To take classes at PCOC 2025, you will use our class ticketing system, which has two phases.
Phase 1: Advance Class Requests
October 11, 1:00 pm–October 21, 2:59 am EDT
Choose and rank your preferred classes in one list across all the days you’re registered. Classes will be assigned in rounds based on your preferences, availability, and registration time. Teachers and volunteers receive priority.
Key Dates
- October 8, 1:00 pm EDT — Preliminary class schedule posted
- October 11, 1:00 pm EDT — Final class schedule posted
- October 11, 1:00 pm–October 21, 2:59 am EDT — Request classes
- October 21, 2:59 am EDT — Class requests close
- October 22, 8:00 pm EDT — Class assignments posted
Helpful Tools
Questions? Email us at pcoc-ticketing [at] origamiusa.org.
Phase 2: Self-Serve Class Signups
Opens after class assignments (October 22, 8:00 pm EDT).
Need to change your schedule? You can add or drop classes anytime leading up to when class starts or during the convention.
- Go to PCOC 2025 > My PCOC > My Classes
- Search for a class by name, or teacher or difficulty level. Or choose classes from the class schedules.
- Add or drop with one click (subject to availability and schedule conflicts)
- Before replacing a class with another class in the same period, remove the existing class.
Tip: Check the online schedule to see which classes are sold out (red border = full). If you’re not going to attend a class, please remove it so someone else can take your place!
Priority Ticketing for Teachers and Volunteers
Donate your time during class hours and earn early class assignments:
| Time Volunteered | Priority Access |
| 1 hour/day | 3 classes |
| 2+ hour/day | 6 classes |
To qualify:
- Must be teaching or volunteering during class times (10:00–11:45 am or 2:00–4:45 pm)
- Must be signed up before the class request period ends
- Only a limited number of priority seats are available per class.
Class Preparation
- You’ll receive a 6" (15 cm) pack of kami paper at check-in – bring it to class!
- If a class needs something other than 6” kami, the teacher will provide the paper.
- Most materials are included, but some classes may:
- Have a materials fee
- Require a pre-creased grid
- Recommend tools (check class descriptions and advisories)
Want to take a class with a friend? Try to match your request list exactly with theirs—we’ll do our best to place you together, but it’s not guaranteed.
Good to know:
- Read our Origami Classroom Etiquette and Guidelines on Difficulty Ratings.
- Use a laptop or desktop for the best experience when building your class list.
Need help?
See our FAQ below or reach out directly at pcoc-ticketing [at] origamiusa.org. We’re happy to help you fold your perfect weekend!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did you change the ticketing system?
The new online advance ticketing system offers several benefits over the old system:
- No standing in line each morning of PCOC if you've preregistered.
- You know what classes you'll be taking well in advance of PCOC.
- You can take your time in choosing what classes you want to take. You'll have a week to decide and make your choices.
- The new system is far more equitable than the old system.
What do you mean by "far more equitable?"
Under the old system, everyone got a priority number based on (a) when they registered, (b) luck of the draw (since the first day's registrations were lotteried together). If you got a good, low priority number, you got to pick all your classes before everyone else and pretty much got all your choices! Whereas if you happened to register late (or just ended up with a high number because of the lottery), by the time the line got to you, the pickin's could be pretty slim.
In the new system, there's still priority numbers, but now classes are assigned round-robin, like the NFL draft. Priority number 1 gets ONE class; then number 2 gets ONE class; and so on, all the way to the person with the lowest priority number. Only then does priority number 1 get their second class pick. And so on, and so forth. This makes the class assignment process far more equitable than before.
In the new system, there's still priority numbers, but now classes are assigned round-robin, like the NFL draft. Priority number 1 gets ONE class; then number 2 gets ONE class; and so on, all the way to the person with the lowest priority number. Only then does priority number 1 get their second class pick. And so on, and so forth. This makes the class assignment process far more equitable than before.
So there's still a priority number based on when I register, right?
Yes. The first day's registrations are still lotteried together; thereafter priority numbers are assigned based on the date and time of registration. But the priority number is no longer "winner-take-all"; it just determines your position in each round of class assignment.
Where do I request my classes?
If you registered yourself or someone else, all of your/their schedules will be linked from the PCOC 2025 My Classes page, accessible when you are logged in to your website account. The system will be open for class requests for one week. See here for exact dates.
How do I express my relative choices?
For each day of classes, you can choose any number of classes and drag them into preference order on the online form. You'll put all your choices for all days into a single list, so your top-choice class should be first in the list, no matter what day it's on.
Can I specify conditional choices? Like, if I get into Fuse, I want to take LaFosse, but if I don't get Fuse, then I'll take Peyton?
Sorry, no. You can put your classes into strict order of preference and that's all.
How many choices can I make for each day?
You can request as many classes as you want for each day. The assignment algorithm will try to fill your schedule until either your schedule is full or it runs out of your requests. If you want a full day, we suggest you choose at least 10–15 classes for each day. Also, try to cover each period of the day with several picks so that you will end up with as full a schedule as possible.
Does this guarantee that I'll get my first choice?
No guarantees, but you'll almost certainly get one or more of your top few choices. In past years, almost everyone received their first choice.
Who does the actual assignment? A person? A team?
It's a computer algorithm. There will probably be something like 150 classes and several thousand class requests. The website server will sort through them all and do the actual assignment based on attendees' requests, priority numbers, and class sizes.
Is there special priority for teachers and volunteers, like there was in the past?
Yes, and the good news is, there is special priority, but there's no special process. Teachers and volunteers register and make requests just like everyone else, but they get their special bump at class assignment time, based on the number of hours they teach and/or volunteer.
Does anyone else get special priority?
Yes, we try to give a little extra priority to our invited guests, first-timers and foreign guests. But remember, the nice thing about this system is that priority is no longer all-or-nothing; we dole out priority in measured doses.
What if I register after online class requests close? How do I get classes?
Once the online advance ticketing process closes and classes have been assigned, the self-serve ticketing opens, and everyone can add or drop classes as they wish, right up until class time starts (subject, of course, to class size limits). More details are here.
Can I make changes to my class schedule after getting it via the online advanced ticketing?
Yes. You can use the online self-serve ticketing system to add, drop, or replace classes in your schedule. You can use this from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, but you will need to be signed into your website account.
The class I wanted was sold out. How can I find out if a spot opens up?
There's no way to get a notification, but you can periodically check the daily class schedules and refresh the class schedule grid to see what classes are still or no longer sold out.
I won't have a computer/tablet/smartphone with me at PCOC. How can I make changes to my schedule?
You can ask the team at the ticketing Help desk to assist; make a list of the classes you are interested in, and they can assign you to the available classes. Times and locations are:
* Friday Ticketing Help Desk (Cyril Magnin Foyer) 8:45 am–9:30 am* Saturday Ticketing Help Desk (Cyril Magnin Foyer) 8:30 am–9:30 am* Sunday Ticketing Help Desk (Cyril Magnin Foyer) 8:30 am–9:30 am
Can I make a pairing request, i.e., to make sure I get into the same classes with my child so I can assist them?
We do try to group family members together at assignment time; make sure you and your child request the same classes in the same order and there's a good chance you'll be assigned together (though it's not guaranteed). Once the schedules are published, it may still be possible for PCOC administrators to make changes to effect the desired pairings, either for the selected class, or another that can be agreed upon.
Sorry, I'm still confused and/or having difficulty with the online process for requesting classes. Is there any alternative?
Yes, if all else fails, you can send your class list in priority order to pcoc-teaching [at] origamiusa.org and the teaching team will input your requests for you.