Registration and Late Schedule Adjustments

When a course becomes full during regular registration, many courses enable a waitlist for students to sign up on.  When a seat is made available (such as when someone drops the class), waitlisted students are issued an automatic override and have 48 hours to use that override to register themselves in the course. For non waitlisted sections, instructors can contact the department regarding requests to enroll in full classes.

The waitlist remains open through the last day to add. After that point, instructors have discretion about which additional students, if any, they will admit into their classes. If an instructor agrees to add “extra” students to an undergraduate course, priority should be given to seniors and CLS majors.

Professors can bypass certain enrollment restrictions that would otherwise prevent the student from registering for your course. By issuing a registration override in Patriot Web, you are giving the student permission to bypass registration restrictions. Before issuing an override to a student in a full course, please consult with the appropriate program director.  

Please be sure not to permit students to add your class beyond your classroom’s physical capacity (which can be different than the course cap and can be found on 25Live), as this is a fire code violation. For more information about registration overrides, see Registration Overrides - Office of the University Registrar. 

Late Schedule Adjustments (Late Adds or LSAs) 

There are situations where students may want to add a course after the add/drop period ends. You should be familiar with the dates and deadlines around the add/drop period, which can be found here. Here are other important notes about the LSA process:  

  • Students must pay a $125 late registration fee to add the course and should work with the Registrar’s office regarding any questions about this.  
  • Separate forms must be submitted for each course students are requesting to add.  
  • Students should discuss requesting an LSA with you directly so you can submit the form on their behalf. You should not feel obligated to decide without getting their reason for needing to add the course. 

Permitting a student to add a course after the deadline is not typically advised unless there are extenuating circumstances. However, ultimately, it is up to the instructor whether to allow a student to add/enroll in the course. Here are some things to consider when making this decision:  

  • Has the student missed enough course content up to this point that it would be difficult or impossible to achieve a passing grade?  
  • If you take attendance, or have a participation grade, this should also be considered.  
  • Is there a pressing issue that makes the addition of this course critical?  
    • For example, it is rare for a student to need a specific course to graduate, but this can be confirmed by contacting the appropriate program coordinator.  
  • Classrooms cannot exceed the room caps per fire code. You can find the capacity of your room on 25live, or you can check with the appropriate program coordinator.  

Regardless of the instructor’s decision, grading and expectations should be discussed with the student to determine if the student can be successful in the course. If you’ve reviewed these guidelines and are still unsure if an LSA is appropriate, please consult with the appropriate program director.  

Process for LSAs  

  1. The course instructor must initiate the Late Schedule Adjustment form. The link for this changes each semester and will be emailed to you by the Administrative Support Specialist when the add/drop period is ending. 
    1. Do not share this link with students directly. It is a protected form that only you should initiate.
    2. You need the student’s G number and reason for the request before you can complete the form.  The student’s full name and George Mason email address should now autofill when you enter their G number.  
    3. Only one course can be added per form. For linked course sections (i.e. CRIM 495), you must include both CRNs.  If you are permitting a student into multiple courses that you teach, you will need to complete one form per course.  
  2. Indicate the type of Request.  You will only choose from the two options listed below:  
    1. Late Add: Approving a student to enroll in your class
    2. Credit Adjustment (only for CRIM 480 and 700/900 level courses): Adjusting credits for a variable credit course  
  3. Once you submit the form, both you and the student will receive an email confirmation.  The form will be routed to the appropriate department reviewer based on the academic level of the course.  
    1. Undergraduate courses (100-400 level): Auzeen Shariati (clsuform@gmu.edu)  
    2. Graduate courses (500-700 level): Brielle DeMatteo (bdematt2@gmu.edu)  
    3. Note: If the request is made after the final drop period (with 50% tuition refund), there is an additional level of approval required. In this case, the Dynamic Form will be routed to the CHSS Dean’s Office for approval. Once the Dean’s office signs the form, it will go to the Registrar’s Office for processing.