Registration 2015

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by gsesny

We have not heard from first about the wait list, where we stand or even if we have a chance to get in...

FIRST HQ does not maintain the wait lists. If you want to ask about your chances to move to the "registered" list, contact the people in charge of the event. The Regional Director is a good starting point.

[gsesny]

Alan,

Thanks for the reply. That has been done. I got a pretty stock reply that there is a long wait list and there would be plenty of unhappy teams. There were no details given about numbers, when they would know etc.

[Bryan Herbst]

Originally Posted by gsesny

Question that is a little off topic the current subject about growth. How can F.I.R.S.T. close registration when they have not cleaned up their wait list? We have been on the wait list since the first day of registering for a second event. We have not heard from first about the wait list, where we stand or even if we have a chance to get in. We would like to go to a second event. It will really hurt our young program not to. We could register at a 3rd event that has a shorter wait list but will that hurt our chances at our first choice wait list? After they clean up the wait list can you still call and get registered at an event that is not full?

On a side not I have talked to a few teams in our area and it seems that many of them are having a harder time registering for a second event. Is anyone else seeing this?

Any advice on this?

Registering for a third event will generally not impact your chances of getting off the waitlist for your second event.

Some of the factors that do typically weigh in to whether you get off the waitlist or not include team age, location, and how many events you are registered (not waitlisted) for.

If you happen to get into the "third" event before the "second" one re-evaluates your position on the waitlist, then you will likely be given lower priority for the "second" one.

[Mark McLeod]

Just an opinion, but that reply sounds like you won't get in to that event.

Rather than just randomly signing up for a third event, I would start directly contacting the RD's of several other events that you might be interested in and asking them about the chances of switching to their event.
Scattered teams have dropped out of events as they don't get funding or for whatever reason, so some events that appear full may actually have open space no one knows about.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by gsesny

I got a pretty stock reply that there is a long wait list and there would be plenty of unhappy teams. There were no details given about numbers, when they would know etc.

That might be a "stock reply" for that particular event, but it sounds like useful information for teams on that wait list. Did you ask about numbers and timing? More specific questions might elicit more specific answers.

I doubt that the two events' planning committees are sharing information on who's on the wait lists, and I very much doubt that they would give lower priority to a team trying to sign up elsewhere. If you can sign up for another event without withdrawing from this one, I'd suggest you do so. It could be seen as abusing the system, but in the unlikely case that you end up getting registered for both, there's no penalty for withdrawing from a competition before you have paid.

[Wetzel]

Ft Lauderdale, Bayou, Hub City are regionals that you are likely to get off the wait list at (or at least were earlier this week). Many are stacked super deep, with 10+ teams waiting for a handful of slots. I don't know why this information isn't better disseminated.

[Kevin Pardus]

Just a quick note -- the FIRST FRC Events list is now up to a total of 110 events will the official addition of the 18th FiM District event during Week One.

[Basel A]

Originally Posted by Kevin Pardus

Just a quick note -- the FIRST FRC Events list is now up to a total of 110 events will the official addition of the 18th FiM District event during Week One.

Just for everyone's information, Gail's email to teams about the 18th district called it Standish-Sterling.

[Mark McLeod]

2900 teams are now registered.

[Mr. Mike]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

2900 teams are now registered.

What is the chance we will break 3k?

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mike

What is the chance we will break 3k?

100%.

Oh, did you mean this year?

[Whippet]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mike

What is the chance we will break 3k?

I highly doubt that we'll get another 100 teams registered in less than a day, but it's possible.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mike

What is the chance we will break 3k?

I'd guess the chances are slim to none.
I'd expect some further rise for the next two weeks as HQ works with teams, but then actually a fall back as some teams finally drop out after failing to raise the necessary funds or otherwise pull it all together.

Last year after this point in time we gained an additional 44 teams then lost 88 teams as they dropped out. That also had a later (~2 weeks) registration close.

The year before shows an ultimate net gain of 32 teams after this date. Also with a longer registration period.
Most earlier years showed a modest net gain (<100) after this point.

[Mark McLeod]

So, at Regional Registration Close at noon we had:

• 2905 teams
• 4225 total event slots assigned:
  • 534 - MI
  • 244 - MAR
  • 299 - PNW
  • 330 - NE
  • 102 - IN
  • 2716 - Regionals

[Pjohn1959]

So based on those numbers, and my bad math, it looks like between $16 and $20 million for regsitraton fees. Wow!