Waitlisting
Waitlist Instructions
Signing up for a Waitlist
If a section of one of the courses listed below is full, you have the option to sign up for the waitlist for that section.
1. Log into STAR through the Portal
2. Click Add or Drop Classes
3. Find the class you would like to Waitlist
4. Click Add
5. Once the course has been added to the Summary
section in the bottom right, select “Waitlisted” in the action dropdown.
6. Click “Submit”.
Removing yourself from a Waitlist
2. Click Add or Drop Classes
3. Select the action dropdown for the waitlisted course you would like to remove.
4. Click Dropped Course on Web
5. Click Submit
Why do some courses have waitlists?
The main purpose of waitlists is to help students complete their degrees in a timely fashion by monitoring seat availability in heavily subscribed courses.
What is a waitlist?
When a section of a course is closed, you may want to be added to the waitlist of that section. Please note that adding yourself to a waitlist does not guarantee a seat . You cannot be registered for one section of a course and be on the waitlist for another section of that same course. If possible, it is always safer to add an open section that fits in your schedule than to be on a waitlist .
A waitlist works on a first-come, first-served basis without the need to constantly check the schedule of courses to see if someone drops a desired course.
How do I know that a course has a waitlist?
Only courses with a high demand have a waitlist. To see if this option is available for the closed section you are trying to add, you can consult the list below, or you can also look in the Schedule of Courses.
How does it work?
If the section of the course you want to add is full and waitlisting is available for that course, you will have the option to be added to the waitlist by going to STAR and putting the CRN of that section in the summary panel. You are added to the list in the order you signed up (time stamped) for the waitlist. You cannot add yourself to a waitlist through Schedule Builder at this time.
After you are added to the waitlist, you will receive an email confirming that you are on the list and reminding you of how it works.
If a seat opens, you will receive an email informing you that a seat has opened for you, and you have 24 hours to register for the course. Go to STAR and register for the course immediately. If you do not register within the 24-hour window, the seat will be offered to the next person on the waitlist
How does this work for lecture/lab courses?
Imagine that there are available seats in the lecture you want to add but not the lab section that fits your schedule. Your only option is to waitlist for the lab and not register for the lecture. If a lab seat becomes available and you receive the waitlist email, in your 24-hour window, you will need to register for both the lab seat you received and an open lecture section in STAR.
If there are available seats in lecture and lab sections, your best option is to
take those available seats. If the lecture sections close while you are waitlisted
for a lab, and a lab section opens, you will still not be able to register.
Can I be registered for one section of a course and on the waitlist for another section of that same course?
That is not possible. A student may either register for an open section of a course or be on the waitlist of another closed section of that same course. The purpose of the waitlists is to help manage seats for students who do not have one.
Is it better to register for a course or be on the waitlist for a preferred time or instructor?
Being on a waitlist does not guarantee that you will be able to register for that section. If there is a section that fits into your schedule, it is better to register for it than to risk not having a seat at all.
What if the course has a pre-requisite?
Although you can add yourself to a waitlist for a course without having completed the pre-requisite, if a seat opens, you will not be able to register for the course.
Example:
Paul is taking ENGL 101 in the spring and wants to register for an ENGL 102 section
that is currently full for fall. He adds the waitlist during his priority
registration period. In early June, he is notified that a seat has opened
and he has 24 hours to register.
If he passed ENGL 101 in the spring, he will be able to register for the open seat. If he did not pass the course then he has not met the pre-requisite for ENGL 102 and will not be able to register, and the seat will be offered to the next student on the waitlist.
How do I know my place on the waitlist?
Currently, students cannot check what their rank is on a waitlist. We are working on making the information clearly available.