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Waitlist FAQs
· What is a waitlist?
If a section is full, students who are interested in the section should a seat become available are given the option to add their names to a list. If a seat becomes available in that section, the next student on the waitlist will be notified about registering for the open seat.
· Why this change?
Waitlists are easy and effective means for students to communicate the need for individual sections. For departments, using waitlists allows them to more accurately monitor student need for courses in a given term.
Elon has gradually rolled out the use of waitlists. They have been employed for several years now for courses from the School of Business, the School of Communications, and upper level CORE seminars. Since so many courses are using waitlists, students have asked why waitlists are not available on all courses.
· Will waitlists be used on all courses?
Elon will use registration system waitlists for most undergraduate courses, with the following exceptions:
1) Registration system waitlists will not be used for all 1000-level courses, except for Global preparatory seminars
2) Registration system waitlists will not be used on individualized instruction such as music lessons, independent study, or research.
· What happens when a seat in a wait-listed section becomes available?
The registration system will automatically send a notice to the first person on the waitlist. That person has one day to decide whether or not to register. For example, if the student receives the notice at 11:00 a.m. today, they will have until 11:59 p.m. tomorrow to make a decision. One of three things will happen:
o the student will register for the class;
o the student will choose to not register for the class;
o the student does nothing. If they do nothing, they have forfeited their place in the waitlist and the system will move on to the next student on the list.
· If I’m on a waitlist for a course, does that mean I will get a seat in it?
No, putting yourself on a waitlist does not guarantee that you will get a seat. If a section you want is waitlisted, you should plan to take something else. If a seat does open, you can change your schedule at that time.
· What happens if my notice to register arrives on the weekend or on a holiday?
The window to register runs 24/7. If you don’t register during your window of opportunity, you will lose your place on the waitlist. If you’re on a waitlist, you need to check your e-mail for waitlist messages.
· I got the notice that a seat is available. How do I register for the section?
Go to “Manage My Waitlist,” select the section and then register for it. You cannot do this from the Registration menu, you have to go to “Manage My Waitlist.”
· Will I know how many students are on the waitlist?
Yes – this information available OnTrack under the “Manage My Waitlist” link.
· Can I add myself to the waitlists of multiple sections of the same course?
Yes.
· I am on the waitlist for multiple sections of the same course. What happens to my place on the waitlists of the other sections if I register for an available seat?
The students will be dropped from the other waitlists if they register for an available seat.
· Can I add myself back to a waitlist if I am already enrolled in that particular course?
Yes, once a student is registered in a section, they can add themselves to the waitlist for another section.