Osher Lifelong Learning
Institute at Brandeis (BOLLI)

Q)    Does it matter when I send in my registration form?

The registration date for BOLLI courses is Feb 3.  Forms postmarked by this date will receive equal consideration. If postmarked after, placement will only be in courses that still have openings and will be 1^st come, 1^st served.

Q)    How do I complete the registration form so that I have the greatest chance of getting what I want?

See the document titled “New Registration Form” for the answer to this question. 

You may also wish to request courses at 9:00 a.m. or 3:20 p.m., as they tend to be less crowded. It’s always best to list as many choices as are asked for on the form, because only those who do so and did not get into their requested number of courses will receive next-day phone calls from the office.

Q)    When will I know what courses I got into?

Confirmation letters and information about parking, books, ID cards, and so on will be mailed in mid-February, once the course assignment process is complete.

Q)    What will happen if I don’t get into any courses?

Those who did not get into any courses will be called, though this is very rare.  This is why we ask for an alternate phone or email if you are going to be away in February.

Q)    Can I be in more than one course that was designated as over-subscribed at the time of course assignments?

No.  Only study group leaders are eligible for two over-subscribed courses.  This policy was created by the Membership Committee to maximize the opportunity for more members to have access to over-subscribed courses. 

Q)    Can I sign up for a 3^rd course?

You cannot initially request three courses. However, included in your confirmation packet (sent in mid-February) will be a list of courses with openings. To sign up for a third course at this time, send an email to or call the office. There is no charge for a 3^rd course, but a small donation for a 3^rd course is requested.

Q)    What if I know that I am going to miss 3 or more sessions of a 10-week class?

If you expect to be absent for 3 or more weeks during the semester, please read the course descriptions carefully. Courses where the SGL indicates the importance of regular attendance are not appropriate for you. Please select an alternative.

Q)    I was an Associate member in the Fall 2011 semester; can I be Active this semester?

Yes.  The BOLLI Council, upon the recommendation of the Membership Committee, has updated the membership rules.  Associate members and Active members may move between the two membership categories over time. 

Q)    Whom do I contact if I have a question?

ð      Program Administrator: Ilana Levine at ilevine@brandeis.edu or 781-736-2992

The New Registration Form and Course Assignment Process

For the spring of 2012, we are using a revised registration form with a different set of questions about the courses you would like to take. We developed the new form because we are offering many 5-week courses and wanted people to be able to consider both the 5-week and 10-week courses in an integrated way. We also wanted to make the questions clearer and to give people some ability to coordinate their course choices.  Below are the answers to some questions that you may have.

Why am I asked to list so many possible courses?

There is space for only 22 persons in most BOLLI courses. Some of our courses are requested by many more than 22 persons. Assignment to classes is done randomly, and if you cannot be assigned to your top choices, we need to have alternatives for you. If you do not provide the number of alternatives requested, we will be less likely to be able to assign you your full requested course load during the course assignment (lottery) process.

How does the course assignment process work?

 Study Group Leaders are first given their desired courses. Everyone else is assigned a random number. These random numbers determine the order in which you are assigned courses.  At each point during the course assignment process, when your number comes up, you are assigned to the course that is highest on your list of preferences and that still has space available. If you select one of the constraints (for example, “Keep all my courses on the same day.”), your second assigned course will be the next one on your list of preferences that has space and meets the constraints.

Can I list two courses that meet at the same time?

Yes. In this case, we will first try to assign you to the course that is higher on your list of preferences. You will not be assigned to two courses that meet at the same time.

 Why am I asked about my desired course load?

An Active Membership entitles you to take two 10-week courses or the equivalent (for example, one 10-week and two 5-week courses). Some members wish to take less than a full course load. We need to know how many courses to assign to you.

Is there any point in listing the same course more than once in my list of course choices?

Not unless the course has two sections offered at different times. The course assignment process for each member proceeds by considering the courses on his/her list of choices in order. Whenever a member cannot be assigned to a course because space is no longer available, only courses lower on his/her list of choices are considered from that point on.