ensure you start off in the right courses. You can learn more about the placement surveys here.
Step 4: Receive your custom-built schedule
Our academic team will craft a schedule designed around your interests, seminar preferences, placement results, extracurriculars, and our general education requirements. You will receive your First Year Seminar assignment by email first, followed by the rest of your schedule in August.
Step 5: Meet with your faculty advisor
Connect with your faculty advisor (your FYS professor) prior to the start of the semester to review your schedule or ask questions.