According to the guide, what should the student do?
Read a Short Informational Passage · ELPAC Grades 11–12 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
A brief factual text — a notice, a label, a set of instructions — followed by questions.
Read this page from a community college’s registration guide. Then answer the questions.
Adding a Class After the Semester Begins
Automatic enrollment from a class waitlist ends the day before the semester begins. After that, a student on the waitlist is not moved into the class, even if a seat opens. To add a class once the semester has started, attend the first class meeting and ask the instructor for an add code. Instructors give codes only to students who attend, and only when a seat is available.
An add code must be entered in the online registration system by the end of the second week of the semester. Codes expire after that point, even if they were never used. Fees for an added class are due within five days of enrolling, or the student is dropped from the class. High school students taking college classes must also upload an approval form signed by their high school counselor before an add code will be accepted.
The question
Choose the best answer.
On the first day of the semester, a student who is still on the waitlist for a class learns that a seat has opened. According to the guide, what should the student do?
- Wait for the registration system to move the student into the class.
- Pay the fees for the class within five days.
- Attend the class and ask the instructor for an add code.Correct answer
- Upload an approval form signed by a counselor.
Why “Attend the class and ask the instructor for an add code.” is correct
This tests applying a rule that changes depending on timing. The guide says automatic enrollment ends the day before the semester begins, so a seat that opens once classes have started does not go to the waitlist; the student has to attend and ask for a code. The trap is choice a, which would be correct only before the semester starts.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Wait for the registration system to move the student into the class. — Automatic enrollment from the waitlist ended the day before the semester began, so the student will not be moved in.
- Pay the fees for the class within five days. — Fees are due after a student enrolls with a code; paying first does not get the student into the class.
- Upload an approval form signed by a counselor. — The counselor form is required only of high school students, and the question does not describe one.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Grades 11–12, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 11–12. For other grades, see free ELPAC practice tests by grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the California Department of Education or the official ELPAC program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published task formats.