<p>Other than to avoid "flooding of the system," can someone give me a reason the Spring 2011 registration time is determined by the last two digits of our social security number? It makes it hella difficult for the people at the bottom of the list who actually intended to wake up early enough in the morning to register (while people who complain about starting at 6 am get all of the classes that the people who have to register last want). It also makes it practically impossible to meet certain requirements on time. It should be on a first come first serve basis; sign up for a time to register weeks in advance, or something else. Speaking to an academic advisor has been of no help. They basically say, "Sucks, but someone had to be last. Play the waitlist and hope for the best."</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon's a great school, but the course registration process is rather irritating. Just thought potential students or incoming freshman should know. Life isn't always fair and this is a good example of that. Hopefully, CMU figures it out soon.</p>
<p>This is how most college registration processes work. Freshmen get bad pick because you’ve got three years left to register in the future. Also, they usually skew the randomized times so that if you had a bad time last semester you’ll get a good time during the next one. So next semester, you might be the one with the 6 AM time, and then everyone will be hating on you.</p>
<p>Welcome to college!
Sorry your were last this time-- but good news is you will be first one of these times.</p>
<p>There’s no better way to do this for 6000 people. It’s the same at every college-- seniors go first and freshman go last. It’s a lottery by SS number after that. What else do you suggest-? I’m sure if you have a better logistic model, everyone would be all ears.</p>
<p>You are guaranteed a spot in required classes for your major and in fact there are enough spots in say physics, calc, basic science. Your advisor shouldn’t have blown you off if you couldn’t get a spot in those requirements–?? For electives,
Scan through SOC-- you might find something else you would not have actually considered. Try something new-- lots of interesting departments to consider with non-traditional classes.</p>
<p>Everyone will tell you that you will get off waitlists-- everyone eventually does. People over enroll and make their choices later- that’s why it’s clogged in part – lots of drops happen a few days before class-- just check SOC over winter break and things will open up.</p>
<p>Yeah, seconding mom2012and14’s post. I had a lot of friends that would intentionally way overload themselves the first few weeks of classes so they could try out a bunch of different electives and just stick with the few they liked. I thought it was a bit of a jerk move since people getting in from the waitlist are getting a fairly raw end of the deal, but it’s something that goes on on every college campus.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>How would you set up that sign up time to sign up? Make it a certain part of the day? What if someone has class/work/other commitments? The random SS# lottery sucks your first term as a freshman, but I didn’t know anyone that wasn’t able to get into all the classes they wanted eventually.</p>
<p>Just deal with the fact your weekend isn’t going to start on Thursday.</p>
<p>I know it is frustrating, but go on some of the forums for large state universities and you can see that your grass is a lot greener (of course it should be given CMU $$$). There are horror stories of kids not getting a SINGLE class they want and/or need and are already, in their second semester, looking at a late graduation. How many mom’s remember the days of literally waiting in line at a gym for paper registration? …getting near the front and the kid in front of you takes the last spot in that required math class…oh my! that is why I ended up in Music Appreciation which ended up being one of the most enjoyable classes ever and made me a symphony subscriber since my 20’s. I encouraged my S to fill up with a few odd classes…I almost die of envy when I look through the CMU course catalog…everything, even mechanical engineering, sounds interesting! I hope you did ok in the registration process and you get a better time next semester.</p>
<p>LadyVee - I agree with you. I don’t have a solution, but my d was the very last group of Freshman and only got in 2 classes and is waitlisted on the rest and she searched high and low for GE classes she could take and everything was waitlisted. She’s hoping for the best and if not, she’ll have to figure it out with her advisor to get enough classes.</p>
<p>LuvBoston
Ur D has computing, physics or chem, calc (one of 4) and a second engineering 101 class-- it doesn’t sound like they are all closed- -perhaps just at the times she doesn’t want to take them?</p>
<p>One of them was physics and all had waitlists when she registered so maybe some people were still adding and subtracting. She just got an email from advisor that she is now in Physics and one of the GE’s so she has 4 classes - hoping for overload approval in Dec. to get a 5th, but no real hope at the moment for the other GE she waitlisted. Back to the drawing board on that one to see if something else is available. She’s happy right now though.</p>
Freshmen get bad pick because you’ve got three years left to register in the future. Also, they usually skew the randomized times so that if you had a bad time last semester you’ll get a good time during the next one. So next semester, you might be the one with the 6 AM time, and then everyone will be hating on you.</p>