I got this email just now, regarding that Harvard food science class I lotteried for:

Currently, over 670 students have signed up for the lottery for Science of the Physical Universe 27: Science and Cooking.  Today’s lecture is NOT a shopping class.  Only 350 students will be allowed to attend the class because of fire code regulations.  Students may begin lining up at 12:30 p.m.  Students who are admitted into the classroom should plan to stay for the entire class and will not be allowed to re-enter the classroom if they leave.

We will have overflow rooms in Emerson 105 and Science Center Rooms 309 & 309A with live streaming of the class.  In addition, students will be able to watch live streaming of the class on the course website.  The video of the class will be posted on the website as well within a few days.

You will be notified about the results of the lottery by 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Uh, great. 50% chance in lottery, essentially no recourse if it falls on the wrong 50%. A TF told me that some students sent in two page essays listing out why they should get into the class. You can look forward to an incensed YouTube video if I don’t get in. They should have done the lottery with preference for Asian girls named Lingbo. (Ok. How about that us seniors are graduating and still need the Science requirement? Eh? Eh?)

Take that, random number generator.

On the plus side, El Bulli’s Ferran Adria is the lecturer today.

(But what about the class lottery?!!)

Related posts:

1. Inside Harvard’s New Science of Cooking Class
2. Free Trip to Barcelona with Ferran Adrià for Winners of Harvard Science and Cooking Class
3. A Vietnamese cooking class with Harvard University Dining Services’ Director Martin Breslin
4. Harvard’s First Molecular Gastronomy Dinner
5. Getting Rejected at Harvard