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<p>I would say it shouldn’t be that hard at all. At least in your first year, you will be taking quite a bit of general education liberal arts classes that really are not that hard. Yes, depending on how advanced your math/science classes are it can be difficult to handle, but if you make sure and spread out the tough classes should be easy. (Easy as long as you get your work done!)</p>
<p>My son has not decided on major yet. He knows that it will be within the liberal arts. He thinks that he might go to graduate film school, though that is still up in the air. My question is this: What are the math and science requirements for graduation? He does not have a strong interest in math. I think that a personal finance course would do him wonders, but that is besides the point. </p>
<p>Which basic math courses would fulfill his requirements for graduation?</p>
<p>Cryto, a question. My son is considering UW and put in his dorm preferences this weekend. He put the Sullivan Hall “substance free” floor as a fairly high preference. I know that one of his concerns about UW is its party reputation. He’s just a very (very) diligent, serious student and I think he’s a little concerned about the risk of getting an out-of-control roommate or floor. I’m guessing he wouldn’t like a soccer game being played in the hallway, for example. (One Halloween night in Madison many, many years ago, my roommate and I – coincidentally, in Sullivan – walked out of our room to see what the racket was, and found exactly that. It occurred to us that it would be funny to steal the ball. I recall that we finally lost the enraged soccer players chasing us somewhere in the ag campus, and had to wander around Madison until the wee hours before we snuck back in. But I digress.) </p>
<p>My concern, however, is whether there is any stigma associated with the substance free house, and I also wonder whether there is a markedly religious bent to the kids who live on that floor, as that would not be a good match with my son. Any insights? I don’t know how popular that house is and wonder whether putting it as a fairly high preference will almost guarantee that he’s placed there. He put Liz Waters, Chad and I think Kronshage above it, by the way.</p>
<p>Anyone on a merit based scholarship should be able to pull B’s or better in their courses, or at least average above a B. If you can’t get a B or better in a math or science course you should rethink any major requiring those courses.</p>
<p>etherdome- See the UW website for courses required to meet university and specific school/college degree requirements. Check the undergrad catag. The math placement test will determine which course(s) he needs or can use. Unless deficiencies show on a placement test there are usually many choices, including some meant for those who have no other reason to take a math related course. The SOAR advisor will be of most help here. For the science breadth courses there are many- including survey courses in just about any field for the nonscience major. These are serious courses (meaning not fluff and require doing work) but often geared to nonscience people, therefore they usually won’t serve as prerequisites for other courses or require college level math and you won’t find students in the major in them. Pick a field and check on courses open to freshmen. Remember that to get into UW students have to have taken several years of math and therefore should have a decent math background both for the placement test and doing well in courses without math prerequisites.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about the stigma of being in any dorm or house. He will be with others who chose his house for finding people to eat with and hang out on the floor with. He won’t want to be with any others who are childish enough to make an issue of where he lives. He also won’t want to associate with those for whom drugs/alcohol are a part of the lifestyle. I have heard of the bad luck of some with drunken roommates. I also know it is easy to only do the first part of “study hard, party hard”. </p>
<p>The partiers make the news but the majority are regular kids who probably try alcohol at least once but don’t make a regular habit of it- students, any trouble with NOT drinking?</p>
<p>I can’t resist wondering if “the good Lord” could find enough people of serious religious bent to occupy a floor on the UW campus… Please, no comments from religious bigots (if your religion is the only true one…). Those who are offended need to realize that part of a good liberal education is questioning ideas one was raised with.</p>
