Course selection is an asymmetric information problem. You're only interested in a course if you desire to learn more about the subject matter, but you need a certain amount subject matter knowledge in order to make an informed decision about which course to take.
It's actually quite a difficult problem and one of the many solvable problems that are undermining the education system.
I think a lot about disruptive innovations in education and the "course selection process" is an area ripe for change.
My top of head thoughts on this:
The groups and individuals who are most likely to influence this decision are
1) the student himself
2) his classmates, friends, peers, etc. who have already taken the course
3) the educational institution: i.e. professors, authors of course catalogs, career development offices, etc
These three groups should have less say in course selection for the following reasons:
1) because they don't know what they're doing
2) same as (1) and the ones who have taken the course may be irrationally biased one way or another
3) they have a vested interest in perpetuating the status quo
One group that is missing in course selection is relevant outsiders: e.g.
1) for purely academic class this includes communities of interest as embodied in academic associations, online fora, relevant periodicals, etc.
2) for practical classes this includes: employers, practitioners, professional associations, etc.
The lack of input from outsiders in the education process and its subprocesses like course selection is one reason so many students are poorly prepared for the real world.