<p>DD1 is waitlisted (#1 :)) for an elective for next spring - the school's uber-registration system shows #seats and #in waiting list per section. Seems that one is on a waiting list for a single session. and since the class has a dozen sessions, I would think the uber-registration system would waitlist kids overall per class, not per session.</p>
<p>So you could be #1 in the waiting list in your section and nobody drops, ergo, you're hosed, while another section may have spots after drops but they won't register you because you did not sign up for the class. This could create a free-for-all during add-drop also for obvious reasons...</p>
<p>Back in the dark ages with paper-based systems I recall putting my name for the class regardless of sections, and if spots opened up in any section that could work with my schedule, I was in.</p>
<p>Forgot to add... How is this handled in general? by section or by class?</p>
<p>She needs to ask at her own school. Different places have different work-arounds. Tried and true: speak with the prof and get on his/her personal short-list. Happykid jumped ahead of five waitlisters that way for a class in her major last year.</p>
<p>Agree with happymom. Have DD talk to the prof. Not only does this ensure that the prof knows she’s really interested, but it also ensures that someone else on the waitlist doesn’t ‘jump’ her with a similar show of keenness. </p>
<p>Is this elective in her major? Often profs give preference on both admission to a class and on getting off the wait list to students who have chosen that major (and/or need the class to graduate). It’s one of the few reasons to declare a major early if your school gives this sort of preference. Of course, the student can change majors later.</p>
<p>Whenever my now Senior daughter is waitlisted or closed out of a class she makes sure to attend the first class and speak to the prof. She has never been rejected if she does that. Often one or two kids will not show up or will drop it pretty quickly and the prof is happy to have someone so interested take their place. Sometimes the prof can add one even if someone doesn’t drop out. (BTW, life is like that - apartment hunting, job hunting, etc. He who hesitates is lost.) Good luck!</p>
<p>It’s not a major class for DD1 but it fulfills a slot in the University’s harebrained core curriculum (why force architecture students to take a studio art class to show they understand art and creativity?). </p>
<p>I was just curious how the wait-listing in general works… To the university’s credit they offer 12 sections (it’s a photography class for non-art majors) but the class is very popular…</p>
<p>At the school where I teach there is no waitlist per se. The student can request a “forced admission” from the professor. Regardless, I suggest your D watch the lists for all 12 sessions every day to see if a slot suddenly opens up and she can pounce on it. Students are often still making changes at this point.</p>
<p>Thanks to the FoxConn hours that architecture requires, unfortunately, only 3 sections of the 12 would work with her schedule (studio alone is 12-14 hours a week scheduled time) so the list to watch is down to 3 sections… I have conveyed the suggestion. </p>
<p>Photography is indeed extremely useful in architecture so I’m hoping she can get in. Back at Cajun State we did not have a photography course for non-majors and with priority given to majors, it was an impossible course to register for…</p>
<p>One would be amazed to see how limiting architecture is - you usually have 3-4 major classes a semester, 1 or 2 being studios with 12-18 hours a week, and another 3-6 hours a week single-section courses… So after the dust settles you have pretty much eaten up most of MWF and half of TT off your schedule…</p>
<p>The reason colleges waitlist by section instead of by course is that there is no way to know what the student’s schedule constraints actually are. Some students work, some commute, some have practices or rehearsals, etc. While I’m sure there is a way for students to be placed into a course off the waitlist that would theoretically fit with the rest of their registered courses, the college would find that half the students couldn’t take that section anyway because of other schedule factors beyond just coursework.</p>
<p>I agree with the others who have said the best way is for the student to talk to the professor in advance and show up on the first day of class requesting to be signed in. Many colleges allow professors to sign in one or two students over cap if they want.</p>
<p>My son just went through this with a class and a section for another class. He needed instructor permission for one class that they put those with Majors and minors ahead. He got permisson and was 16th for that class that had a cap of 15. </p>
<p>The other was for a section, where only a couple choices would fit though there were over 20 sections available. He emailed the professor 2x with no response then called the dept and they gave him permission to be 16th in a section with a cap of 15.</p>
<p>Unless there are safety reasons eg a lab or restriction due to equipment or seating availability, with some proactive requesting, a student can get permission to go over the cap by one or two slots.</p>
<p>Professors are almost always happy to add proactive students. These are the ones most likely to show up to class prepared and participate in any discussions.</p>
<p>My oldest was waitlisted a couple of times. They profs always assured him enough people would drop the course eventually and he should just do the homework and attend classes. Happily it always worked out. Can’t help you on the issue of signing up for a particular section, I think your child will have to ask the prof.</p>
<p>Dd1s school waitlists by section for the reasons NJSue mentioned - scheduling. Lots of advice given here about contacting professors and showing up the first days is good. However, sometimes, if no one drops, there just aren’t enough chairs. I teach in a lab with 15 stations. If nobody drops, ther really is no room. I tell all my students to have a back up. Don’t EXPECT to get in off the waitlist.</p>