SMU SURVIVAL KIT

You can submit bids for up to a maximum of 6.5 Course Units (CU) depending on your academic standing but can eventually only enrol in a maximum of 5.5 CUs. When a student bids for more than 5.5 modules (maximum term enrolment limit), BOSS will prompt the student to indicate the module you wish to drop should all the bids be successful. This is the D.I.C.E function where you indicate the priority of the module to be dropped in the event that all your bids are successful with value '1' being the first module to be dropped. However, some students are able to take 6 CUs with special written permission.

This function under the boss bidding system allows students to understand which modules they should bid across different years in SMU. This is useful for you to plan out your modules for the next 3 or 4 years.

BOSS > Quick Links > Course Sequence (Link)

*NOTE: For further details on BOSS Bidding, do visit the website and "Freshmen Guide to Course Registration" via OASIS > Home > My Checklists > Pre-Term Activities (Available in late July)

AfterClass (formerly known as SMUMods) is a website where students get to share their reviews of professors and modules. Its analytics functions also allows students to understand the pricing trend of a module over the years. It is important that you should be taking what you read on the website with a pinch of salt as the reviews given are subjective and the class experience may vary for different individuals.

• Try not to bid in whole numbers. It's really down to the cents - even e$19.74 makes a difference over e$19.70!

• Be realistic and flexible. You may not always get all the classes you bid for. In this case, either bid for a different professor or bid for a different timing or both.

• The 'popular' professors are often expensive, so try to ration your e$ wisely. You need not always pick the most popular professors.

• Morning classes are generally found to be cheaper than afternoon classes. The same goes for Monday classes as well.

• Planning is key. Do your due diligence on the modules. Remember that each professor has a unique teaching style and grading criteria. Read the course outlines to determine which would best suit you.

• Take your time to plan your bids! BOSS is not a first-come-first-served system but you also need to be mindful of when the bidding windows are.

• Nothing beats experience. When in doubt, approach seniors and always check past bids when formulating a bid.

• Don't be too stingy while placing your bids but at the same time, don't spend all your e$. Advanced modules get more expensive in your senior years so save some for subsequent semesters.

• Do not forget to drop the courses you are not interested in by Window 2A. Subsequent withdrawals (Window 3 onwards) will result in a “W" (Withdrawal) grade being reflected on your transcript!