Registration before April 15th?

[mjameson83]

I got in to my second choice school (University of Maryland) but have not heard from my top choice yet (UCLA).

I got an email the other day telling me registration for Maryland starts on 3/31 for the fall semester so I am confused. Should I go ahead and register for classes if I have not heard from the other school? Can I then drop the courses if I get into my top choice?

I know it's not the best idea but I don't want to wait only to find out I got rejected by UCLA and cannot get into the classes I need at Maryland.

Any opinions on whether registering before giving a final decision is a bad idea/ possible? Anyone else in the same boat?

[Tritonetelephone]

I would contact Maryland and ask when they would expect you to register if you accept their offer. They can't ask you to make a decision before April 15th, so I definitely wouldn't register until you know where you're going. My guess is that registration begins 3/31 but ends after the 15th. Alot of schools also have different periods for early registration, regular registration, and late registration.

[GradBound09]

I am a current Maryland student and the way that the registration process works is they will begin to allow students to register (based on credit and undergrad/grad student, more credits gets priority). You can most certainly register after the 31, and unless you wait until May to register, you should be able to get the classes you need. Also, if you get waitlisted for a course, emailing the professor helps sometimes, and if not advisors are sometimes able to pull strings. I hope this helps and congrats on getting accepted! =)

[rising_star]

Meh, I wouldn't register. I registered at both my MA and PhD program upon arrival and it wasn't a problem for getting the classes I wanted. You definitely don't want to register before accepting their offer...

[jesso21]

I'm in the same situation really. I'm still waiting on funding offers (which will be decided later than April 15th), but registration for classes at a couple of the schools is beginning now. I don't want to register if I'm not sure I if I'll be going there, but I don't want to be SOL regarding classes if I do choose to go there!! UGH!

I guess I'll go with rising_star's advice, but this is just more unnecessary stress! **wrings hands**

[rising_star]

Graduate registration isn't like undergraduate registration. There are way fewer students vying for classes and, if it's in your department, they are often flexible about enrollment because they want to make sure students get the classes they want.

[jesso21]

Graduate registration isn't like undergraduate registration. There are way fewer students vying for classes and, if it's in your department, they are often flexible about enrollment because they want to make sure students get the classes they want.

Ohhh! This makes total sense. I just assumed (which is never good) that it would be like undergrad registration. Thanks for clarifying it!

[Stories]

Graduate registration isn't like undergraduate registration. There are way fewer students vying for classes and, if it's in your department, they are often flexible about enrollment because they want to make sure students get the classes they want.

This is especially true of mandatory or core classes.