<p>I have recently been accepted to Brown University, and I was hoping for some guidance on what courses I should take. I plan to pursue a degree in Mechanical engineering but I am not very confident of my knowledge in physics. The physics courses offered at my high school were not very strong. I would not be exaggerating if I was to say that I feel as if I have never taken a physics course. Therefore my question is whether I should take 0030 Basic Physics my first semester instead of going straight onto ENGN 0030 Introduction to Engineering. Would taking physics before Intro to Engineering backtrack my plan to study engineering. Would Intro to Engineering be too difficult without a solid foundation in physics.</p>
<p>Should my freshman fall semester be:</p>
<p>0030 Basic Physics
CHEM 0330 Equilibrium, Rate, and Structure
MATH 0190 AP Calculus/Math 0100 (not sure yet)
FYS</p>
<p>or</p>
<p>ENGN 0030 Introduction to Engineering
CHEM 0330 Equilibrium, Rate, and Structure
MATH 0190 AP Calculus/Math 0100 (not sure yet)
FYS</p>
<p>ENGN 0030 Introduction to Engineering is a mandatory S/NC class. I’d recommend taking ENGN 0030 first semester because essentially everyone who’s mildly interested in pursuing engineering enrolls in it. Don’t be worried about not having a strong physics background since this class is a good learning experience because you don’t have to worry about getting a A, B, or C. You’ll also have a meeting with your advisor before classes start so don’t sweat over this too much right now. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Also, there’s no ENGN 0030 in the spring semester, so you’d have to wait until sophomore year to take ENGN 0030… there’s no way you’ll be able to complete all your engineering requirements in 6 semesters… just saying.</p>
<p>Agreed: all people interested in engineering should be taking ENGN0030 their first semester. No worries about your physics background, since this class will cover what’s necessary. It’s also a cool class because it integrates projects with the lectures.</p>
<p>was not an engineering major but hearing that EN3 (I refuse to adopt the post 2007 class codes) is mandatory S/NC seems like a no brainer to take it first semester.</p>
<p>Look at the School of engineering Program Guide on their website. Engineering majors have a pretty rigid schedule for the first five or so semesters --you still get one or two electives (depending if you take four or five courses – take four!) and if you don’ t follow the sequence, I think it is a tough major to complete.</p>
<p>There are certainly a few people who manage to complete an engineering concentration in six semesters, but it’s definitely NOT what you want to do. As other posters have said, just take ENGN 0030 your first semester. Enjoy the SN/C :)</p>
<p>Another recommendation for someone like you: (and the same holds true for any student who might feel like they are starting at a disadvantage compared to students in the same course of study with a strong HS background, whether a STEM course or a language or whatnot) is to look to your local community college, or similar and take a basic course this summer in whatever subject you want to get ready for. That fact that you have been accepted to Brown means that Brown fully expects you will be able to do just fine in whatever course at Brown you set your apptitude toward. What you take at the community college level will just be a fraction of what you will cover in one semester of the same thing at Brown, and not something to let you “skip” that course at Brown, but it will give you more confidence in approaching something you might feel daunting. You’re also likely to find the “easy” pace of your CC course actually fun!</p>