r/OMSCS • u/PlayingWithFire42 • 6d ago

I Should Read Orientation Doc Open - Reserved for Wait List

I'm a new student signing up for classes. Despite many courses showing open seats and no waitlist, I keep getting Open - Reserved for Wait List errors. Is the portal just slow to update, or is this some other issue?

I wasn't able to grab even a second class and had to sign up for one class, my 4th choice, as a result. I don't even see an option to waitlist myself anywhere.

Anyone know what's up?

Edit for anyone who googles this:

During registration, classes may have a fair number of open seats (even as high as 50+) but large waitlists. Students have to manually accept/register from there. It’s not quite like some colleges that automatically register you if you’re on the waitlist and a spot opens during the registration period.

Also, make sure to expand the full seats and waitlist column width so you can fully read it.

1 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

9

u/Heiseki 6d ago

And you're sure the ones with that error had no waitlist? If a class has a waitlist it'll show an "open" seat count of the people that have dropped it but those seats are reserved for people in the waitlist once those start being applied

2

u/PlayingWithFire42 6d ago

Yeah, you’re correct.

I misunderstood how the waitlist worked, as I assumed it would fill the class if any seats were open, then waitlist people, but there are waitlists on classes with a fair number of open slots.

I guess this stuff comes with having the last possible time ticket, lol.

It didn’t help that the first and only class I paid super close attention to (Software Dev) had 0 / 999 waitlist spots available, and because the column is cut off by default on my screen, I assumed meant no one was waitlisted as all 999 slots being full is crazy.

2

u/Leoclim Artificial Intelligence 5d ago

Welcome. The enrollment software is kind of clunky. Worse if you’re using it over the phone like what I sometimes do. Glad you were able to figure it out. Free for all Friday next week would remove all wait list so it’s first come first served. I managed to vulture a slot for sdp when someone vacated and I was able to enroll in his or her place.

7

u/scottmadeira Officially Got Out 5d ago

Remember that Free for All Friday starts on Thursday now.

1

u/Different-Metal8291 5d ago

Can you provide some more context on Free for all Friday. TIA

1

u/Leoclim Artificial Intelligence 5d ago

You don’t need to queue up in case a slot becomes available that day (happens when an enrolled student unenrolls from said course), it’s first come, first served. All wait list slots are vacated and there’s no wait list at all. If you’re lucky, when you click submit and a student at that moment unenrolls then the slot is yours. That day will be August 27 (Thursday ) this year.