Registration day at Davis is a vibe. Usually a stressful one. You’re sitting in the CoHo or hunched over a desk in Shields Library, staring at a spinning loading icon while hoping that one specific section of BIS 2B doesn’t fill up before your pass time hits. If you’ve spent any time at all on the UC Davis course search portal, you know it’s basically the heartbeat of your academic life, for better or worse. It’s the gateway to your degree, but if you don't know how to navigate the quirks of the General Catalog versus Schedule Builder, you're gonna have a bad time.
Honestly, it's a bit of a learning curve.
🔗 Read more: Fun Dates in Philly: What Most People Get Wrong About a Night Out
Most freshmen walk in thinking they'll just type "Psychology" into a bar and be done. Nope. Between the "Expanded Search" toggles and the cryptic CRNs (Course Registration Numbers), there is a whole strategy to this. You aren't just looking for classes; you are Tetris-ing your entire life for the next ten weeks.
The Difference Between the Catalog and Schedule Builder
It confuses everyone at first. The General Catalog is like the encyclopedia of every class Davis could offer. It’s great for reading long-term requirements or seeing what a major actually entails. But it’s not live. If you want to know what’s actually happening in Spring 2026, you have to use the official UC Davis course search tools within Schedule Builder or the Class Search tool on the Registrar's website.
Schedule Builder is where the real work happens. This is where you see the "Save as Draft" button, which is literally a lifesaver. You can build out five different versions of your life. Version A is the "I'm a morning person" schedule. Version B is the "I accidentally stayed up until 3 AM and can't do an 8 AM lecture" schedule.
Why the "Search" Part is Tricky
The search filters are your best friends. You can filter by GE (General Education) categories, which is huge because UC Davis has very specific requirements like "Topical Breadth" and "Core Literacies." If you need to knock out your Writing Experience (WE) or your Visual Literacy (VL), you don't want to hunt through a thousand classes manually. You use the "Attribute" filter. It narrows down the chaos.
Cracking the Code of Section Numbers and CRNs
Each class has a 5-digit CRN. That number is gold. When you find a class you like, write that number down. Better yet, copy-paste it into a sticky note. When Pass 1 starts and the servers are chugging, entering a CRN directly is way faster than trying to re-search the course title.
Sections matter too. A01, B03, C15—these aren't random. Usually, the letter corresponds to the lecture time, and the number corresponds to the specific discussion or lab. If you and your roommate want the same chemistry lab, you both need to be in CHE 2A section A04, not just "CHE 2A."
The Myth of the "Easy GE" Search
We’ve all done it. You search for "easiest classes at UC Davis" on Reddit and end up looking for NUT 10 or the tractor driving class. While the UC Davis course search lets you find these by department, keep in mind that "easy" is relative. NUT 10 (Nutrition) is legendary, but it still has exams.
- Check the "Seat Availability" column constantly.
- Look at the "Waitlist" number. If it’s 20 people deep for a 30-person class, move on.
- Check the "Restrictions." Some classes are locked to specific majors until Pass 2.
If you see a blue "i" icon next to a course, click it. That's where the secrets are hidden—like whether the class is "Hybrid" (half online, half in person) or if it requires a specific prerequisite you forgot you needed.
Timing is Everything: Pass 1 vs. Pass 2
The UC Davis course search experience changes depending on your pass time.
Pass 1 is for your "must-haves." You can only register for up to 17 units. This is when you grab those major-specific courses or that one elective that everyone wants. Pass 2 is for the leftovers and for bumping your unit count up to 28.5 if you’re a madman.
A common mistake? Not checking the "Search" for updates between Pass 1 and Pass 2. Departments often open up new sections if a waitlist gets too long. If you're 5th on a waitlist, don't drop it yet. People change their minds constantly during the first week of the quarter.
Tools That Make It Easier
While the official search is the source of truth, there are some "unspoken" tools students use.
🔗 Read more: Jacket With Fur Inside: What Most People Get Wrong About Staying Warm
- Rate My Professors: Essential for checking if that "Search" result is actually going to be a fun 4-unit class or a nightmare.
- Davis Schedule: A third-party site often used to visualize layouts before plugging them into the official portal.
- The Oasis Portal: This is where you check your "Degree Worksheet" to see exactly which holes you need to fill using the course search.
Honestly, the best way to do this is to keep three tabs open: Schedule Builder, your Degree Worksheet, and your personal calendar.
Actionable Steps for a Perfect Schedule
Stop searching randomly. Follow this workflow instead:
Audit your progress first. Go to OASIS and see exactly which GE attributes you are missing. Don't guess. If you need a "Science and Engineering" breadth, filter the UC Davis course search specifically for that attribute.
Build your "Ideal" and "Safety" schedules. Have your dream 15-unit load ready in Schedule Builder, but have two or three back-up classes (with their CRNs) ready to go. Use the "Search by CRN" feature for speed.
Check for time conflicts. Schedule Builder usually flags this, but double-check the walking distance. If you have a class in Death Star (Social Sciences and Humanities Building) and your next one is in the ARC, you’ve got about 10 minutes to bike across campus. It’s doable, but you’ll be sweaty.
Verify the prerequisites. There is nothing worse than finding the perfect class, trying to register, and getting a "Prerequisite Not Met" error. The search tool lists these under "Detailed Course Description." Read it.
Monitor the waitlist daily. If you’re in the top 10% of the class size on a waitlist, your chances are decent. If you're #45 for a 50-person lecture, start looking for a different section immediately. Use the search tool to find open alternatives while everyone else is still mourning their spot on the waitlist.