School/University/College

[Obscure_Trash]

What courses are you guys taking this year, out of curiosity?

Chem II + Lab + Recit

Earth Processes + Lab

Intro to Political Science

Earth Practicum

Zumba

 

14 credit hours and trying to get into geomicrobiology, which would make it 17 credit hours. owo

Edited August 28, 2011 by SockPuppet Strangler

[LadyNightshade]

You guys are taking a ton of classes.

 

Normally I would take four classes but I haven't been able to handle it stresswise. I'd rather just go an extra year by taking fewer classes but doing well in them.

 

 

Still, I'm taking 14 credit hours and I'm only in three classes.

 

 

Sock, I misread one of your classes as "Introduction to Portal Science". I was very disappointed to see you were not in that class.

[Obscure_Trash]

Sock, I misread one of your classes as "Introduction to Portal Science". I was very disappointed to see you were not in that class.

I am now also very disappointed.

[TPishek]

TPishek, do you sleep? Ever?

lol

 

Usually

[Swizzle]

What courses are you guys taking this year, out of curiosity?

Child, Adolescent, and Adult Health

Science for the 21st Century I

Cognition, Human Learning, and Motivation

Foundations of Arithmetic

Second Year Japanese I

EDU Transfer Interest Group

 

^most of these are education classes as I'm studying to be an elementary teacher and most of these are group project-based classes

 

 

Sooo glad to be done with core classes. I'm a sophomore now; last year I went into college with a lot of AP credit classes, which knocked out a good bit of work (high school peoples, I advise you to take college levels if you are considering it and you think you are advanced at a certain subject; saves money and time when you go off!). This year, I transferred into my dream university and I think it'll be a good challenge compared to last year...

[JaziandCo]

What courses are you guys taking this year, out of curiosity?

Psychology

2D Design

3D Design

Drawing

 

 

Illustration Major, foundation year. The three art classes are all day studio classes, so.

[Walker]

Intro to Communication

Intro to Computer Software

Skills, Meaning, and Communication

College Algebra

Philosophy Finds World Mind

 

...

 

Yes, my college has weird classes, and is slightly obsessed with communication ones.

 

/English major is taking no english classes

[Trikonasana]

Wow some of you take a lot of classes! I guess different colleges/universities work differently. I take five per semester, each semester is just over three months long (with a couple weeks in between for exams) and I get a four-month summer. SWEET DEAL.

 

My courses are

 

Foundations of Theoretical Practices

English Literature from the Middle Ages to the Present

Latin I

Topic in Literature and Society

Philosophy of Sex, Love and Death

 

The first two are required courses; I'm an English major going into second year.

[TPishek]

I'm a sophomore now; last year I went into college with a lot of AP credit classes, which knocked out a good bit of work (high school peoples, I advise you to take college levels if you are considering it and you think you are advanced at a certain subject; saves money and time when you go off!).

So much this. I went into college with 17 credits of gen eds because of my AP classes. The AP exam is $87, so I paid $348 for my four courses (which translated to 5 college classes)-- a semester with the same five classes would have cost me $19,900 tuition at my college. And even if your college doesn't accept AP credit, or if you don't do well enough on the exam, it's going to give you a very nice head start once you take the course in college.

[Obscure_Trash]

So much this. I went into college with 17 credits of gen eds because of my AP classes. The AP exam is $87, so I paid $348 for my four courses (which translated to 5 college classes)-- a semester with the same five classes would have cost me $19,900 tuition at my college. And even if your college doesn't accept AP credit, or if you don't do well enough on the exam, it's going to give you a very nice head start once you take the course in college.

The problem with this at my school is that you have to take classes to make up for those credits (the classes count, so you can skip classes, but it takes away some credits) and we're a small school that's short-staffed and can't always offer you classes that will be able to fill those now missing credits. >_>

[spyro76]

AP credits really aren't going to do anything for me. It might get me out of Calc 1 and Physics, but skipping a class puts you behind, because they expect you to be familiar with their setup, under different conditions than the AP class you took, at the university. That's exactly what a fifth year student told me when I visited the school I'm planning on going. His AP credits got him out of the first year of general chemistry, but he was unfamiliar with the lab setup, etc and ended up falling behind and dropping the more advanced class for the general chem class anyway.

[Trikonasana]

I got credit for first-year Chem, Calculus and English courses (one each) with my AP credit. In the end it's a couple less option courses I have to do for my degree, which is pretty sweet.

 

A lot of my friends in Arts programs used AP credit from high school to cover the mandatory science requirement that the faculty has at my university.

