Course Enrollment

Please refer to the following information from various common core math, science, and engineering departments regarding the latest updates on course add instructions.

Biology

BIOMG 1350 (Cell & Developmental Biology)

  • If BIOMG 1350 fills, continue to check Student Center for open section times.  Many students change their schedules during the Add/Drop period and some will drop BIOMG 1350.  These spots are filled on first-come, first-served basis so it pays to check frequently during that time.
  • If you are enrolled in BIOMG 1350 but would like to switch sections, you must do so through Student Center.  Once the Add/Drop period starts, look in Student Center for an open section that fits into your schedule. Then use the "swap" option in Student Center to change your enrollment without dropping the course.  If you drop the course and someone else takes your place, we will not be able to re-enroll you.  If you have questions please email biomg1350@cornell.edu.

Chemistry

CHEM 2090

All seats for Fall 2024 are currently reserved for new, incoming first-year Engineering students.  Upper-class Engineering students will be unable to pre-enroll in the course for fall, but they should add their name to the wait list by August 25th, 2024. Students may indicate multiple lab times in their waitlist entry, and can update their entry any time. Space permitting, students will be enrolled off of the waitlist during the add period in August. Click here to join the wait list: https://chemlabs.arts.cornell.edu/waitlist.cfm.

Computer Science

If an Introduction to Computing (CS 111X) is full, continue to monitor Student Center during the pre-enroll or add periods for new openings in classes.  If the course is still full, make a request to enroll manually at courses@cis.cornell.edu. It may be possible to add the course manually, using an electronic add/drop form.

See complete information on all Computer Science course enrollment rules and options.

ENGRI or ENGRD

If an ENGRI or ENGRD is full, continue to monitor Student Center during the pre-enroll or add periods for seat openings in those classes.  A few of the departments that oversee ENGRI and ENGRD classes use a wait list.  Consult the Class Roster for instructions, inquire directly with the offering department to find out if this is an option, or check the offering department's website.

First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS)

Only freshmen, sophomores, and first-semester transfer students are eligible to take the FWS. Students must enroll electronically through Student Center. Neither instructors nor Registrar Office staff can approve additional enrollment into any FWS. Caps on enrollment cannot be lifted. There are no wait-lists or forms to sign; do not ask an instructor about adding a seminar. Instructors will not allow any student not on the roster to sit in on a FWS.

To find open FWS courses:

  • Go to Student Center
  • At the search screen, click on “Additional Search Criteria"
  • Choose “FWS Session” from the “Session” field. This will show you all open FWS classes (a FWS is open ONLY if it appears in this list. Check frequently, because the list can change).

If you are a junior or senior who still needs to fulfill the FWS requirement, a preferable alternative for you is ENGL 2880 (Fall) or ENGL 2890 (Spring), Expository Writing, which can substitute for FWS credit.

For more information, please visit the Knight Institute.

Math

Visit the Math course enrollment rules and options for complete information.

Physics

All pre-enrollment is done via Student Center. Physics maintains enrollment waitlists for non-elective courses; these are for enrollment only, and cannot be used to request specific sections. Students who join the waitlist will be placed (when possible) in a lecture/discussion/lab section that fits their schedule - where there is the most room for their placement. Specific section or time requests are not accepted. Requests to join a class from students already enrolled in the class will be disregarded.

Waitlists will open immediately prior to the pre-enroll window, and will remain open until the Wednesday prior to the beginning of the add/drop period. Students may not join the waitlist until their pre-enroll window is open. There are no waitlists during the add/drop period or once instruction begins. You can join the waitlist from our enrollment guide.

PHYS 1110/1112/1116/2210/2213/2214/2217/2218 Physics and Engineering students are guaranteed enrollment in these classes if they join the waitlist during their pre-enroll period. We cannot guarantee enrollment for students who do not join the waitlist until after pre-enroll, or whose first attempt to enroll is during the add/drop period.

If you are enrolled in a Physics course and a preferable section becomes open during the pre-enroll or add/drop period, you may SWAP classes in Student Center without risk of dropping your current section. You cannot accidentally drop the class using the SWAP function. If you fail to follow the SWAP instructions and accidentally drop the class, you cannot be added back to the class unless you are able to re-enroll through Student Center. You cannot be re-added to a full class/section. You cannot swap into a full class/section.

The Physics Department will assist you if you are unable to resolve a conflict between your Physics course and another required course for your degree; however, if changing your FWS, PE class, or another elective is possible and will resolve the conflict, then you should resolve the conflict on your own rather than seeking an accommodation from Physics.