Choosing classes

<p>I'm in the process of getting ready to enroll for classes and I am having some difficulty. The Biology teacher I want is no longer available because the class is full. My only options would be 1)to take a class that does not have a professor specified, 2)take a different class (such as a humanities) and have my whole schedule delayed 1 semester (I really don't want to do this!), 3)make a request to get into the already full class and possibly end up not being able to take the class because the other ones will fill up soon.</p>

<p>What would you reccomend doing? I'm getting really stressed because all the classes are filling up and I am not allowed to enroll until next weekend.</p>

<p>Take the class with an unspecified professor. If you can, try and get permission to enter the other class after that and switch in.</p>

<p>Worst case scenario, you'll just have to deal with a professor you don't like that much. That's better then the difficulties you'll have down the line if you're behind and need to take an extra class or graduate late.</p>

<p>What kelseyg said.</p>

<p>If the teacher is unspecified, doesn't that usually mean that it will be an adjunct teacher or could it possibly be one of the teachers that has other classes? I'm just afraid I'll end up with the teacher with the horrible ratings.</p>

<p>^Welcome to university. :)</p>

<p>At some point in your degree, you will most likely end up with a prof you don't want or like. It happens. You can, however, do things to avoid this. First, try to switch classes. Or, if the course has more than one section and you know for sure that the exams are the same (or similar) for each one, just go to the lectures of the better prof (even though you may be registered for the other one). </p>

<p>I wouldn't delay your entire degree for one class though. Even if you have a bad prof, you'll learn how to deal with that kind of thing. Yay life skills.</p>

<p>Register for whatever class is available. If you definitely need to take the course, and you don't want to delay, then it's more important to be in the class at all than to be in the section of your choice. </p>

<p>After registering, you can see how to go about switching sections. There may be an official waiting list or you might just be able to email/meet with the professor and get permission (I recommend emailing the professor into whose section you want to switch...he or she will be able to redirect you if necessary, but you'll at least have a foot in the door before anyone who makes the same request later...do this ASAP in case there's a waitlist). If you can switch sections, great...just add the new section and drop the one you're already in. It's a hassle, but it gets you what you want. If you can't switch sections, at least you haven't totally missed out on the class. </p>

<p>I suggest paying attention to the time/day of the section into which you'd like to switch. Leave it open for yourself. If you find another class that meets during the same time that you really want to take, you'll have to decide which is more important to you: getting to take the other class, or potentially being able to switch bio sections.</p>

<p>For a class like intro bio, an unspecified professor really doesn't mean anything yet. There are probably a lot of faculty members qualified to take the class and it just hasn't been sorted out yet. Or maybe they're in the midst of hiring. Even if the class is taught by an adjunct professor, that's not automatically a problem (I've had great ones). Anyway, it doesn't necessarily indicate anything bad.</p>

<p>Schedule is never fun, but it always works out :p</p>

<p>ETA: Worse comes to worst, you do end up with the professor you're scared of. At that point, you can decide whether you'd rather risk it (ratings are not always reliable) or delay. Even if you register for the class, you'll be able to drop it later, maybe even after giving the professor a "trial run."</p>