One more thought–when she emails professors, it might help if she has very specific reasons why she needs this class now–not simply because she’s interested, but (for example) it’s a prerequisite for a more advanced class that she has to take next year or that she’ll be abroad later and won’t be able to take it, etc. Doesn’t always work, of course, but worth a try.
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Assuming that I know the LAC in question, this situation is concerning as this particular LAC attracts large numbers of artistic students and is commonly thought of as an artistic school.
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I guess I understand that parents “shouldn’t” interfere but I guess I don’t get why they “can’t” interfere. It’s not like her student is going to get thrown out of the school or blacklisted somehow because her mom made a phone call. Worst that would happen is they politely tell you that your student needs to call. Or you might get someone nice who is willing to discuss the issue with you.
I would probably never call the school about classes just because it’s not my “thing” but I don’t think lightening is going to strike if a parent calls a school that they are paying for. I have to call housing tomorrow as my D is switching from a dorm to an apartment second semester. She has already called but I am calling to double check everything because it’s our $$ on the line if she messes this up. Not that I don’t trust her, but I don’t trust her. 
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Oh, I meant “shouldn’t interfere.” Typing on my phone. Just edited my post. Of course, nothing bad will happen, but I just can’t imagine calling a university because of that. I’m a university professor myself, and there are so many factors that affect this situation, from funding to faculty availability to space, as many have commented here. Besides, LACs are known for small size classes, so it’s not like they can raise the cap to 100 to accommodate everyone. And I think study abroad is still just starting to come back, so there are more students on campus than usual. My point was that, while it’s not an ideal situation, it’s not that uncommon and it all works out in the end.
One of my D20’s friends wants to do an art minor. She is finally getting her Intro to Drawing class this next semester, due not only to pre-req courses filling up but also due to schedule conflicts with others classes she wanted/needed to take. Even with taking her first art class second semester of second year, she will be able to complete an art minor. I would be greatly surprised if your daughter can’t complete an art minor just because she might be shut out of the pre-reqs first year.
Unfortunately (but realistically), most of our students won’t get their perfect schedule, nor will they be able to register for every class they want to take when they want to take it. That isn’t failure on the school’s part, that is what it means to be part of a community where everyone has to share resources as well as recognize that schedules don’t always work out, especially when many students want to double major, or add minors.
D20 recently registered for her spring semester classes. Two of the classes needed for her double major(s) were scheduled for the exact same time. She had to make a choice of which class she would take this upcoming semester, and also decide which new class she could add to her schedule to take the place of the original plan. Was she bummed? Yes. Was she stressed out about it? Yes. Did she have alternatives (even if they didn’t thrill her)? Yes.
She ended up registering for one of the STEM classes she needs for her minor. Is she super excited to take that class instead of the other one she originally planned? No, not really but she also recognized that she is still getting a needed class and she isn’t always going to be thrilled with what she gets for every semester schedule. She has discovered one of her closest STEM buddies is also in this class, so silver lining unlocked.
Will she ever be able to take the class in her major she had wanted? Maybe not, because it was an upper level elective and that one isn’t offered every year, let alone even semester. But that’s life. She will be able to take other upper level electives another semester. Making tough choices and having to compromise is something all out students should be learning during college.
Schedules depend upon so many factors: which faculty members are teaching what courses, who may or may not be on sabbatical, how many students are stuck on campus (a lot more still than average, as many study abroad options are still postponed), how many students are interested in certain classes, etc.
The reverberations of the pandemic are still being felt as well. I wonder how many students at your daughter’s school (as well as many others) decided to not take intro to art courses when they were being offered virtually, and how much pent up demand for the courses was unleashed when in-person instruction came back.
Each of our children realizing that they are not the center of the universe (even when they and we are paying a lot of money for college) is an important lesson. Encouraging your daughter to advocate increasing sections in the art department due to increased demand would be a great idea. Helping her realize that even if she had gotten into the class she wanted, someone else would be on the outside looking in because that is what happens with limited resources is also important and might help you and her figure out how you would both feel about that circumstance. What would you want to do then? Is this really about the number of sections offered or just about your daughter not getting her preferred courses?
