(Note: Colorado Law does not participate in the Course Reservation or Course Forgiveness Program.)

What is the difference between “bidding” and “registering" for courses?

Generally speaking, there are two ways to enroll in 2L and 3L courses:

1) Bid for courses during the bidding period--after which you will be automatically enrolled in or waitlisted for any courses you bid points on (this process is summarized here, and happens prior to open enrollment (when students can add or drop classes on their own through Buff Portal); or
  
2) Wait for open enrollment, when you have a valid enrollment appointment and can register for (i.e. add or drop) courses on your own through Buff Portal (this is how students typically enroll in summer courses, and how students typically make schedule adjustments once the bidding window has closed for Fall or Spring).

Choosing option 1 and participating in the bidding process (which happens before any law student is able to register for a course during open enrollment) increases your chances of being enrolled in courses that have historically generated waitlists.  

The bidding system appears to show incorrect credit amounts for some classes. How do I know what is correct?

Many courses are set up in the university catalog as a variable credit course so it can be offered at varying credit amounts in different terms. For example, LAWS 6103 (Legal Ethics) is approved for either two or or three credits. This gives faculty the flexibility to offer the class at varying credit amounts over time. The schedule PDF on the law school website lists the correct credit amounts for each course.

However, the bidding system is not smart enough to recognize this variance and will list the course in bidding at the lowest amount possible.

So, if a course can be offered at either two or three credits, it is probably going to show up in bidding as two credits regardless of what the schedule says. You can ignore this when you are bidding. When you are ultimately registered for the course, it will be at the credit amount listed on the schedule. Remember you are limited to taking 18 total credits for the full semester (or up to 19 or 20 if you take a fall/winter session course). However, you can bid for up to 21 credits during bidding.

What is a "Stop" or a "Hold" on my registration?

A "stop" or a "hold" is the university’s mechanism for preventing students from registering if, for example, they owe money for library fines; or if undergraduate transcripts have not yet been received; or if immunization records have not been received. You will not be able to take classes if you have holds on your account.

Do 1Ls and 2Ls bid at the same time?

Yes.

What are the required courses after my first year?

Legal Ethics, Evidence, and a Seminar. See Law School Rule 3-1-1. Students who matriculated in the Fall 2016 term and after must also complete the experiential learning requirement.

How do I decide how many points to bid and which classes to bid on?

There is no perfect formula for this. Most students who are successful at bidding consult at least some of the following resources:

  1. Historical bidding information, which can be found on the Courses & Registration page (under the Instructions & Historical Information heading). Note that a key to understanding these reports is listed on the Bidding & Registration-Details and Bidding Instructions page, under the “Bidding Strategies” heading.

  2. Consult with students who have bid before

  3. Ask the Law School Registrar for advice

Three important points: (1) students must bid at least one point on a class to be enrolled in or waitlisted for it prior to open enrollment; (2) current 2Ls/rising 3Ls must bid at least 1501 points on a course to outbid any current 1L/rising 2L; and (3) if you are a rising 3L, make sure you bid on any courses that you need to meet your graduation requirements.

How can I find my course schedule?

Log onto Buff Portal and search for class schedule.

During a round of bidding, does it matter when I enter my bids? Is there a benefit to bidding on the first day of the bidding period?

No. As long as you enter your bids before the end of the round of bidding, your bids will be counted. You do not receive any priority because of bidding early.

Are there any classes on which I should not bid?

Yes. You should not bid on journals, competitions, externships, independent legal research, all clinics, the 2nd semester of a year-long course, or any course that is flagged as "DO NOT BID ON" on the course schedule. Each of those has a different enrollment process. 

Can I bid 0 points?

Even if the system allows you to enter a bid of 0 points, bidding 0 points is the same as not bidding. While you do not need to bid, most students choose to bid in order to increase their chances of enrolling in the courses they want to take. For more about bidding, visit this page. 

How do I register for more than 18 credit hours in a semester?

ABA and Law School Rules permit you to register for no more than 18 credits in any semester.  Credit hours completed before the start of the traditional semester (e.g., most wintersession courses) do not count against the 18 credit cap, but you need to email lawreg@colorado.edu to ask for an override of the system. Please note Law School Rule 3-3-3: Maximum and Minimum Class Schedule.

Where do I find information about course prerequisites?

Review the schedule posted and make note of prereqs. 

How can I tell where I am on a waitlist?
  • Log in to Buff Portal.
  • Open the main menu and search for "waitlist."
  • Open the "Check Your Waitlist Position" card, then click "Check your waitlist position."
  • Select the correct term, if applicable.
  • Locate your waitlisted class (status: "Waiting") to view the type of waitlist you're on and your position on the waitlist (if your position is 1, you're at the top of the list). 
Where can I find course offerings?

