<p>Hey guys, I just wanted to know if anyone has advice about getting into Organic Chem lab. I arranged my schedule so that all of my afternoons are open, and I am now checking PeopleSoft constantly. I am also signed up in Chevron already, and I guess I will be going to each lab opening each day/time I can to try and get a spot.</p>
<p>Are most people able to get into a lab if they want to? Are there certain class times when people seem to drop out of the class a lot? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I would say keep your eyes peeled. During the add/drop period, a lot of spots become available in a lot of classes. Right now, if you’re looking at Peoplesoft, nothing is going to change because classes have already been scheduled. No one can drop classes because… well, no is is at school! But during the add/drop period, when everyone wants to change schedules, you have a chance to get in.</p>
<p>If no spot becomes available, you can always ask the instructor of the lab for permission to get in. I myself have never done it, but I know people do it. If you explain that the course you want to take is required, usually instructors can be lenient (unless the class is super overloaded) Also, ask your advisor for help too. I don’t think certain lab times are “bad” but I know people usually avoid the 8 AM labs the most. <em>shudder</em> Usually people go for afternoon labs that aren’t at 8AM or 8 PM.</p>
<p>If ALL else fails, you can always do OChem lab in the spring semester. That will definitely have a lot of spots, since most people take OChem in the fall. </p>
<p>Hope this helps a bit. I’m taking OChem lab too - maybe I’ll see you there, lol!</p>
<p>How can they admit students to the lecture portion of the class and not have enough lab spaces? That doesn’t seem right… They used to have Saturday morning labs in addition to evening labs, so you might want to check those out.</p>
<p>Hey Emi. I am checking it over the summer since one other freshman I know was able to get into a section by checking now. I am just trying every option to get a spot.</p>
<p>I think I’ll be more optimistic once we enter the add/drop period, although I was hoping to get in before school starts. Does much really go on during then - obviously, they can’t just throw that time (two weeks?) away, but they can’t get too far ahead if people keep switching in and out. </p>
<p>I was hoping to take the lab with the course too, especially since I think I’ll be taking Orgo II next semester. It just makes more sense to do the lab with the class.</p>
<p>lkf, I completely agree with you. I found it really odd, but I guess it happens. It’s a little frustrating, but understandable when so many students want/need to take it.</p>
<p>For my son’s OChem I Lecture/recitation, they have 163 kids registered for it and class capacity is 150 but his chemlab has class capacity of 45 and 45 students registered. Why would they over-register for the lecture/recitation if there isn’t enough lab sections to cover all the students? It just doesn’t make sense.</p>
<p>A lot happens during add/drop - you just have to keep checking back and forth. Sometimes people drop, or maybe they switch, or maybe they have to take a class that causes them to switch, etc… </p>
<p>BTW, would you happen to be an engineering student?</p>
<p>What do they expect you to do? Take the first course lecture in the fall and the second course lecture plus two labs in the winter? That makes not sense at all! Perhaps the chem department will open up a couple more lab sections when they see what the need actually is?</p>
<p>Being that “one other freshman” i thought i would clarify a few points.</p>
<p>During the add drop period you have to use their wait list to get in. It is only in the summer that you are able to get in by using PeopleSoft. Unfortunately, you probably don’t have a very good wait list spot because your pitt start was fairly late. </p>
<p>People can drop out of classes in the summer they just have to email their advisor. </p>
<p>It is frustrating to try to get into a lab because you have to email your advisor once the opening comes up. I only got it in on the third opening I saw and I had to switch to a bad (early) Calculus II time to get in.</p>
<p>^ Thanks, CuttingEdge, although I am aware of how the waitlist works already. I’m pretty sure that, once the semester starts, you report to the lecture class that you would like to attend (i.e. look at the lab sections on PeopleSoft and see when there are classes that fit into your schedule.) Based on the people that show up to a specific class and their relative positions on the waitlist, students can be admitted into the section. Otherwise, the waitlist doesn’t help you at all - the Chem Department doesn’t look at drops and then asks people, in order of the waitlist, if they would like the spot.</p>
<p>I was hoping to avoid that, but I am willing to go to as many open slots as possible on my schedule to try and get in one. Otherwise, I’m just refreshing PeopleSoft in between doing stuff at work.</p>
<p>Right, I was just pointing out that the peoplesoft strategy no longer applies once the term starts. The fact that you have to show up should actually work to your advantage as it will probably discourage a lot of people from trying to get in a lab.</p>
<p>I’m in the same boat too. The list looked long but they said that a lot of people drop.
which lecture are you guys in?</p>
<p>If PittPanther2013 is who I think he is, we are both in UHC Organic Chemistry.</p>