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Very well said!
I would suggest your D talk directly to the art department. Stress that she wants to minor in art and that there are no pre-reqs available. They may be able to work with her to figure out a schedule that will allow her to stay on track to graduate with that minor, if not next semester, at least setting her up for sophomore year.
Second looking to see if the school uses Coursicle.
Realizing that there may also be more 2nd years than usual registering, as a result of remote learning backlogs (lots of art classes don’t lend themselves to remote learning)
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My kid also attended an LAC with excellent art courses. I believe that in her four years, she didn’t get into maybe three or four classes she really wanted. Two of them were art, and no, not her major.
But, she ended up doing different art classes and enjoyed them a lot. And she enjoyed almost every class she took at college, even if they weren’t her first choice.
OP, an issue with some (most?) LACs is that they simply are not able to offer every class every semester. So they may offer a class once a year, and if fills up right away if it’s popular. The good news is that as a freshman, she has plenty of time to get in the class if she is still interested. And yes, petitioning to get in tends to work best if the student needs the class and can give a clear reason to the prof why they need or want to do it.
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But, students who select to attend this particular LAC typically expect to be able to take classes in this area even though not exclusively an art/drama school.
Can they not take classes or the class they desire?
Typically schools have multiple classes that meet a need. But some may be less interesting or have bad professor reviews. This is what’s happening to my kid. They have classes open. Just not the one she wants.
Sounds like this is a pre req so that does stink.
Hopefully there’s a way to make it up. In Maymester, summer if the student is planning Summer school or in the fall even if to double up.
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But that’s one of the negatives of an LAC. Everyone wants small, intimate classes, but if there is only one section that means all but 20 students aren’t able to take that class. If 20 seniors have been waiting for 3 years to sign up for it, then the other 3 years of kids are closed out. They could add 3 more sections, but then would have to drop English or History or Bio classes to make room. A small college can only offer so many courses each semester.
It is hard to be patient, but OP’s daughter will work her way up the ladder to get priority registration.
As a parent of a freshman attending a big public school, a parent with little to no patience, if access to classes is determined to be a long term issue, not something that’s just short term, then you and kid should spend your tuition money elsewhere.
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It is more limited than that in many cases. Any given subject requires instructors for the subject, so if the department has no more instructional capacity, it cannot add sections. In addition, if classes like art require special facilities or equipment, then they cannot be put in any empty classroom.
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Wouldn’t it be nice if professors taught for a living as a full time job instead of researching full time and teaching part time…well both may be part time - they have cush schedules!!
So many choose schools based on ranking and so much of that ranking has little to do with teaching.
Amazing that the education industry has prospered on this - but it has.
Major in education and you get schooling and practice / mentoring in order to know how to teach.
Have a PHD in whatever subject - just stick you in front of the crowd - even if you don’t have passion for that side of it.
And we have no issue sending our kids and paying big $$.
Just interesting to me - that’s all. But we’re all guilty of participating.
(I teach full-time, no research, I have a graduate degree in teaching, and I remain current in my field working hands on with students 20-30 hours a week. But yeah, I hate when phds can’t teach effectively.)
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are you the exception and i’m wrong? or are you the rule. I hope you are the norm but I don’t think you are. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Just a thought — I wonder if she could declare a double major in art and then get the same priority as an art major for classes. Later, she could switch from a major to a minor in art.
Not trying to circumvent the “system,” but maybe it is a more efficient way to get to the same place as pleading her case to her advisor and the entire art faculty, explaining over and over every term why she has a legitimate need to take the courses other than for a fun elective.
I teach in healthcare which tends to work differently so I understand the norm for us is different. The only research requirements are for the few tenure track. Many of our professors still work in practice as well. We are also an odd major that has a separate teaching certification exam that many of our non education based degrees take to show competency.
Short story is norm for my college isn’t the norm for all but we do exist.
Why didn’t you try to become one to experience how cushy that is? Colleges aren’t just extensions of high schools. Researches are integral part of a college education. Colleges are supposed to produce the next generation of scientists, engineers, thinkers, etc. They need to stay at the frontiers of knowledge.
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