She got off the waitlist two weeks into August and was already halfway through the summer course. There were not enough seats in the class at the time that she registered so the college is clearly not meeting the needs of the students. </p>
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Because her situation forced her to take it or she would end up taking another semester at the university. She “volutarily” took the class because she could not continue on track without it and had absolutely no way of knowing if she would get off the waitlist.</p>
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<p>Yes, I do appreciate the silver lining. And she got an “A”</p>
<p>LasMa, this is a public U and overall we have been very happy with the education that she is getting there. She has also had good advising up until this point. i also agree that large universities are good ways to develop assertiveness, etc. but I have heard the same story from people whose children go to small private schools, as well. I think that the colleges should have some accountability. If my D decides to take four classes in a semester instead of five, we can’t just decide to prorate the tuition that we send in. Because it was HER decision to reduce her class load. But when the college makes it impossible to take the recommended or required courses at the time they are needed, that should be on them, IMO.</p>
<p>Thank you to those of you who posted the tips like signing up and going to the class and waiting for someone to drop out. They are good to know and will be helpful in the future. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the savvy at the time and even if she had, she probably wouldn’t have taken the chance because it was so crucial to get that course in.</p>
<p>In instances like this I have found that it is best to go to the professor. I have had a lot of friends with issues like this and the professor never turned them down when the student explained the situation. Last semester I had something similar for a required course in my major where the same professor had two sections and the only one I could take was full. I ended up just going to the full section and talked to the professor the first day and he let me into that section without any problems.</p>
<p>I can understand the frustration with this but I don’t see what the university could do because the class spot did open up. I do have a friend that couldn’t get into a full class due to non-university commitments, but he then took the course in the winter, which I am guessing wasn’t an option in this case.</p>
<p>Can you point to an example where this is the case? I’ve seen 5th level required classes (being that one would have to take a class to take a 2nd class to take a 3rd class to take a 4th class to take a 5th class that’s required) but never farther than that. And in this case the classes are quite accommodating with regards to overrides from being full.</p>
<p>At a big public university I bet there are plenty of interesting classes your daughter could take in addition to what’s required for her major. If it’s the same price, why doesn’t she just sign up for one of those? She can do more than the minimum for her major.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap is right - if you need Calculus I for engineering and don’t get it out of the way first semester freshman year, you can have a problem getting on track.</p>
<p>I still count the above posts as requiring 2 1/2 years (five semesters)? So, even if not started until the second of four years, you could still fit them in, assuming you can get them (a big assumption, I know). I have a college freshman and two to go, so I honestly want to know, where am I missing something?<br>
At S’s school it is done by number of credit hours earned (windows for each level), with honors and declared majors in that subject getting first pick. Eligibility for priority registration due to honors was a big factor in S’s decision to attend this school. It is also on the quarter system so more chances to get the classes he needs or wants.<br>
We learned at orientation that students who really need a class can also “crash” it as set out above and usually get in when other students drop or the professor otherwise allows them to pick up the class.</p>
<p>WordWorld, you count a five-semester sequence, and we assume that undergrad is usually an 8 semester undertaking. But what you’re overlooking is that not everything is offered every semester. Some things are only offered in a set fall-spring sequence, every other year. Sometimes there are irreconcilable time-block schedule conflict things between two essentials offered in the same semester, or the sections offered are full. Internship or study abroad opportunities can also prevent a straight march through a sequence from second semester sophomore year to second semester senior year. Some job prospects (for serious summer work, or when you’re interviewing senior year) might take you more seriously if you’ve already completed certain sequences.</p>
<p>This is one of those things you don’t know to ask and you only find out once you’re there. At Emory, D found a lot of into classes were full. She said other kids would check the website all night long, hoping a spot would open up. But according to another mom who has a child at Emory, if a Bio or Chem class is full, they add another section. </p>
<p>D also did a class at the local community college this summer. $175 per credit and she got an A. The grade doesn’t transfer, but the credits do. And she got a prereq out of the way.</p>
For engineering there is typically a “critical path” of sorts that would dictate how soon the sequencing needs to start. For example, for my structural engineering (civil eng) concentration: </p>
<p>Calculus I > Physics I >
Statics > Strength of Materials >
Structural Analysis I > Structural Analysis II >
