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Bates College is changing the way that students register for courses, starting with registration for Winter 2027. One of the most challenging parts of providing you with the tools and resources you need at Bates is ensuring optimal access to classes for all students. We have been interrogating our processes related to serving you academically, and identified several areas in the registration system that we felt could be improved. This updated process is the result of a full year of fact-finding, research into best practices, and surveys and conversations with students and faculty members. We want to thank everyone who took the time to contribute to this project over the past academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We will move to a two round system<\/strong>, in which students will register for two credits<\/strong> (usually two classes) each round<\/p>\n\n\n\n No randomization. As mentioned above, registration will be a limited first-come, first-served model, and the results will not be randomized.<\/strong> You will register live and know whether you are in the class immediately<\/p>\n\n\n\n Registration will be staged by seniority<\/strong>, with Seniors registering on day 1, followed by Juniors, Sophomores, and then First-Years (with an open registration period after that)<\/p>\n\n\n\n There will be no petitioning<\/strong> for classes. Petitioning will be replaced with a system of waitlisting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most courses will have a waitlist. If a course is full, you can add yourself to an automated waitlist. If a seat opens, the system will automatically notify you via email, and you will have a 24-hour window to accept the seat.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Registration will begin with an advising period starting Monday October 19, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The first day of Round 1 live registration begins the week of October 26 with: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Seniors <\/strong>registering starting at 7:00am on Tuesday October 27, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Juniors <\/strong>registering starting at 7:00am on Wednesday October 28, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sophomores <\/strong>registering starting at 7:00am on Thursday October 29, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First Years <\/strong>registering starting at 7:00am on Friday October 30, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Registration stays open during Round 1 and Round 2!<\/strong> You will not be shut out if you do not register on ‘your’ day. For example, a Senior may choose to register for classes on Thursday if they prefer. The specific days are only for prioritization, allowing students who are closer to graduation to lock in their required courses first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Open registration will begin Saturday, October 31, 2026 and continue through Sunday, November 7, 2026.<\/strong> During this time, students can register for two credits maximum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Round 2 begins at 7:00am Tuesday November 10, 2026<\/strong> following the same format as Round 1. During Round 2, students may add up to 4 credits. In Round 2, the dates to remember are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seniors <\/strong>register starting at 7:00am on Tuesday November 10, 2026<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Juniors <\/strong>register starting at 7:00am on Wednesday November 11, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sophomores <\/strong>register starting at 7:00am on Thursday November 12, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First Years <\/strong>register starting at 7:00am on Friday November 13, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Registration will remain open for up to 4 credits until midnight on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at which point it will close for maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Add\/Drop begins at 7:00am on Tuesday, November 17, 2026. <\/strong>During add\/drop, students may add up to 5.5 credits just as you have in the past.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Q: Is this a first-come, first-served registration system?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A: Yes, but with modifications to avoid the pitfalls of pure first-come, first-served registration, to better serve the Bates community. Credits are restricted in both rounds so that all students can select the courses that are most critical for their degree progress, but without branching into electives until all students have had a chance to pick their top courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: What courses should I add first?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A: We recommend you focus on courses that you need for your major (or your planned major, if you have not yet declared one) before moving on to electives, particularly those courses that you know tend to fill up fast. Ask your advisor if you\u2019re not sure which courses to prioritize. Courses that are not competitive, such as Senior Thesis, can wait until later in the registration process.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you do not yet have a major, and don’t yet know which major you want to declare, it is recommended that you focus on satisfying MOIs<\/a> before selecting electives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: How is this more fair than the randomization model we used before?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A: This new approach puts control and agency into the hands of students themselves, allowing you to take ownership of your schedule and select the courses that matter most to your degree progress. It also gives certainty with regards to the courses you are registered for. Randomization was technically fair, but in a way that was frequently detrimental to the student experience. While many different approaches were tried over the years, the central problem of ensuring that seats go to the students who need them most could not be resolved with a system using randomization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: How do I petition with the new system? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A: There is no petitioning.<\/strong> Petitioning has been discontinued as of the 2026-27 Academic Year. Students will have access to waitlisting instead, which will provide a transparent and consistent method of seeking entry into a full class. The waitlist is fully automated, and sends out a notification to your email if a spot opens up and you\u2019re next in line. You have 24 hours to decide whether to add the course once you get the notification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: How do I add myself to a course waitlist?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A: If a course is full, the option to register yourself will not be available. Instead, you will see a waitlist option. If you select that option and click \u2018Submit\u2019 you will be added to the waitlist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: How do I provide feedback on the new process?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A: Since this an entirely new system for Bates, we anticipate that adjustments and tweaks may be required after the first iteration. A feedback form will be circulated to the community after Winter 2027 registration ends. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Your key resource for registration is your academic advisor(s). You’ll need to meet with them to discuss your plans and have your advising hold lifted before you’ll be able to register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Registration Timeline and Overview<\/h3>
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>
Where to Look for More Information<\/h3>