Course information is available in the Academics section of the Law School's website, specifically on the Calendars and Schedules and Courses and Registration pages. Law school specific info will be noted there.

Courses for the upcoming term can also be found in Buff Portal. 

  • Log in to Buff Portal.
  • On the registration checklist card, select "Search for classes."
  • Select "Continue."
What is the "Rule 36" cap?

The Law School Rules allow you to take up to 14 credit hours in "coursework outside of the law school and for courses and activities that do not involve a substantial classroom component." Examples of courses that count towards the cap include externships; journals; moot court, mock trial and other competitions; Independent Legal Research, courtroom observation courses; and coursework completed in another department, school, or college of the University or at another institution of higher learning. Also be mindful of Rules 3-2-8(D) and 3-2-9(J) on maximum credits for journals, competitions, and other co-curricular activities. For more information, review the rules or visit this page.

I would like to take a non-law course next term. What should I do?

JD students may request to take a non-law graduate course and count the credit towards their JD degree through the Law School Credit for Non-Law Course Petition form here.  Law School Miscellaneous Rule 22 governs. A graduate level course (numbered 5000 or higher) that is reasonably related to law study is eligible for credit toward the JD degree unless it duplicates a current Law School course. Note that according to Rule 22, "No law student may earn more than 6 credit hours from courses approved under this rule, except under a dual degree program approved by the Law School (and students who receive credit under one of those programs are not eligible for additional non-Law School course credit under these rules)."

I get emails from CU Boulder’s Office of the Registrar AND the Law School Registrar about courses and registration. Which ones apply to me?

Some of the emails and information generated from CU Boulder’s Office of the Registrar do NOT apply to law students because of our unique bidding and grading systems, so the Law School’s Registrar (Shannon Foley) sends out separate emails from lawreg@colorado.edu. You must learn to read both emails the Law School Registrar’s Office and CU Boulder’s Office of the Registrar carefully. Shannon will flag in her emails what students SHOULD pay attention to from CU Boulder’s Office of the Registrar and what may NOT apply to them. For example, the “Degree Audit” information referred to in the Registration Guide published by CU Boulder's Office of the Registrar does not apply to law students, because Shannon performs degree audits for law students by hand.

Where do I find my grades?
  • Log in to Buff Portal.
  • Open the main menu and search for "unofficial transcript."
  • Open the unofficial transcript card, then click "View unofficial transcript."
  • Select your home institution and transcript type (see below for details), then click "View Unofficial Transcript."
How do I place myself on a waitlist?
  • In CU Boulder Class Search, a status of "Waitlisted" indicates the class is full but a waitlist is available.
  • Click "Add to Cart."
  • Choose the grade mode, then click "OK."
  • In your cart, click "Continue to Enrollment."
  • Scroll down to the "CU Boulder Shopping Cart" section and tick the checkbox next to the waitlisted class.
  • Click "Add Selected Classes."
  • Confirm your selection(s), then click "Finish Enrolling."

If it worked, you'll see a message confirming you've been added to the waitlist. If it didn't, you'll see an error message; read the description for details.

What courses have had waitlists in the past?

Refer to the Courses and Registration page and scroll to the Instructions & Historical Information. You will see Round One Bidding Results from prior terms. The number of waitlisted students (if any) will show up next to each class. This will give students the best gauge as to which classes might yield a waitlist. Keep in mind that these reports are a point in time snapshot run immediately after the first round of bidding is over. The Law Registrar will communicate to students about classes that have waitlists.

How do waitlists work?

Waitlists are scheduled for auto-enrollment in the event that a seat opens. Please periodically check your schedule. If a seat opens up in a class you are waitlisted for and a) you have a hold on your account, b) you are enrolled in a time-conflicted course, or c) enrolling you would put you over the 18 credit limit, the system will NOT auto-enroll you. In these cases, please make sure any holds are resolved and then email lawreg@colorado.edu with your student ID number and the number and name of course you need to be enrolled in. We will process your request as soon as possible.

How can I check to see if I'm eligible to register?

Prior to registration, logon to Buff Portal and select the "Registration" tab to see if you are eligible to register.

Why doesn’t my spring semester journal, competition, or other yearlong course appear on my schedule?

The system requires us to process enrollment in yearlong courses and co-curricular activities separately. For students who are involved in yearlong courses, or who are eligible to receive credit for being involved in a competition or journal, we will add these components to their schedules before the add deadline, but not necessarily before the first day of classes.        

How do I register for the spring half of a full-year course?

The Registrar will register you into the spring portion of any yearlong course in which you enroll. You do not need to self-register for these courses.