Math 1A: Waitlist to good section, or go for bad, but open section?

<p>The only lecture that's still open is the 8am one. The discussion section I want is currently full, 25/25, with 0 people on the waitlist. The only open section is at a really crappy time, 5-6pm, and has 7 seats open.</p>

<p>I think CalSO concluded today, so there would be minimal additional enrollment in 1A. My Phase II is July 17th.</p>

<p>If by the time Phase II rolls around and the waitlist for the discussion I want is still fairly short (fairly short as in I'll be 1st or 2nd), should I get on the waitlist but risk not getting off of it, or should I just aim for the open section but get stuck with an inconvenient time?</p>

<p>I need 1A because it's a prerequisite for CS 61A, which I'm already enrolled in.</p>

<p>Should be fine since there is 0 person on the waitlist. Don’t really expect all 25 people to remain there. More reassuringly, our math department is pretty flexible and often increases the enrollment cap of each discussion section (from 25 to 30 or so) as long as there are enough seats in the classroom.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for answering. If they increase the enrollment cap for the discussions, when should I expect that to happen? In time for Phase II or after the fall semester starts?</p>

<p>I don’t think you can waitlist discussion sections, right (probably why there’s 0 on the waitlist)? Many classes (including math 1a when I took it) are really lax when it comes to discussion enrollment, meaning you can be signed up for one discussion and attend a different discussion if it’s taught by the same GSI (sometimes even if it isn’t taught by the same GSI). And by the time classes start, many freshmen switch their schedule around so much you’ll probably get into the one you want either way.</p>

<p>You can get waitlisted to discussion sections, according to ScheduleBuilder.</p>

<p>@UpMagic, or anyone, really:</p>

<p>Can I count on the math department increasing enrollment from 25 to 30 for 1A? How often does this happen?</p>

<p>I would say about 80% of the time you’ll be able to go to the discussion you want to go to in many large pre-req classes like math 1a and they don’t even have to raise the cap, you just tell your gsi you can’t make it and they’ll tell you to go to a different section (for the first two weeks though, they might tell you to wait because they’re fixing enrollment issues during that time). </p>

<p>You’ll have to wait until the semester starts so just stick with whatever you can sign up for now, and I know you’re anxious and a lot of freshmen freak out over their first schedule (I’m pretty sure I cried over mine) but it all usually gets resolved!</p>

<p>@dina4119</p>

<p>Thanks so much. I want to pull my hair out over my current schedule.</p>