<p>Any current W&M students ever have problem getting into classes of their choice? I hear that the disadvantage of a smaller college is that many times, it is difficult to get into some classes because they are not offered every semester and/or they get full very fast.</p>
<p>W&M is more mid-sized than small. And it isn’t necessarily easier to get into your desired classes at a larger school just because it is a larger school, with more people wanting the same classes.</p>
<p>My d hasn’t had difficulty since her first semester, when she was disappointed not to get the freshman seminars she wanted or the history classes she found most interesting. She found her first semester engaging anyway, especially the seminar she wound up with - something she’d never considered taking but got excited about because of the quality of the professor and the seminar environment.</p>
<p>No real problems with her second semester (she wound up with 3 first choices, a 2nd choice, and a 3rd choice class). She couldn’t believe her good luck for next semester - she got every class she wanted and has a great schedule, with nothing too early or too late, and Fridays free. I thought it was interesting that she registered online while she was in a class, since that was her earliest permitted time. I guess the professors expect that students will do this (and must not schedule tests during registration days?).</p>
<p>At any school, students need to be proactive about getting their required classes and making sure they understand what their advisers tell them about fulfilling requirements for the core curriculum and their majors. It’s certainly confusing. A flexible attitude helps.</p>
<p>I have a similar story. As a freshman I’ve always registered last. My first time registering I didn’t understand exactly how everything worked and only got 2 of the classes I wanted, but ended up with some great ones anyway! On the next 2 registrations I’ve gone through I’ve gotten every class I wanted. </p>
<p>Professors know when registration is (probably due to the number of emails they receive about the next semester classes), and recognize the scheduling conflict that goes along with this. For my class that ended just before registration opened at 3:30, the Professor (who usually doesn’t allow computers in her class) said everyone could bring their computers and ended class at 3:15 (usual time is 3:20) so people could either prepare for registration in the room or run back to their dorm in time to register.</p>
<p>Similar story with my daughter. Those classes she truly needed and were full, she would email the professor with her reasons and always was granted an override. She loves her Fall 09 schedule! No Friday classes, either.</p>
<p>“As a freshman I’ve always registered last. My first time registering I didn’t understand exactly how everything worked and only got 2 of the classes I wanted”</p>
<p>Do you have any tips for incoming freshman for registration?</p>
<p>Haha, you bet I do!
- When you register, you have to enter CRN Codes, basically a short string of numbers associated with a particular class and time, into a box online and then hit submit. There are five of these boxes, iirc, and when you hit submit, any of those classes that are still open you get. You are then redirected to a page that shows you what classes you got. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LIST OF THESE CODES typed into a word document so you can easily copy and paste them into the registration page.
- Make sure you have backup classes and everything organized just in case you don’t get what you want right off the bat. There is always add/drop period later for switching into a different class if you want.
- If you want to get into a small class that is almost full, enter the CRN for that one or two classes and hit submit. You can always get into those big intro courses at another point.
- In the minutes leading up to registration, synchronize your watch to banner time (banner is the registration system) so you can get into the registration page the second the time comes around. You can do this by hitting back then clicking the next button on any page in banner really quickly and wait until the minute time changes. Alternatively, you can just click “go” then “back” 3 times a second when it is almost time.
- Again, be prepared. Double check to see how many spots are left in the class the day of registration, make sure you have the correct CRNs and that they are organized, and sign up for one or two small classes with few spots left that you really want first. You can always get into Econ 101 ten seconds later no problem. It is also much easier to get into a large class later by emailing the professor for an override or a spot on the waiting list, or even just showing up to class the first few times even though you aren’t enrolled until enough people drop out that you can get in.
- Stalking Banner and ■■■■■■■■ around looking for open spots in classes you wanted in the hours and days following registration can also result in some great luck.
