Registration for spring and summer 2026 begins in a few weeks at Wayne State College, but before that happens, the college made some changes to when groups of students can register.  

For the 2026 spring and summer registration, the priority registration dates have been changed as a result of the disaster of WildcatsOnline crashing on the first day of last year’s registration. The crash was due to 1,500 students’ registration all opening at the same time. Rebeka Wilson, the head registrar at Wayne State College, talked to the Wayne Stater last year about the issue and talked about how that article was the driving force to changing the way registration works.  

“Hopefully, you know, the goal is now that with our new schedule, we don’t have 1,500 people registering on Monday,” Wilson said.  

In the past, all priority registration students would register on the Monday of registration. With the new change, priority registration students will register one day before the rest of their class. This means grad students, seniors and priority juniors will register on Nov. 3. Juniors and priority sophomores on Nov. 4. Sophomores and priority freshman on Nov. 5 and then freshman on Nov. 6.  

Lisa Nelson, the honors advisor and leader of Shapers of the Modern Mind, spoke to her honors students during this class about the change. 

 “They [the students] understand that this is something that we just had to do, because our system just could not handle that many students trying to get in and register on the first day,” Nelson said. 

Dave Bohnert, head of the honors program and the dean of arts and humanities, talked about how the change would affect the honors program and  he said he wasn’t too worried about the change, but does want to make sure it doesn’t repel current and future honors students from joining the program. 

 “I’m hopeful that it will be a smooth transition and will still serve all of our populations,” Bohnert said. “But I think time will tell.” 

Linda Anderson, advisor for the student-athletes, talked about the change only truly affecting sophomores in their fourth semester, due to the NCAA bylaws requiring junior and senior athletes to take at least twelve credits in their major, minor, or generals. Anderson only showed minor concerns for the fourth semester sophomores getting the classes they need.   

“On the other hand, when student athletes have had to get into classes, to graduate or to get a prerequisite, to get into another class to continue their major, faculty have been pretty accommodating,” Anderson said. “But by breaking it down by years, I think they’re looking at what the students in that year need, and I’m hoping that it will, work out that way. But I think we’ll have to wait and see.” 

To make sure you have the correct date of your registration, you can talk to your advisor or check the green banner at the top of your WildcatsOnline.