By Amanda Lagoe, Assistant Registrar 

Have you ever tried registering for a course only to find that the section is full? What should you do? Well, a waitlist can help. Although it is not available for all undergraduate courses, many sections will have a waitlist option. The Office of the Registrar receives questions about waitlists frequently, and we’ve got the answers for you. 
 

What does waitlist mean? 

If a section is full when you attempt to register, you can take a spot on the waitlist if the option is available. Once you are on the waitlist, you will be notified when a seat opens, and you will have an opportunity to register for that section. It is important to note that you are not registered for the section while on the waitlist. 
 

How do I know if a section has a waitlist? 

When viewing the section information in the Term Guide, check the Status column. This column will display the number of seats available in the course. If a waitlist is available, you will see the waitlist seats available below it. 
 

How do I get on the waitlist? 

Check out our helpful Registration Quick Guide!  
 

What happens while I’m on the waitlist?  

Once a seat becomes available, the Office of the Registrar will email the first student on the waitlist at their SUNY Empire email address. That student will have 48 hours to register (this includes weekends and holidays). If the student does not register, their registration opportunity ends, and the system notifies the next student on the waitlist. During the waitlist notification process, the Term Guide will show that a seat is available in the section; however, that seat is reserved for the first student on the waitlist.  
 

Will I be guaranteed a seat in the section if I’m on the waitlist? 

1. There is no guarantee that a seat will open for you in that section. By joining the waitlist, you may have the opportunity to register for that section, but it depends on changes in enrollment and where you are on the waitlist. For example, if you are fourth on the waitlist, the students ahead of you will have the opportunity to take that open seat before you do. Remember, you are not registered for the section when you are on the waitlist. 
2. You must be registered for a course to count toward your full-time or part-time enrollment status. 

  
Will a waitlisted section count toward my enrollment for the term?  

Although the waitlist is not a guarantee, it is a helpful registration tool. If you have additional questions about waitlists, contact us at RegistrarsOffice@esc.edu.