Unofficial Orientation 2025: Drop/Add Tips and Tricks

This is a part of Wesleying's 2025 Unofficial Orientation Series. You can check out our welcome post with links to other articles here.

Disclaimer: While the tips introduced in this post can be applied universally, you should remember that your odds of getting into a class depend primarily not on your effort, but on the professor’s policies and the popularity of the class. Still, trying can’t hurt!

During drop/add, students are able to add pretty much any class to their schedule, regardless of the limits posed by pre-reg (however, your faculty advisor will have to approve an extension in your credit limit if you go above 4 credits). In addition to the registrar's guide linked above, you should check out this FAQ, also kindly prepared by the registrar’s office. The purpose of this post isn't to explain drop/add itself, but to warn you innocent, unassuming frosh about the reality of this race and offer some insights.

If reading long articles is not your thing, scroll to the end for a TL;DR.

The first thing you need to know about drop/add is that it can be quite difficult if pre-reg seriously messed you up, or you seriously messed up your pre-reg. Sometimes, even if you nag a professor day and night, in person and by email... attend a class and prove yourself worthy by participating at length... beg your advisor to put in a good word... or perform a satanic ritual, your efforts will be wasted. 

You should, therefore, adjust your expectations accordingly. Also, keep in mind that pre-registration is the most important time to shape your schedule. Wesleyan’s general atmosphere is one of ‘spontaneity’ and ‘flexibility’, so when pre-reg royally screws you over, you might not think to focus all of your energy on drop/add. 

Since all other students have participated in a full pre-reg process, you might feel like you're at a disadvantage, but that is not actually the case. Even if the pre-reg process completely screws you over, there are still plenty of options to choose from. For instance, there are a ton of First Year Seminars (FYS) available. FYS are only available to freshmen, so your odds of getting into one is significantly higher. If taking one would threaten to mess up your other plans, you don't have to, but they're a great way to learn how to do work at the college level. And a great way to make friends too!

Another reason why new students shouldn’t stress too much about pre-reg is that most freshmen generally take intro-level classes. These classes are usually quite big or have multiple sections, and are geared towards first-year students, so you have everyone’s blessings to be in those classes. As long as you show up to the first class, that is.

I cannot stress enough the importance of showing up to the first class of the semester, whether you desperately want to get in or would like to keep that class in your schedule. Showing up to the first class makes a good first impression, and shows the professor that you are interested. Putting your name and face out there also helps the professor remember you. To bump your chances of getting into the class, try talking to the professor afterwards and telling them why you're so interested. The best thing to do is email them before class so you can say, "Hi, I'm so-and-so, you may recall that I emailed you the other day..." 

A word of caution to those who get too cocky and don’t plan on showing up on the first day because they are already ‘enrolled’ in the class: according to the EPC statement on attendance, professors can kick you out for that. If the class is especially popular, professors might give away your slot to someone who did show up on the first day and expressed real interest in the class. Understandably, your absence might also rub professors the wrong way, and since these are often the same people who are grading your papers and granting your extension requests, you don't want to give them any reasons to dislike you.

In past writers' experience, showing up to the first class pretty much guarantees you a spot if you want to get into classes with 100+ seats. However, things get more complicated when you are trying to get into a smaller, seminar-style/non-intro class. WesMaps’ Past Enrollment Probability may tell you that in the past, students had less than 50% percent chance of getting in (that’s the lowest tier, btw). What can you do to improve your odds of getting in?

First of all, don’t blindly pursue any one class just because it sounds interesting. If you exert all of your energy trying to get into one incredibly selective class, you may miss out on a whole load of other classes that you'd love. So think hard about the reasons why that one class interests you so much. Is it in a field you'd like to major in? Is it related to a class you took in high school and loved? Is it something you’re extremely passionate about? Email the instructor and tell them why! If your reason for wanting to take the class is personal and close to you, you may stand out from all the other people trying to get in. In general, it's always good to introduce yourself to the professor over email and give them a brief idea of why you're interested in the class. (Keep it brief, to 2-3 paragraphs max.) Then, after attending the first class, you can follow up in-person.

When sending this email, mentioning that the class is a prerequisite for your intended major almost always helps. Many freshmen come here with no idea what they want to major in, so the 'major' card does give you an edge. If it's an advanced class that doesn’t usually admit first years, present all your credentials—AP or IB scores, competitions, etc.—and fight for your place. Politely.

After you send the email, it's important to follow up after a few days if you don't get a response. Professors are incredibly busy at the start of the semester, so they're bound to forget a few things here and there. You just have to make sure that they don’t forget you. Be courteous but firm in your email, but don’t spam. Nobody likes a spammer. 

After you've emailed, don’t forget to attend every class during drop/add! By simply showing up, listening, and participating in the class, you’re demonstrating your commitment, and professors will notice this. You may even move up on the 'waiting list.' In some cases, the professor might just ignore the limit and admit you into the class even when there isn’t technically a seat available! (However, several professors have seen enough cases over the years to not be moved by your intense passion for their subject or your personal reason for wanting to take their class).

