attending a lecture you're not enrolled in

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Los Angeles
1

<p>i'm a mechanical engineering major that may be interested in switching to computer science. I'd like to try out computer science before i decide whether or not to switch. i was thinking of consistently attending the cs31 lecture even tho i am not enrolled in the class to figure out whether or not i am interested in it, and so if i do decide i like it i have a little head start since i have no previous cs experience. the class is currently closed and if i do decide i like it i will probably enroll in the class later in the year. i realize that i would not be able to attend the discussions. is this a good idea and could i get in trouble for doing this?</p>

2

<p>Go ahead.</p>

<p>Get in trouble? no. This isn’t high school… you can basically go to whatever you want except labs and TA discussions (although there are some exceptions).</p>

3

<p>will it be hard to learn the stuff w/o attending the discussions?</p>

4

<p>It is computer science. You can learn it in about 3 hours online if you want to.</p>

5

<p>Wow, why didn’t I think of just attending the class…</p>

6

<p>What if there’s already 300 people attending, and 10 others are just there attending even though not enrolled, and they force 10 people who did enroll to not have seats? What happens then?</p>

<p>Also, what about language classes? It says no auditing, but will they stop you? There is only 60 people in the class so they can keep track right?</p>

<p>Also, what about the smaller classes and upper division courses? Will they keep track then, or is it still free?</p>

7

<p>Just show up and if they throw you out, no big deal.</p>

<p>Sheesh, it isn’t that difficult.</p>

8

<p>

</p>

<p>you DO pay tuition…</p>

9

<p>So it doens’t matter that you are taking the spot of someone actually enrolled?</p>

10

<p>

</p>

<p>Nothing!</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>No!</p>

11

<p>As far as I know, it doesn’t really matter. During college admit day, I, along with some other people, sat in on a class (Modern American Political Thought?) and most of the real students had to sit on the floor. I wasn’t even a college student at the time.</p>

12

<p>I’d only sit in on large lectures. In small classes, the professor is most likely going to want to know your name, ask questions, make you participate, etc. It’s going to be painfully obvious that you’re not on their class roster. In a huge lecture hall on the other hand, no one is going to know. Although, I would personally feel bad if I’m not enrolled and I’m taking the seat of someone who IS enrolled and forcing them to sit on the aisle/floor. :rolleyes: Usually large lectures aren’t enrolled to such a maximum capacity that EVERY seat is taken though.</p>

13

<p>Or the amount enrolled is twice the amount that fits in the lecture hall, as in one of my classes :rolleyes:</p>