What would you do if a class is closed?

BU Medical Sciences
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
0

040111333

Membership Revoked
Removed
10+ Year Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Messages
343
Reaction score
30
Members do not see this ad.
This semester, I have been trying to get into a genetics class which I ABSOLUTELY need to take! Unfortunately, it is closed and there hasn't been an opening...

Since I'm desperate for this class, I was wondering if I could put up a flyer asking students if they would be willing to drop this class if I paid them...

Is this a bad idea??
 
Have you considered emailing the professor or the advisors for you major/department? Perhaps explaining why you ABSOLUTELY need this course and if there is anything that could be done.

Making flyers and offereing $ is the first solution that came to mind?!
 
I tried everything. There is nothing that can be done because the classroom has a maximum capacity of 144 students and no more...🙁

That's why I went to plan B...offering $.
 
But is this like legal to do in school?? Everyone will see this flyer including teachers.
 
Can I ask why it is so vital for you to take it now? I don't think there's much you can do at this point if I'm honest, if the class is full it's full. Just keep in mind that registering for classes as early as possible is a must.
Your idea of putting up flyers sounds a little silly to me, and I doubt it would work unless you offered a ton of cash.
 
FlatFour said:
Can I ask why it is so vital for you to take it now? I don't think there's much you can do at this point if I'm honest, if the class is full it's full. Just keep in mind that registering for classes as early as possible is a must.
Your idea of putting up flyers sounds a little silly to me, and I doubt it would work unless you offered a ton of cash.
Click to expand...

It's important because it is a prerequisite for most of the upper-division courses required for my major (Neuroscience), such as Biochem. If I don't take it now, I may have to postpone graduation. Also, I am planning to take the MCAT soon and would rly like to have Genetics and Biochem. finished before. It is also a pre-med requirement at my school.

I would take it in the summer but I was going to do research at JHU and also, use that time to study for the MCAT.

Hence, my dilemma. =(

The class was closed before I even got my registration timing, so there was no chance to begin with. I waited the whole of winter break to see if there would be openings and there were none.
 
I got an override into a 40 seat physics class ahead of like 200 people. Bring it up with your advisor and they should be able to help.
 
Euxox said:
Whether or not your school's code of conduct explicitly forbids this, I can guarantee you that the administration will not be happy if you start offering money for students to drop. Bringing money into the process is just not in line with the view of academics being in an ivory tower that removed from worldly considerations. It just seems unclean.

A similar thing happened at NYU Law School. The administration was not pleased: http://www.legalaffairs.org/printerfriendly.msp?id=742
Click to expand...

Great. Now I'm scared to do this...
 
BrainsIsCool said:
I got an override into a 40 seat physics class ahead of like 200 people. Bring it up with your advisor and they should be able to help.
Click to expand...

Not possible. The classroom can't fit me, and the course coordinator won't add me. I wish I could tell them that I have no problem sitting on the floor the whole time...
 
040111333 said:
Great. Now I'm scared to do this...
Click to expand...
Good. Now just email the professor, and explain to him or her why you need to take the class. This happens all the time at my college and the professors are usually very understanding.
 
Euxox said:
Good. Now just email the professor, and explain to him or her why you need to take the class. This happens all the time at my college and the professors are usually very understanding.
Click to expand...

The professor is very nice but he says he can't do anything. He wants to help but is helpless...
 
040111333 said:
Not possible. The classroom can't fit me, and the course coordinator won't add me. I wish I could tell them that I have no problem sitting on the floor the whole time...
Click to expand...

yeah....because everyone will always show up to every single class all the time? I hate beauracrats. Jerks.
 
040111333 said:
How does that work? I've never heard of filing a petition before...
Click to expand...

I'm not sure the exact logistics of it, but at my school there's some form that you fill out and you detail why it's pertinent you take it quarter and get the professor and your adviser to sign off on it. You might want to check with the registrar because I'm sure there's some fee that you also have to pay.
 
YOU think YOU'RE MAD.?They closed my Chem class while we're in the middle of the semester. They did this on the exact, and I mean the exact timing of the add/drop day. I'm beyond pissed. The minimum was 6 people and we lost one guy.
Now why is this bad? Let's see. I couldn't take it Freshman year because the school said I was a conditional admit, when I wasn't. Then, I had to drop it when I got sick last semester. Now, I have to take General Chemistry at Vandy during the summer semester of my sophomore year.
 
040111333 said:
The professor is very nice but he says he can't do anything. He wants to help but is helpless...
Click to expand...
Then you should talk to the advising office and/or the Dean, explain your situation, and ask for special permission to enroll. (This is essentially submitting a petition as others have mentioned.) They may very well say no because it doesn't seem to me like you need to take the course now. It seems like it would just be more convenient for you. The MCAT doesn't require any genetics knowledge beyond what you learn in Intro Bio, so why don't you just take the genetics class after studying for the MCAT?
 
