<p>My earliest possible orientation is August 20th, but it seems that all of the classes that I need are already full or nearly full, and are filling up fast (I press refresh everyday on the classes page). </p>
<p>If I really cannot get into any classes, then I might have to reconsider going to my old college where I have decent schedule, but I have to pay their tuition by August 1. My question is, does UMD open special slots for late orientation students, or am I (and all those going to orientation late for various reasons) basically finished?</p>
<p>PS I do not entertain the alternative of taking classes that are useless to me, so please just tell me if UMD practices "late orientation spot reservations" like other colleges. Thanks</p>
<p>Sure does! Spots are opened as summer goes on to allow later orientations to get a fair chance at signing up for classes. You are going to orientation a week before classes start so the majority of the classes will be pretty full. However, the general education classes should be fine, and this will only happen this semester.</p>
<p>During the first 2 weeks of the semester there’s a drop/add period where a lot of people drop classes, so you’ll be fine if you’re on the waiting list.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply Yodelo. So they only add spots for GEP classes? I’m transferring in, and my classes aren’t really THAT basic. In fact 2 of them are 300 level classes (I’m at Junior standing). Do those get spots opened up or am I finished? Do they only open spots for VERY basic classes or in general? I’m really panicking here…I must decide by August 1 if I want to continue with UMD!</p>
<p>Also how do they open up spots, are there seats reserved for each and every orientation date for most classes?</p>
<p>Knowing they only open spots for the very general classes doesn’t make me less panicky Because I have some very important classes that I really need that are currently full with sky high waitlists…</p>
<p>When I checked out ourumd, I noticed classes “capped” at 30 had been in previous semesters as full as 44 (not a gened class). I suspect not all sections of large lecture classes are strictly capped at 28/30 either (I’m already seeing some now that are at 33). I emailed my major department advisor who told me they open up seats to fit the in major students at the end of the summer, I suspect that is the case with other departments.</p>
<p>I know when I was just messing around in Testudo, courses in Japanese have their seats open gradually, so I just assumed that was the case for most other courses.</p>
<p>Even if they don’t open seats in a particular course, getting off the waitlist is pretty easy. Just sign up for the waitlists of more classes than you need so that you don’t need to get off of all of them. I was like #10 on a waitlist for a class capped at 40 and still got in by the first day of class - it isn’t like that for every class, but most of the time it’s easy to get off a waitlist so don’t worry if you don’t get into your classes right away (just try to find backup options that work just in case).</p>
Because I have some very important classes that I really need that are currently full with sky high waitlists…</p>