[Swizzle]

At my old HS, we had "dual credit" and "AP" credits. The dual credit was physically driving to a community college and taking a college class, which was said to be significantly easier than the AP option, which involved taking a qualified teacher at the HS and the AP exam in May. The AP exams are very difficult and you study all year to take them. However, dual credit is not guaranteed to transfer to every university while AP is recognized by most major colleges. AP was a big incentive at my high school to not only get out of a college class down the road, but we were given a pretty mighty GPA boost for it. At a high school that was extremely academically competitive, it was crucial you take these classes or you were left behind.

 

But yes, not to mention they did ready me for college level work...if not overprepared me. The university I used to be at I thought was extremely easy (not so much this year....).

[Kamak]

AP credits really aren't going to do anything for me. It might get me out of Calc 1 and Physics, but skipping a class puts you behind, because they expect you to be familiar with their setup, under different conditions than the AP class you took, at the university. That's exactly what a fifth year student told me when I visited the school I'm planning on going. His AP credits got him out of the first year of general chemistry, but he was unfamiliar with the lab setup, etc and ended up falling behind and dropping the more advanced class for the general chem class anyway.

This. If you really REALLY think you have a good grasp on the classes you've gotten AP credits from, use them to get ahead (especially if it kills all of your English/History/Science/whatever credits that you need. If you have classes in those subjects AFTER the skipped classes (skipped a semester of Bio, going into second semester Bio) you may want to talk to an advisor to see what's up, or make sure your prof and lab instructors KNOW you're first semester student/skipped the previous class so they can help you know what to expect.

 

However, I would still advise you to not skip if it's what your majoring in. These classes are your foundation, and if you took the AP test in 11th grade, the rust might be a bit too much for you. Just try to talk to as many people and know where they're coming from. If your advisor is telling you to take the class and isn't being very helpful, get a second opinion (because unfortunately MANY advisors are looking at how much money is going to fall into the pockets of the university and will try to con you into doing something unnecessary).

 

Ultimately, the decision is yours, but please try to make an educated decision. Nothing is worse than getting into an upper level class, being confused out of your mind, failing that class, and then having to go back and take the previous class just to get a better background.

 

Anyways, the classes I'm taking this semester are:

 

Microbiology (and lab)

Botany (and lab)

US History to 1877

Evolution

 

All in all, I'm taking 14 hours, and after I'm done, all I need for bio classes is Ecology, 8 hours of research, and 4 hours in independent research. After that, teaching classes and I'm all done.

 

-K-

[TPishek]

At my old HS, we had "dual credit" and "AP" credits. The dual credit was physically driving to a community college and taking a college class, which was said to be significantly easier than the AP option, which involved taking a qualified teacher at the HS and the AP exam in May. The AP exams are very difficult and you study all year to take them. However, dual credit is not guaranteed to transfer to every university while AP is recognized by most major colleges. AP was a big incentive at my high school to not only get out of a college class down the road, but we were given a pretty mighty GPA boost for it. At a high school that was extremely academically competitive, it was crucial you take these classes or you were left behind.

 

But yes, not to mention they did ready me for college level work...if not overprepared me. The university I used to be at I thought was extremely easy (not so much this year....).

Oh yeah :3 Our GPA for Honors level classes were x 1.05, and for AP classes were x 1.10-- so if you got an 89 raw percentage in an AP class, it was actually curved to a 98. Which, as tough as the classes were, was totally justified.

[Swizzle]

I completely agree, Kamak.

 

In my case, majoring in Education and Japanese, I really didn't need many of my core classes (if any at all, you could argue). English I had to take an additional class for anyway and it probably was the most useful of the cores for me to take. But, the AP classes might not help someone if they are, say, a pre-med student.

 

Some people I knew got pretty screwed over using AP credits and attempting a transfer program. I was enrolled in a transfer program where I could only choose classes off a limited list of maybe 40 or so that would transfer to the next university. With all my AP credits, I just barely was able to find classes that would translate in relation to my major coursework.

[TPishek]

I would say to do your research before choosing which (if any) AP classes you take. By the time you're taking AP level classes, you're most likely a junior or senior, and have some kind of idea where you'll be applying. Look into your colleges' AP policies. Most schools accept them; some don't. Some accept them in name, but they're really only worth a few extra credit hours and you still have to take the classes. Some only accept classes that are gen-eds for your major, and not core major classes. Some accept them, but you have to fill in the "gap" with a higher-level class. Check the website or call the registrar; they'll be able to help you with the decision. If you don't know where you'll go yet, or the schools your looking at have conflicting AP policies, go with the skills you think you'll need most. For example, pretty much every college course requires an essay at some point-- even the maths and sciences. AP English can really help with essay-writing skills, even if you don't get credits for it. And, since AP classes are oriented with a goal of passing the standardized tests at the end of the year, you can pick up some really wonderful testing strategies in them.