Life Sucks said:
YOU think YOU'RE MAD.?They closed my Chem class while we're in the middle of the semester. They did this on the exact, and I mean the exact timing of the add/drop day. I'm beyond pissed. The minimum was 6 people and we lost one guy.
Now why is this bad? Let's see. I couldn't take it Freshman year because the school said I was a conditional admit, when I wasn't. Then, I had to drop it when I got sick last semester. Now, I have to take General Chemistry at Vandy during the summer semester of my sophomore year.
Click to expand...

Do you attend vandy? because if you don't currently attend Vandy, I feel like this is a pretty awesome outcome. Nashville in the summer is awesome.
 
Euxox said:
Then you should talk to the advising office and/or the Dean, explain your situation, and ask for special permission to enroll. (This is essentially submitting a petition as others have mentioned.) They may very well say no because it doesn't seem to me like you need to take the course now. It seems like it would just be more convenient for you. The MCAT doesn't require any genetics knowledge beyond what you learn in Intro Bio, so why don't you just take the genetics class after studying for the MCAT?
Click to expand...

It's a bit of both: necessity and convenience...it's necessary because it's a pre-req and will help me graduate on time ad it's convenient because it gives me the extra knowledge for the mcat and i can get it over it.

Ugh I hate being in these situations!
 
baconshrimps said:
Do you attend vandy? because if you don't currently attend Vandy, I feel like this is a pretty awesome outcome. Nashville in the summer is awesome.
Click to expand...
I don't mind going to Vandy. And no I don't attend it. I go to a small private university called Fisk that has a deal with Vandy when it comes to taking classes there. I think we have several bridge programs there such as a nursing one, maybe a med one, (defiantly one for Meharry Medical college) and engineering. I do have family planning to go there for their pre-med studies. I'm so jelly.
 
Last edited:
Life Sucks said:
I don't mind going to Vandy. And no I don't attend it. I go to a small private university called Fisk that has a deal with Vandy when it comes to taking classes there. I think we have several bridge programs there such as a nursing one, maybe a med one, (defiantly one for Meharry Medical college) and engineering. I do have family planning to go their for their pre-med studies. I'm so jelly.
Click to expand...

Too bad they don't have a bridge program for the medical school at Vanderbilt. #crusheddreams #rejected #fyouvandy lol
 
baconshrimps said:
Too bad they don't have a bridge program for the medical school at Vanderbilt. #crusheddreams #rejected #fyouvandy lol
Click to expand...
That sucks man. Some chick at my school got in. They got a big picture of her in the main hall with her stats. She got a 3.78 or something like that.
 
040111333 said:
It's a bit of both: necessity and convenience...it's necessary because it's a pre-req and will help me graduate on time ad it's convenient because it gives me the extra knowledge for the mcat and i can get it over it.

Ugh I hate being in these situations!
Click to expand...
If this is going to prevent you from graduating on time, definitely talk to the Dean.
 
Show up to the class and talk to the professor the first day. Let him/her know your situation and see if there's anything they can do for you. I did this with two classes in the past and someone ended up dropping for one (and sold me his book for cheap!) and the professor for the other class called registrar and added me to the list.
 
What about taking an upper level course without taking genetics? Prerequisite courses are not set in stone and in many cases they are not strictly necessary to do well in the upper level course. Email the biochem professor and the professors of other courses. Explain your situation and ask whether they would let you in their courses without genetics. Specifically ask if they think you can be successful in their courses without genetics or whether there are a few key concepts that come up in the upper division course that you can self study before you start.

I have taken many courses out of order using this technique, it is really not a big deal. If a prerequisite course is really a must to understand the upper level material, professors have let me know - this was only the case once out of the eight courses I wanted to take without the prereq.

Ask the professor/dean/registrar as necessary to get permission to register for the course. Take genetics another semester. If you are taking the old MCAT, there is minimal genetics material on the test...not much more than you get in cell bio or in high school.

Edit: BrainOnFire and I are on the same wavelength 🙂
 
BrainOnFire said:
We both live in Boston, we're both pre-med, and we're both fans of Kate Mulgrew. We are people of discerning and awesome taste. 😀
Click to expand...
+ both studied neuroscience (?)

Soul mates. Without a doubt 😉

Sigh...where have you been all my life?!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Topizungochico
Would you do a postbacc in my situation?
Replies
2
Views
668
Topizungochico
Topizungochico
D
Reconsidering if MD/DO is right for me or if I should pursue a PhD instead?
Replies
4
Views
990
LizzyM
LizzyM
D
Is auditing a class a red flag?
Replies
7
Views
778
LunaOri
LunaOri
D
  • Locked
What if I'm just a normal dude?
Replies
37
Views
3K
GoSpursGo
GoSpursGo
P
How would you classify these courses on AMCAS application?
Replies
3
Views
1K
PlaceMeToBe
P
Top