As a non-major, I did not have access to an advisor in the department. My general advisor was for the liberal arts college (which I belonged to), and he did not have any sway in the engineering college.

I ended up getting to know one faculty member and having them back me up when I needed it, but it was still a bureaucratic mess every time. Meanwhile in my own major’s department, anyone could basically sign up for any class freely, as long as they agreed to accept the consequences of not being prepared enough.