Convention 2018 Ticketing FAQ

Q. Why are you changing the ticketing system?


  • No standing in line each morning of Convention if you've preregistered.
  • You know what classes you'll be taking well in advance of Convention.




But it's even better than that. If you've signed up for classes, in addition to picking classes for individual days, we ask you to request classes for your "top picks": your favorite classes over all days. We'll try to give EVERYONE one of their top picks (still based on their priority number) before we get into day-specific class assignments.



Q. Where do I request my classes?

A. If you registered yourself or someone else, all of their schedules will be linked from the Convention 2018 My Classes page, accessible when you are logged in to your website account. If you sent in paper forms, but have a website account, you'll still be able to request classes online after logging in to your website account. The system will be open for class requests for one week. See Class Schedules and Previews for exact dates.

Q. How do I express my relative choices?

A. For each day of classes, you can choose any number of classes and drag them into preference order on the online form. You'll do the same for your top picks.


A. Sorry, no. You can put your classes into strict order of preference for each day and for top picks, and that's all.

Q. How many choices can I make for each day?

A. You can request as many classes as you want for each day and for your top picks. The assignment algorithm will try to fill your schedule until either your schedule is full or it runs out of your requests. If you want a full day, we suggest you choose at least 10–15 classes for Saturday and Sunday and for top picks. Also, try to cover each period of the day with several picks so that you will end up with as full a schedule as possible.

Q. If I only choose one top pick, does that guarantee I'll get that one?

A. No, on the contrary; if that class is full by the time the algorithm gets to your top pick, it will just stop trying to assign one for you. That’s why 10–15 picks are suggested, and there’s no harm in picking more.

Q. Do I need to choose classes for each day AND for top picks?

Yes. Your top picks are used for only a single class assignment (and, for teachers and volunteers, for your teacher/volunteer picks). After that, we use your day-specific requests.





Q. Does anyone else get special priority?






Q. Can I still use paper forms for registration and class requests?

A. Yes. For registration, there are downloadable registration forms and you can fill those out and send them in.

For requests, we're still working that out. Check back here closer to Convention time for an updated answer.


A. We do try to group family members together at assignment time; make sure you and your child request the same classes in the same order and there's a good chance you'll be assigned together (though it's not guaranteed). Once the schedules are published, it may still be possible for the convention administrators to make changes to effect the desired pairings, either for the selected class, or another that can be agreed upon.