If you ever find yourself with multiple classes that you're equally interested in, but without enough room in your schedule, it can be hard to prioritize them. In these scenarios, it’s good to move beyond the subject matter of each course and base your decision on its other aspects, such as:

1. The nature of the class and its assignments. The ‘Examination and Assignments’ section on the course's WesMaps page will generally be your friend here. In most cases, especially as a freshman, is wise to balance your courses—that is, if you're more of a humanities person, try to take at least one science/math course, and if you've always known you wanted to study biology, consider taking at least one reading-based class.

2. The time the class starts. Some people are absurdly cheery in the morning (I will never understand how), and others are not. Most of you probably think you can wake up at 7:30AM every morning (you did it for the last four years in high school, after all), but trust me, it somehow magically becomes much harder in college. Be honest with yourself about what you think you can handle, and consider what kind of schedule would work best with your body clock.

3. The way the class fits into your schedule. Consider how you want your classes distributed throughout each day and each week. Would you rather have all your classes on some days and none on others? Would you rather have only classes in the afternoon? If you have two classes back-to-back, would you need more than a 10-minute break between them, or can your brain switch gears quickly? Some classes may also have mandatory TA sessions or lab sessions, so make sure to consider this while curating your schedule. 

4. The location of the class. While it might seem unimportant, it becomes slightly more relevant when you have two back-to-back classes. During my sophomore fall, I had to get from my class on the third floor of Fisk to my second class in the observatory in 10 minutes. It wasn't too bad, but I did have quite the workout scaling Foss twice a week at 10:40am.

5. The professor. Even at a school like Wesleyan, the fact of the matter is that some professors are good, and others are... not. Wesleyan used to have an app with an internal professor rating system, but that app has since become obsolete as far as I know. Rate My Professor remains a great option when trying to figure out whether a class will work for you. Keep in mind that all of the ratings are subjective and everybody has a different experience. Pro tip: sometimes, a professor who's new to Wes will have a RMP page from their time at another university. Just double check that they're the same person before making any judgments.

   
   

This is also a good time to emphasize the importance of having back-up options. In case you are unable to get into a particular class, make sure you have a back-up class you can turn to if needed. You don’t want to be left with fewer credits than you wanted at the end of drop/add.

The last thing you need to know: yes, it sucks when all your methods fail and you just can’t take the class you want. Please don’t let it get to you! You have four years here—you will have plenty of opportunities to take the classes you want, young grasshopper.

Here’s the TL;DR for all you lazy readers: 

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR GETTING INTO THAT CLASS YOU REALLY WANT:

1. Rank the class as your first choice during pre-reg. 

2. Submit an enrollment request on Wesmaps before classes begin.

3. Send an email to the professor to give them a heads-up. Explain why you are interested in the class and mention any past experiences that might give you an edge. Be polite and reasonable, but compelling.

4. Show up to the first class! Determine your level of interest in the class and your probability of getting in.

5. Talk to the professor before or after class.

6. Follow up with an email to gently remind the professor. Be courteous, yet firm. No spamming. You may not get a response immediately, be patient. 

7. Continue to show up to class. No skipping! If/when seats open up, you’ve got to be there.  

8. Typically, by the time a seat becomes available, there won’t be that many students who have kept up throughout Drop/Add, so it will probably be yours. 

9. If you don’t get in, don’t worry! This will make for a much stronger case for next semester, especially if the same professor teaches the class.

   
   

* Again, remember: your odds of getting into a class depend primarily not on your effort, but on the professor’s policies and how popular the class is. Proceed with this in mind.

OTHER RANDOM YET HELPFUL TIPS:

1. Even if a class allots 0 spaces for freshmen on WesMaps, you can still ask for the professor’s permission to take the class. If there’s space, the professor would probably allow you into the class and might even provide you with additional support throughout the semester. However, you really can’t take a class if the freshmen bucket is crossed out entirely (marked with an 'X').

2. For your first semester, you should always plan to enroll in at least 4 full-credit classes. If the worst happens, you can withdraw from one of your classes and still complete the semester. Wesleyan requires that a student take at least 3 full-credit classes per semester to be considered enrolled full-time.

3. Should you find yourself wanting to take 5 or more classes, talk to your advisor. Some will raise your credit limit without question, while others are more strict about it. Make sure to advocate for yourself if you think you can handle five full-credit courses as a first-year. However, keep in mind the ‘Rule of Seven’ (if you don’t know about it now, you will by the end of orientation).

4. You may hear about Student Forums, which are Pass/Fail classes designed and led by students, along with a faculty advisor. While these courses can be taken for credit, there is a limit to how many student forum credits will actually count towards graduation.

5. Lastly, know that you will probably make some mistakes with pre-reg and drop/add. That’s okay. The good news is that you will have plenty of chances not to make those mistakes in the future. You could prepare way ahead of time, and plan every detail meticulously, and still not be completely happy with what you receive, but the academic freedom you have as a freshman at Wes is really quite precious. Cherish it. 

   
   

Good luck out there!