 

For example, for me my AP European History transferred right in as 3 hours of humanities I never have to take here. AP Calc BC transferred in as 8 credits of mathematics; the only math I had to take in college was the far less time-consuming Statistics.

AP Language and Comp replaced English 106, but as per University policy I still had to take 6 credits of English classes in college, and AP didn't cut down on that number-- I had to take 200 level classes instead of 100 levels. So that one didn't really save me much time, BUT it did teach me how to write a darn good essay-- something I've used in virtually every single one of my college classes.

AP Biology, as part of my core major, gave me three nominal credits for "Intro to Biology", but I still had to take the eight credits of Biodiversity and Intro to Cellular Biology that used the same textbook. However, I was able to take Genetics and Cell Bio "before" I had taken the prerequisite 100-level classes, which made my schedule a lot more adaptable and let me start my research project about a year earlier than I would have on a "normal" schedule.

[Kamak]

BTW, I'm not advocating against AP CLASSES, since they do usually help you get oriented to what to expect for college. I encourage you to take an AP class in the subjects your wanting to major in to get ahead of the game in what you know, and AP tests are a good way of figuring out how much you retained (which will be a great indication for finals (though you'll probably know more info for the AP test than you will in a college course).

 

The point I'm making about AP is to not depend on it to get you out of college classes. That IS a major draw for the AP program, but people can fall into the pitfalls of trying to use it as a shortcut when they aren't ready for what they're getting into.

 

-K-

[Trikonasana]

To be completely honest one of the reasons I took AP classes through high school was because I had good friends in them and the classes had no dumb people who I didn't want to associate with in them.

 

The exams I took just because I'd done a bit of research and I knew they would help me both prepare for university-level stuff and/or get extra credits in university.

[MellaBella]

I'm in a predicament. D:

 

We're starting homework in Spanish 103. All of the homework is online, UNFORTUNATELY I need a book and a book code in order to see and finish it. MORE UNFORTUNATELY I do not have either, and can't get either until my financial aid money comes in. And no one knows when it will come in.

 

...*headdesk*

[LadyNightshade]

I feel like a professional scientist now. I have my very own key to a lab drawer full of supplies in my organic chem lab.

 

To actually have a key on my key ring... it's like a dream come true!

 

 

Also that this means I don't have to share any of my equipment, or open up my drawer to find half the glassware is broken.

[Kamak]

I'm in a predicament. D:

 

We're starting homework in Spanish 103. All of the homework is online, UNFORTUNATELY I need a book and a book code in order to see and finish it. MORE UNFORTUNATELY I do not have either, and can't get either until my financial aid money comes in. And no one knows when it will come in.

 

...*headdesk*

Can you apply for an emergency loan while you wait?

 

otherwise, I would let the prof know and see if you can turn it in later...

 

-K-

[TPishek]

I'm in a predicament. D:

 

We're starting homework in Spanish 103. All of the homework is online, UNFORTUNATELY I need a book and a book code in order to see and finish it. MORE UNFORTUNATELY I do not have either, and can't get either until my financial aid money comes in. And no one knows when it will come in.

 

...*headdesk*

Tell the prof. Any professor worth their salt will work with you and give you advice-- either giving you a temp code, or giving you print-offs of the assignment etc.

[Pink]

Just got back from school a little while ago.

Unfortunately I learned that I'm going to have a sore back nonstop. All the professors (the ones I met today at least) want me to lug around all the books I need for their respective classes.

Fun.

 

...I'm going to try and get a smaller computer so I can lighten my load a little.

~_~

 

Good new though! This means I'll lose tons of weight.

 

[MellaBella]

I've been telling the professors that have scheduled assignments from the books.. my Spanish professor was like "Ugh, that's tough. Well, I'll let you turn in the first assignment late, but I won't accept the second assignment as late and so on. Just tell me whatever your financial advisor tells you." I guess that would be fair, but my next assignment is due tomorrow. :/ I don't think I'll have my money by then.

 

Anyway, my financial advisor said that there is still a $65 fine that we need to pay before I can access my money. Other than that, my mom would have to increase the parent loan so I can get another book voucher. Blargh.