1st Orientation--Stories Please!

<p>I see that AP's can exempt students from certain GE requirements, but will they also exempt them from TO requirements in terms of the 4 TO core classes? (I'm thinking of the science-related TO if the student would otherwise be exempt from the first science GE based on AP scores.)</p>

<p>Nester,
Just as there are 6 Categories in GE's, there are 6 classes in TO as well. These are the four Cores, as well as two Theme based classes/courses... these last two are the Humanities and Social Science Theme, and the Natural Science Theme. It's these two classes that APs can exempt the student from in the TO program.</p>

<p>Thanks, Sequoia. Still confused, though. Are the social science and natural science theme courses actually offered through TO, or are they selected from classes taught in the university at large?</p>

<p>Select classes taught in the university at large.</p>

<p>Nester,
At orientation, for the TO, they give you a list and description of the Core 102choice of courses (6 choices), and a choice of 2 Core 104 Cores (which I believe must be taken by certain majors in first semester as well, SCA majors at least).
Attached to the package are a list of TO Theme courses (for fall 2008) as well. This list has many choices in various disciplines but it seems to me not to be the same list as those offered in the GEs. (I might be wrong though as I do recognize some so I think there is some duplication, but a lot of the choices seem to be others)</p>

<p>How does advisement/registration work at orientation? Any pointers on that?</p>

<p>I have some interesting info on the language placement front. I just got off the phone with the testing office and apparently, after placing out of two semesters of language in the online test, the student can go in and take a more involved test in person, including a listening comprehension section. The catch is, if the student doesn't do well on this in-person test, the results trump the on-line test, so the student could find himself placed in a lower level of Spanish than he received through on-line testing, and be required to take the language for more semesters.</p>

<p>Yes that's true. In fact also apparently, if you do really well on the extra paper test you can waive out completely, ie not do the 3rd semester.
Also, if you find that say 3rd semester turns out to be too advanced, you can easily switch into 2nd semester of Spanish. I know some students (my D included) who got placed into 3rd level, who took Spanish AP last year and did not remember everything, yet by luck perhaps or guessing (as my D did) they got into the highest level.
For the reverse situation, you'd need to be tested again.</p>

<p>Tastytofu,
you will be in a group according to your major (or in the TO group) in a room with the computers. You will be given a list of GE (or TO) courses from which to choose, as well as information as to which preliminary/prerequisite courses you need for your major. All the while you will have the guidance and info from the advisors present. You will have certain choices but will need to juggle things around a bit wrt time slots you prefer whether there are conflicts. My D for example couldn't choose a particular class due to its time conflict with another one.
It's all pretty well sorted out and really you don't need to prepare too much in advance other than maybe having an idea of which GE or TO classes you'd prefer. If you do prepare, have some second/third choices.</p>

<p>What time on the second day was everyone finished registering. We have plane to catch at 7:30pm on the second day of orientation.</p>

<p>^ Registration is between 1 and 5pm. Most finish by around 3, some within an hour. My D had to juggle things around due to time conflicts of courses, things didn't go all that smooothly for her, but she was finished by 3:45.</p>

<p>my flight out of LAX was at 7pm, and i had more than enough time for everything. call for a shuttle to pick you up around 5pm and you should be fine.</p>