Waitlisting for a Course

How Waitlisting Works

Add your name to a waiting list for any course section after the active course limit of the section is reached. Being on a waiting list does not guarantee eventual registration into that course or course section, so you should register for a full course load separate from any waitilisting. There is no immediate or "automatic" process by which a student is registered into the course by the instructor; it is the student's responsibility to follow the waiting list registration procedure below.

  • You should still create a complete schedule with a full-time load.
  • Once a registration period has opened and a course closes (i.e., the current active limit is reached), students may add to waiting lists for planned sections by clicking the 'Waitlist' button on your 'Plan & Schedule' screen.
    Use the Waitlist button to waitlist
  • During the initial class-year registration windows only, if you are on a waiting list and a seat opens, if you refresh your 'Schedule' screen, you may be able to 'Register' in the section even a it has waiting list from a previous class year. There is some risk involved in losing your place on the waiting list and not getting the seat if your screen is not refreshed and the space has filled.
  • After the initial class-year registration windows are closed, if seats open and there is a waiting list, a student can only register into an open seat from a wait list offer. The 'waitlist' button will show up on the planned section and not a 'register' button.
  • Students can only waitlist on one section of a multi-section course.
  • A few courses (e.g., PHYS 113, BIOL 113) do not allow waiting lists.

Automatic Waitlist Processes:

  • Waitlist offers are made Monday through Friday. The faculty requested that no offers go out on Saturday or Sunday. If a seat opens on the weekend, you won't get an offer until early Monday morning.
  • Whether you get an offer or not, if you decide that you no longer want to be on a particular waiting list, please 'Drop' off the waiting list.
    Use the Drop button to drop from the waitlist
  • If a seat opens in the course and you are at the top of the waiting list, you will receive an offer to accept the seat via your W&L email address.
    From: waaadmin@wlu.edu <waadmin@wlu.edu>
    Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2019 3:27 PM
    Subject: Registration Waitlist Offer

    Dear [Your Name Here]

    Your name is on the waitlist for CHEM-106-01
        DISORDER & CHAOS.

    There is an opening in the course at this time. To claim the seat, you must register for it no later than 11:55 p.m. on 04/11/19.

    After the deadline, the seat that has been reserved for you will be offered to another student.

    To accept the offer, go to your Student Planning 'Plan and Register' screen and register in the section (the 'Waitlist' button should now be an active 'Register' button). You may need first to drop a section, and when the drop / add box opens, you can choose to register in the section offering you a seat while simultaneously dropping the other section.

    If you do not wish to accept this offer, please drop from this waiting list so this seat can quickly be offered to another student.

    For questions or help contact:
    Undergraduate courses - registrar@wlu.edu Law courses - Law Records - johnsonl@wlu.edu
  • The email gives you a deadline by which you must go back into Student Planning and adjust your schedule and 'Register' in the course. If you miss the deadline, you lose the seat.
  • If you get an offer but do not want the seat, please 'Drop' off the waiting list so an offer can quickly go out to another of your fellow students.
  • If you need to drop course B in order to register into course A that offered you a seat, first click the 'Drop' button on course B and that opens a window that allows you to simultaneously 'Register' in course A in which you have an offer.
  • Be sure to check your email often if you are hoping for a seat in a particular section. The deadline is "midnight tomorrow" (24-48 hours after you receive an offer) during the academic year, and three days hence during the summer.
  • The 'Timeline' view is another Self-Service screen that displays a message that you are waitlisted and have permission to register.

  • The process of offering seats to students on a waiting list will begin after all class-year windows have finished and will continue through the term's drop/add period.
  • No new waitlist offers are made during the last day of drop-add. If a seat opens on the last day, a student can add to the section by completing a Registration Override form, requesting addition into a closed section.