Incoming Student Add/Drop
Incoming students, defined as new first-years and transfers, will have the opportunity to participate in a dedicated add/drop round before classes begin. The Registrar's Calendar details the exact dates and deadlines for each round of registration.
During this special add/drop opportunity, students do not need instructor permission to add or drop, but please note that instructor permission in Polaris is needed for ALL other add/drop rounds.
In preparation for Incoming Student Add/Drop round, incoming students will meet with their advisor and plan for their course changes. Because instructor permission is not needed, students should:
- If applicable, be sure they have emailed the instructors and obtained any necessary overrides in Polaris BEFORE the round starts, e.g., prerequisite override;
- Any instructor with questions about providing permissions and overrides in Polaris and any student with questions about obtaining permissions and overrides in Polaris should email registrar@bowdoin.edu.
- Make sure to work through a primary plan and a few back-up plans with your advisor so you can be prepared in case a seat isn’t available.
As always, students should work closely with their academic advisors before making changes to their course schedule to ensure they will remain on track to complete all degree requirements.
During Incoming Student Add/Drop, students may take the following actions in Polaris:
- Drop classes in which they are currently registered as long it will not drop them below 3.0 credits;
- Swap sections, e.g., labs, for the new one, by selecting "drop" on the existing section, adding the new one, and hitting submit so that the requests process simultaneously - SEE GUIDE FOR SWAPPING
Degree Requirements: details about general requirements, like divisions and distributions, and major/minor requirements are available in Degree Progress and students are strongly encouraged to review their Degree Progress prior to participating in registration. To access Degree Progress, log into Polaris, and click "Degree Progress" in the "My Academic Profile" section.
Error Messages: if a course request does not process successfully after hitting submit, read the error message that appears at the top right of the screen carefully. Common error messages include a time conflict or a missing requirement. Reach out to the Office of the Registrar before the deadline if you are unable to resolve an error. The best way to reach us is by emailing registrar@bowdoin.edu.
Technical Difficulties: reach out to the IT Service Desk if you experience any issues with system speed or connectivity. They have a myriad of methods by which you can reach them.
Textbook Information: the cost of course materials for each class is available in the Classfinder. Click on the 5-digit CRN (course registration number) to expand the details of the class, and click on "Order Books" - located underneath prerequisites. The corresponding ecampus page will launch in a new window and details the full list of course materials and options for obtaining them, e.g., rent or buy.