As the add/drop period comes to an end, students seem frantic to get those last spots in their desired classes. These 13 days of testing the waters provide a good sense of what the classes are like, but the pool can only hold so much. Instead of refreshing Minerva every second to see if there’s an available spot, use this simple checklist to help increase your odds of registration success.

Waiting list

First and foremost, get yourself on the waiting list (if the class has one). You may be depressed to find yourself 24th on the list, but sit tight and keep going to the class. Students have gotten into classes from much further back on the list.

Advising

If the former isn’t available, go straight to the top and talk to an academic advisor. They aren’t the gatekeepers to a course, but advsors have dealt with a lot of questions about getting into a specific class or lab. They’ll let you know what your options are.

Professors

Moving down the list, talk to the professor or coordinator. If the class is full, ask them about alternatives. Sometimes, classes are offered again in the winter, or have two sections; while the professor might not be the same, the content will be.

Schmoozing

A class is only full because of the other students, so why not talk to them? Social media has made it much easier to be a cohesive student population. Chances are that Facebook and many other social media sites have a group for the McGill students in your year or faculty. A simple post in search of someone considering dropping a course can go a long way towards getting you a spot—especially if it’s seen by about a thousand people.

Patience

As we enter the last few days of the storm, patience is key. As the freestyle musician Nayobe said, “All good things come to those who wait”—McGill add/drop is no different.