Python · 2019
Class Alert
A Python web scraper that monitors UC Irvine course enrollment and sends an alert the moment a seat opens.
During my undergraduate studies at the University of California, Irvine, course enrollment was a recurring frustration: server crashes, full courses, and long waitlists. During one enrollment period, with the site repeatedly crashing, I spent hours refreshing a single page to claim a spot in an important course. I decided to automate the task — a Python web scraper that would load and refresh the page and detect the moment the course opened.
I called the project Class Alert. Built in Python, it sends an alert by email and text the moment a course becomes available. The script takes a department and course code, reports in real time whether the class is open, and allows both the refresh interval and the alert's contact details to be configured.
The project held my attention because it solved a problem I was dealing with at the time. It introduced me to web scraping, and it was an early application of coursework fundamentals to a practical problem.
The Inputs
Python · web scraping · command line
On launch, the script asks for the department and course code of the class to watch, then reports in real time whether that class is open. It checks again every sixty seconds until the status reads OPEN.
The Alert
Python · email & SMS alerts · automation
The moment the class opens, the script detects the change and sends an email with the course code and the time the seat opened.