Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. I am on the waitlist for CSE 8A and I would like to know my chances of getting in the class.
Course instructors do not manage waitlists and so we will not be able to help you with this. Waitlists are managed by CSE student affairs. Please see the Winter 2025 updates page for more information: https://cse.ucsd.edu/undergraduate/winter-2025-undergraduate-course-updates
2. I don't have access to Autograder. What should I do?
If you don't have access to Autograder, you can request access by going to autograder.ucsd.edu and clicking on "Join a Course". Fill in your details and choose "Course - CSE 8A". You can select any section, and make sure to write a brief explanation. Once you submit your request, a member of the staff will approve it, and you should have access to Autograder soon.
3. I do not have access to PrairieLearn. What should I do?
You should be able to enroll yourself using the link on our class homepage.
4. I do not have access to PrairieTest. What should I do?
Please make a private piazza post so the instructional staff can help you.
5. I added the class late, what should I do?
Welcome to the course! We're glad to have you. With a 10-week quarter system, we cover a lot of ground every week, which means you have some catching up to do. Things to do:
Complete all the assignments you have missed as quickly as possible (see Canvas -- our main Canvas page is public so you should be able to access most of the pages. You will be officially added around 10am the morning after you get in the course). You won't be able to do the Canvas-based assignments until you are added to Canvas, but you can do the reading and the programming assignments.
Sign up for all the course platforms linked on the home page of the course. Here are instructions for the textbook and autograder, if you cannot yet access Piazza:
To get access to the course textbook:
Go to https://runestone.academy/runestone/default/user/register
Use the string ucsandiego_py4e-int_winter25 for the course name. Be sure to use your UCSD email for your email and the part before the @ucsd.edu as your username. If your username is already taken, you can choose a different one, but be sure to use your UCSD email.
To get access to autograder (which you will use to get help in lab):
Go to autograder.ucsd.edu. Request enrollment in CSE 8A.
Watch the podcasts for the course either available on podcast.ucsd.edu
Review how to get help in the course - nearly all your questions should be posted on piazza or asked in Office Hours or Open Lab Hours.
We start counting attendance in class and discussion on Monday of week 2. If you missed classes or discussion sections after that they will be back-filled with your final exam grade. Please see the syllabus for more information.
Deadlines for reading assignments cannot be extended. You should do the reading as you are expected to know the material, but your grade for any missed reading assignments will be back-filled with your final exam grade (see the syllabus).
If you miss the week 1 lab, there is no way to make it up. It will count as one of your allowed missed labs. If you missed the week 2 lab as well, it will count as two missed labs, and you will not be able to miss anymore without a penalty. If you are adding that late, consider whether you will be able to succeed in the course (at this point you have missed almost 1/5 of the course).
If you added the class after the HW1 deadline (1/14) contact Prof. Alvarado for what to do.