How Do I Make The Most Out Of Not Getting Into The IntroSem I Wanted?

About IntroSems

IntroSems are some of the most popular courses at Stanford and there is often not enough space to accommodate all of the interested and qualified students who apply. So what do you do when you don’t get into the IntroSem you had your heart set on? How do you manage your disappointment? The answer: regroup, move on, and seek out other ways to pursue fields of interest to you.

Tips for Seeking Other Opportunities

  1. First of all, please do not lose heart and try not take these results personally. There are many reasons why a student may or may not be selected for an IntroSem and you should not take this as a personal judgement. Once you have set aside your disappointment, you can move on to taking productive steps.
  2. Generally, you are welcome to attend the first day of class to see if any spaces have become available in the classes that interest you. This may be true of the IntroSem you applied to. Consider emailing the professor to find out about a waitlist.
  3. You should also embrace this as an opportunity to network with the instructors of the courses you were most interested in. Let them know that while you were disappointed in the outcome of your application, you would still like the opportunity to meet to talk about the topic. You might ask the professor if he or she offers any other courses you might be able to take, or if he or she would like to come to Faculty Night. You can, in short, turn this disappointment into an opportunity to forge a connection with a faculty member. Your AAD or AARC advisor can help you frame that conversation.
  4. Peruse the list of open IntroSems to see if there is another class that might be of interest to you. Very often students stumble into the classes that prove most influential to them down the road. Leave yourself open to happy accidents.
  5. Look through the Frosh-Friendly Courses in Cardinal Compass. Does the department or professor offer another path of entry into this field? Is there a one or two unit course related to the topic?
  6. And, of course, you should look for IntroSems that might interest you in later quarters. Your advisors would be happy to help you with those applications when the time comes.

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