*This information may not be applicable to all students, colleges and situations*
As a former professor with 15 years of experience, I can explain what it means to be placed on the waitlist for a college class and your chances of getting into the class you want.
It isn’t as straightforward as you might think because there are a lot of variables to consider.
For example, what number are you on the waitlist, how popular is the class, how much time is left before the semester starts, and what type of class is it?
All of these things will impact the chances that you are going to get into a class that you are waitlisted for.
Don’t worry, I will tell you all the information I know and I will let you know exactly what I saw happen to students that were on the waitlist when I was a professor.
What does it mean to be waitlisted for a college class?
If you are waitlisted for a college class, it means that all the seats are full and there are no more available seats. However, if someone drops the class before the semester starts, you will be placed in the class.
Sometimes classes are very popular and the seats are all filled up. A lot of colleges will open up a waitlist and if an enrolled student drops the class, the next person in line will get that spot.
If the waitlist hits its capacity, some colleges will open up a new section of the class so everyone on the waitlist will get a seat. But it might not be at the time you selected.
Or the college may decide to overload the course and enroll additional students but this usually needs to be approved first.
Eventually the semester starts and the waitlist is obsolete and those students on the waitlist will have to find another class to register for.
I have a BIG tip to help you learn when you should register for a class that is full later on in this article. Trust me when I say that it is one of the biggest unknown secrets ever.
What to do if you are waitlisted for a college class?
Check your email
If you are waitlisted for a college class, you should be checking your college email every single day. This is because most colleges will require students to pay tuition, in full, as soon as they are accepted into the course from the waitlist. The deadline is usually 24 hours.
If you miss that email, then the spot will go to the next person in line. You need to be READY to pay if they require the full payment or accept the invitation to the course.
Back up plan
While you are waiting on a seat to open up, you should start looking for a back up plan. Don’t assume that you will get into the class from the waitlist. You need to figure out what other class you are going to take and how you are going to earn your credits.
Some students will enroll in another class (as a backup) and drop it if they get into their desired class.
Reach out
Lastly, you need to reach out to the professor, department chair and the dean. This isn’t really typical, but if you need this class to graduate by the end of the semester, and there aren’t other class options for you, it is time to beg.
Craft the perfect email letting them know just how significant this class is to you. And why no other class options will work with your schedule.
It is possible that they can raise the cap for the class and overload it for you. But it has to be approved. This is just another option for you to explore and shouldn’t be used in circ*mstances where you aren’t in a hurry to complete the class.
What are my chances of getting into a class that I am waitlisted for?
The chances that you are going to get into a class that you are on the waitlist for will vary because all classes and waitlists aren’t created equal.
If you are one of the first few students on the waitlist, your chances of getting a seat is much higher. This is also true if the course isn’t popular. If you see a waitlist that has a dozen students on it, this means the class is desirable and the students in the course probably won’t drop it.
Another way to determine your chances of getting into the course is to email the professor or ask your academic advisor. They will know the class enrollment and can help you understand more about the probability that you will get a seat.
If a class is large, think 50 or more students, you have more chances to get into the class because more students are likely to drop the course.
Finally, some students who are on the waitlist before you might not check their email and see the notification that they were accepted into the course. Or they might not have had their payment ready.
Therefore you might get the next seat simply because the person before you wasn’t prepared.
I find that there are much easier ways to get into a class that is full rather than wait on the waitlist. Keep reading to learn more.
What happens if you don’t get into a waitlisted class?
If you do not get into a waitlisted class, you will have to figure out another enrollment option. You might have to take another section of the class or you will have to wait until next semester to take the course.
However, the professor or department could place you in the class as an overload. This is the best case scenario otherwise you need a plan B.
Keep reading to learn some more tips about getting into the class you want.
Should you show up to a waitlisted class?
No, you should not show up to a class that you are on the waitlist for unless you were officially enrolled and on the professor’s roster.
Obviously your college could have another policy where you are requested to attend, but in my professional experience, the waitlist ends when the semester officially starts and all the students who were going to get into the course have already been notified.
I know some students encourage others who were waitlisted to show up in hopes of the professor letting them into the course, but a lot of universities have strict policies that prohibit anyone from attending the course that isn’t enrolled.
Another reason why I don’t think this will work is because professors don’t typically have the authority to add students to their classes. Sometimes the classrooms won’t fit additional students or the class is capped because of the course requirements.
And think about some classes where the course is structured for a certain number of students. Maybe the professor has field trips or the class is in a science lab. The class may not be able to accommodate more students.
Finally, an important thing to remember is that colleges may be required to pay professors for additional students (beyond cap) and they try to avoid that. So, some universities won’t allow professors to add students because it bloats their salary.
How to get into a college class that is full?
If a student wants to get into a college class that is full, they have a number of options to secure a seat. They can email the department and request an overload, they can get on the waitlist, wait until the payment deadline for dropped students, or wait until the first of the semester during the drop/add period to enroll.
Email the professor, department chair, and dean
It cannot hurt to reach out to the professor, department chair and the dean. I usually tell students to each out to all three of these individuals because oftentimes it requires additional approval to add students to a course.
Just copy them on the same email or show up to that division’s office and talk to the administrative assistant.
It is possible that they might just add you to the class if you can make a good enough case for why you should be enrolled.
Get on the waitlist
As soon as the waitlist becomes available, you will need to get on the waitlist to secure a chance at getting into the class. If you are pretty high on the waitlist, and the class size is relatively large, you will have a pretty good chance at getting into the class.
Wait until the payment deadline
This is the BIGGEST unknown secret students need to learn. Most colleges will have an early registration payment deadline. All the students who were enrolled in a course who haven’t paid by this deadline will be dropped from the class.
This is your opportunity to enroll in the course.
So, instead of getting on the waitlist, you need to find that payment deadline. As soon as that date hits, you should see if any seats become available. Remember that most waitlists start after this payment deadline so you need to act quickly.
In my experience, around 5%-10% of students are dropped for non-payment. And when they are dropped, it takes some time for them to get that notification, read the email and re-enroll (if they even re-enroll).
This might not work if your college has a waitlist prior to the payment deadline. In that circ*mstance, you need to make sure you are on the waitlist then.
Wait until the first few days of class to enroll
After the semester begins, the waitlist has probably ended. However, students are making changes to their schedule during that first week of class.
These deadlines vary based on your university, but many colleges let students drop and add courses during the first few days of the semester (depending on the length of the term).
As a professor with experience, I saw dozens of students each semester drop my courses and switch around their classes. It is really common for students to switch their classes.
If you watch enrollment closely, you might be able to enroll at the last minute and get a seat if students dropped after the semester begins. But please pay close attention to the drop/add period from your college.
These methods are not fool-proof and they may or may not work at your college because not all universities have the same policies and procedures. My best advice is to read your student catalog and talk to an advisor about your options.
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