Structural design electives (2 semesters worth). </p>
<p>As far as the calc sequence, Linear Algebra can be taken at the same time as Calculus III or as Differential Equations, so a student typically covers all 5 courses in 4 semesters if they are all required (Linear Algebra is sometimes not required or is combined with another course). And engineers need to get this covered before junior level courses.</p>
<p>At our large state U, students get enrollment priority based on their number of credits. So seniors get to sign up first, then juniors etc. Our advisers can also contact a prof to get their agreement to override restrictions set by the computer such as full classes or prereqs (such as when a similar class to the prereq was taken elsewhere but does not show up in the computer as meeting the prereq). It seems to work pretty well.</p>
<p>Wordworld, there is more. I didn’t post it all, I only posted the first two years. At my sons school, IF you start out with the ability to take all the recommended freshman classes (my son tested into pre calc and had to re-take that first), and IF take 17 credits every semester until senior year, and IF get a C or better for all pre reqs, you can squeak by in four years. If anything about that is NOT true, you are looking at summer school instead of internships or work, and hoping you can get the classes you need. We were planning on my son making up a math class this summer at our local CCC, only to find there was no money for summer school in our county. Next county over had a wait list by the time my sons (non matriculated) group had priority. He couldn’t even get on the list until he’d submitted proof he’d completed the pre req he was taking spring semester.</p>
<p>There is none. I’m in the same situation with my son. He was an undecided in terms of major his first year which to me is perfectly normal. At the end of the year, he decided he wanted to go into a field. Couldn’t get any courses for his upcoming year, as those who were declared majors got first dibs. He also has to “change schools” within the university to get any priority for advanced courses. Even then, kids get shut out. He took two courses this summer and is now petitioning to get into the next level courses. One year, before making the decision, and he’s behind the 8 ball already—sheesh.</p>
<p>Shrinkwrap, Physics 3, which is a modern physics class, isn’t required for engineers where I go. What school are you thinking of where it is required? As was said earlier, Math through DiffEq is at worst 4 semesters which occurs only when the DiffEq class requires previous knowledge of Linear Algebra (which is the case of the DiffEq class Math majors where I go take but not of the one for Engineering majors) and the Linear Algebra requires 2 previous math classes, where the sequence would be Calc 1 > Calc 2 > Linear Algebra/Calc 3 > DiffEq. </p>
<p>Fieldsports, which university are you thinking of that doesn’t offer main introductory classes every semester? Presumably it must be a small university of college, correct? Or do you know of a major public U where this is the case?</p>
<p>It’s definitely true that Engineering programs are inflexible to deviation from the standard curriculum, but it’s extremely rare for there to be 7/8 semester prerequisite chains for required classes in programs designed to take 8 semesters.</p>
<p>^ Sorry, you are right about the physics. It guess seemed that the spring of sophomore year for mechanical engineering had preqs that meant you HAD to have taken physics II to proceed.</p>
<p>“but it’s extremely rare for there to be 7/8 semester prerequisite chains for required classes in programs designed to take 8 semesters”</p>
<p>Glad to hear that! Sure doesn’t feel that way, but that might be because of having to repeat pre calc and having no AP’s. ( Yes, it happens!) At sons school, it is four semesters if you start with Calc 1. Trying to take it one day at a time.</p>
SUNY Buffalo, in this case, but it’s the norm for engineering to have a very tight curriculum with little room for error. Perhaps such chains are rare in other majors, but not for engineering in general.</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s a pretty long prerequisite chain. I checked Civil at Michigan and the longest prerequisite chain is 5 semesters with some upper level electives (which look like they can be avoided) at the 6th level.</p>
<p>The longest chain of required classes is Calc 1 > Mechanics > Statics and Dynamics > Solid and Structural Mechanics > Geotechnical Engineering. One of the program electives is Structural Engineering which follows Solid and Structural Mechanics and some of the Technical electives require that class so that is where the 6th level comes in, however, it looks like you can avoid it since there are enough classes which don’t require Solid and Structural Mechanics, and only Statics and Dynamics.</p>
<p>The physics major at UC Berkeley has a seven semester long sequence of courses required for the major, although the first course is a beginning calculus course that likely most physics majors skip with AP credit, leaving them with a six semester long sequence of courses required for the major.</p>
<p>However, UC Berkeley students posting in the school-specific forum do not generally complain about not being able to get courses needed for their major to graduate on time. Students do get waitlisted in pre-registration, though typically enough drop to clear the waitlists for majors. The pre-registration system can prioritize by major, division, class standing, and class level for any given class (e.g. reserving a specific number of spaces only for majors with a specific class standing or level).</p>
<p>^^Not sure what you are trying to get at? You have to have a concentration in some area. The critical path is still going to be at least 7 semesters.</p>