- If you know an upperclassman who is studying abroad, you can get them to save classes for you.</p>
<p>I think that might be the basics…I probably forgot something obvious though. I think there might be a video tutorial somewhere online as well.</p>
<p>To be honest, you’re not going to be able to get into a lot of the more popular classes as a freshman even if they’re lower level. I’ve been extremely lucky but many people I know have gotten royally screwed over in registration. Registration sucks, but I can imagine it’s a lot better than a big state school. In the end, you’ll be able to get all the classes you need by the end of your four years so you will NOT have to spend any extra time here as a result of registration. To conclude, I highly doubt that W&M sucks more than anywhere else :)</p>
<p>yea, you will get what you want by the time you graduate. If you are on a specific schedule of courses then you need to know when they are offered (like, if missing a class that is only offered in the fall will delay you a year in your scheduling).</p>
<p>If you absolutely need a class, the professor will probably let you in. And even if you don’t need it, you can often get in.</p>
<p>Sign up for the small classes first, as Here to Help said. There are a million spaces in intro bio/chem/econ.</p>
<p>The first time you can register, do it right away. Before my freshmen year I was on vacation in Denver, so we got up at 5am and made our way to a starbucks, and used the wireless from the hotel next door, since the one we were in didn’t have internet available.</p>
<p>Being older doesn’t necessarily mean a better shot at getting into classes. Many lower level courses typically hold spots that only become available during freshman or sophomore registration windows. You should never really have difficulty getting into an intro-level course. Worst comes to worst, you can always email the professor to ask for an override. If that doesn’t work, go to class for the first week and keep talking to them after class until they let you in.</p>
<p>Upper level or smaller courses are far more difficult to get into so you should focus on trying to register for those first if space is available.</p>
<p>As for the registration process itself, a lot of sound advice has already been offered. Gather and double-check CRNs before registration. Have alternatives mapped out, and alternatives to those alternatives.</p>
<p>I’d also recommend running a macro or some kind of keyboard automation utility if you’re really serious about beating out everyone else. They can enter 5 CRNs and submit them faster than a human can enter one.</p>
<p>Keep looking during add-drop too, especially around the time the class meets. Some students show up once and decide to drop it right after the class meets. Others decide they don’t feel like getting out of bed that early drop it in the hours right before the class meets. Either way, I’ve scooped up as many courses this way during add/drop as I have during preregistration (including a freshman seminar with Gene Nichol).</p>
<p>Thanks for the hints. Sounds a bit nightmarish. My son is still trying to decide between W&M and UMDCP scholar. He does not like huge classes but I also hear the disadvantage of the smaller classes and limited offerings. He will be majoring in bio. BTY - how big are those intro bio, chem,… classes?</p>
<p>My friends in science classes (e.g. bio, chem) seem to have little to no trouble getting into those because the classes are large since they have to be taken sequentially.</p>
<p>I will say that while I will generally get all my third choice classes that I have picked out by registration time, sometimes there are important classes I can’t get into. I need an econ class for next semester that is full and it’s making me worry, though I’m on the waitlist. A/D works for some classes, but others people know they have to take them when they sign up for them (e.g. prereqs or reqs in popular majors) and thus won’t drop them. Registration is one of my only drawbacks, but I know I’ll get the classes eventually and it wouldn’t change my decision to come here.</p>
<p>I wanted to add that you should note where you classes are. Ewell/Wren/Tucker to Morton in 10 minutes is a hustle. People do it, but if you get let out 2 minutes late, you don’t really have a chance of being at Morton on time.</p>
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<p>intense.</p>
<p>^^That’s true, it can be a bit of a question of whether you’ll make it to class exactly on time, but it’s never been something I’ve considered when taking classes. If you have a long walk in between classes, just let the professor know at the beginning of the semester that you’re coming from Tucker/Morton, whatever, and they’re very understanding. Don’t not take a class because you don’t think you won’t have enough time to walk to the next building.</p>
<p>i agree inchoative. I feel really awkward walking into classes late and try to avoid at all costs, haha.</p>
<p>But if you can schedule Tucker/Rogers/Morton instead of Tucker/Morton/Rogers, you will probably thank yourself later.</p>
<p>W&M is small enough that you can make it to all the buildings in the 10 minutes, so that is nice. Though, Blair to the ropes course is longer, but the professor knows that, heh.</p>