Waitlisting
If you need a class that’s already full, you may be able to get on a waitlist to register if an opening becomes available. Waitlisting is a new option that lets you wait in line electronically for a seat in a full class.
What is a waitlist?
Waitlisting is a process that allows you to wait in line electronically for a seat in a full class. Being on a waitlist does not guarantee that you will be able to register for the class, but it does allow you to wait for a seat to become available without having to constantly check the status on the class schedule. Notification for an open seat will be sent to your official Alamo Colleges email. You will only have 24 hours to respond, so it is important that you check your email daily if you have waitlisted a class.
Is waitlisting an automatic process?
No. If you receive an email notification when a seat becomes available, you will have to login to ACES to register before the 24 hour deadline.
Can an instructor add me to a waitlist?
No. Only you can add yourself to a waitlist. If you need assistance, contact your advisor or the department.
When will waitlisting be offered, and what classes will have a waitlist?
Waitlisting is available through the day before Enrollment Management Week begins.
The schedule of classes will indicate if a waitlist is available in the WL column.
What do registration errors mean?
Open - ## Waitlisted | Closed - ## Waitlisted
The class has reached its maximum enrollment, but there are available spots on the waitlist.
Any seats that become available will be offered to students on the waitlist. The ## shows the number of students on the waitlist.
Open Waitlist Filled | Closed Waitlist Full
The class AND the waitlist are full. Any seats that become available will be offered to students on the waitlist.
Other registration errors
You may encounter other errors when you join a waitlist or register for a class from the waitlist. Call Department Services for assistance.
When does a waitlist open?
A waitlist becomes available when a class has reached its maximum enrollment capacity. At this point, you will encounter a registration error if you try to enroll in the class. Then you may choose to join the waitlist.
What is required to be eligible for a waitlist?
You must have completed all prerequisites for the class and meet any restrictions for the class in order to join a waitlist. For example, if you successfully waitlisted a class, yet are not eligible to register for the class, you will receive a registration error, even if you have been notified that a seat is available for you.
Will a time conflict prevent me from joining a waitlist?
No, but you will not be able to register for the class if the time conflict has not been resolved. Any expected registration errors should be taken care of ahead of time.
How is waitlist order determined?
First come, first served.
Where am I on the waitlist?
Go to the Student Detail Schedule in ACES. For classes you have waitlisted, you will see a section for Waitlist Position.
The smaller the number, the closer you are to the top of the waitlist.
If your number is 0, you have been notified that a seat is available. The Notification Expires section has a date and time you must register by to accept the seat.
If seven seats become available in a section, will seven notifications be sent to waitlisted students?
Yes. Within the hour, the first seven students on the waitlist will be notified of the available seats. If there are only six students on the waitlist, all six are notified, and seats are reserved for them for the 24-hour notification timeframe. The seventh seat will be available for another student, who will not encounter a waitlist, and who will be able to immediately register.
The class has open/available seats, but I can’t I register. Why can’t I get on the waitlist?
The waitlist could be full. Try another section or try again later.
The class may not have a waitlist available.
You may not meet the requirements to be added to the waitlist. Check with your advisor to make sure you are eligible to take the class.
If I join a waitlist, am I registered for the class?
No. Being on a waitlist does not guarantee registration. By joining a waitlist for a class, you may be offered a seat in a class if one becomes available, but waitlisting does not guarantee a seat.
How am I notified if I am eligible for an available seat in the class?
You will be notified via your Alamo Colleges email. Make sure to check your email and junk email daily.
What do I do once I’ve been notified that I am eligible for an available seat in the class?
- Login to ACES
- Go to the Registration page
- Select **Web Registered** from the ACTION Drop Down box for the selected class
- Click Submit
- Once the page has refreshed, verify that the class is now showing as **Web Registered** on your Current Schedule and no registration errors have appeared.
What is the deadline for moving off a waitlist and registering for a class?
You have 24 hours to register after you are notified. Your email notification will specify when your time to register will expire. If you do not register during this timeframe, you will be removed from the waitlist. You will need to add yourself to the waitlist again, where you will be at the bottom of the list.
What if I receive notification that I have a seat in the class, but the class is closed when I attempt to register, or I miss the timeframe to register?
- Sign up on the waitlist again; however, you will start at the bottom of the waitlist.
- Check for open seats in the class during late registration.
- See the department about adding the class.
- Review the class schedule or ask your advisor about other class options or an alternative schedule.
I was waitlisted for a class, and now it’s not on my schedule. What happened?
If this occurs during registration, most likely you were notified by email that you could register and failed to do so by the deadline. Remember, waitlisting is NOT an automatic process. If Enrollment Management has started, waitlisting has ended, and all students still on a waitlist have been dropped from the waitlist.
Can I be on more than one waitlist? For different classes? For different sections of the same class?
Yes. You can be on more than one waitlist for different classes.
No. You cannot be registered for a class and then waitlist a different section of the same class.
No. You cannot be waitlisted for multiple sections of the same class.
If I am on a waitlist for a class, does it show up on my schedule?
Yes. The class will be on your schedule with a registration status of “Waitlist.” A waitlist status does NOT mean you are registered for the class.
You can see your waitlisted classes and your position in line for each waitlist you are on. You will not be charged for the class until you are officially registered.
Will the waitlisted class remain in my registration record if I do not register for the class?
The waitlisted class will be dropped from your Add/Drop Class and Detailed Class Schedule pages in ACES if you do not register before the deadline. The class may be displayed in your registration record for up to one hour after your notification expires.
Do waitlisted classes count towards my full-time enrollment status?
No. Waitlisted classes do not count toward any hours attempted, enrolled, or earned UNTIL you officially register for the class.
What if I am no longer interested in being on a waitlist?
Remove your name from the waitlist so that others can add theirs. To drop yourself from a waitlist, log into ACES, go to your registration page, select “DROP” from the ACTION drop-down menu for the waitlisted class, and click “Submit.”
Do I pay tuition and fees for a waitlisted class?
Tuition and fees will be assessed AFTER you have actually registered for the class. Waitlisted classes do not count as attempted, enrolled, or earned hours towards your enrollment status UNTIL you officially register for the class.