<p>In my day (early 1970’s) it was Chamberlin House of Kronshage that housed hockey players who reportedly played their sport in the halls. By now I’m sure enough maintenance has been done to obscure any nicks/dents in walls. My freshman year was the last one before they started coed housing- Cole women faced Sullivan men (close your drapes, guys, please!) and there was actually an old fashioned “panty raid” instigated by some Cole women (this was in the height of the women’s lib era)- the housefellows needing to keep the doors locked and stand guard were not at all pleased with the juvenile behavior. I also was refused brownies despite my love of chocolate by some floor mates who knew I didn’t do mj… Beer, then all alcohol, was legal back then and still not all students chose to drink, including those of no religious bent.</p>
<p>Thanks Wis75. I’m sure that my son can handle the math…it may not be an area of interest, but he has always performed well in his HS classes. </p>
<p>The real reason I asked is because he is considering taking a math course at a local CC over the summer. He would prefer to take a math course in order to get it out of the way. He will need to enroll in the class before he attends SOAR.</p>
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<p>I personally don’t anyone who lives on a substance free floor and thus my answer should be taken with a grain of salt, but I can give you my perspective as someone from the “outside.” To me, I would say a lot of people who want to live on floors like that do it in order to try and assure themselves a “quiet” roommate so they can sleep or whatever. I have read here on CC about such floors and it seems like people do indeed “use” on those floors it’s just more low key as penalties could be more severe for drinking. I highly doubt it’s some kind of religious sect there, maybe a higher % than your typical floor, but to me it seems like most people I know here are religious to some degree anyway. </p>
<p>I don’t think he would be stigmatized if he ended up on a floor like that. If he wants to assure it instead of responding to the question of, “Where do you live?” with, “I live in the substance free floor of Sullivan” just say that he lives in Sullivan. People really DON’T care about that kind of thing anyway. I would guess if he put those dorms ahead of the sub free floor he would get one of those. Everyone I know got their 1-3 choice if they turned in their forms. So ya overall, don’t worry too much wherever you end up. There’s a chance you will get a “drunk” (They’re not usually so bad :). What would turn me off to someone is if they were vehemently against drinking partying to some degree for no reason. Be open minded as long as your peer is responsible!) anywhere and if things are truly terrible then talk with the RA or move at the semester. Easy as that.</p>
<p>Even though there is no minor, would I be able to take 4 consecutive years of Russian, or would I only be able to take classes related to my major?</p>
<p>^Depends on your major, but I have no doubt you could fit in one class a semester of Russian (and they do have plenty of Russian classes-you can check them in the course catalog on the UW website).</p>
<p>The only reason you couldn’t would be able to was if you couldn’t fit it in; nothing can stop you from taking classes outside your major(s).</p>
<p>Alright cool, I just know that UW has an amazing language department, and even though I don’t want to major in language, I want to take advantage of all the amazing opportunities UW offers</p>
<p>After taking 4 consecutive years of Russian, you’d nearly have the major and would likely make the choice to major in Russian. </p>
<p>MANY UW students add a language as a second major. It’s extremely common.</p>
<p>There is no way you can “take advantage of all the amazing opportunities” at UW. There simply aren’t enough years in any person’s life to do so. You need to choose some and ignore others. One thing different about college compared to HS is the narrowing of focus. To graduate you are rquired to take advanced courses in one area- your major. The time it takes for the courses needed for one or two majors limits the number of other courses you can take in 4 or 5 years as there are only so many hours in a day. You realistically may take 4 or 5 courses a semester when you would love to take 10. You often have to choose among too many desirable options. Plus all of the outside of class options- organized and not. Despite the thousands of students it is unlikely that any two people have an identical UW experience. Enjoy. </p>
<p>PS- 4 years of HS Russian would be 4 semesters of 4 credit (meaning 4 hours per week in class) courses in college, something you can accomplish along with work on another major. The next two years you are likely to be able to complete courses for the major in Russian. However, this could limit your other electives. You choose- a second major plus meeting breadth requirements or a sampling of many unrelated courses and one major. Don’t worry about it, there are many ways to do things and a lot becomes clearer when you are on campus.</p>
<p>UW is the dream. It’s everything I want and more. But I found a drawback. If you can even call it that. I visited recently, and I conquered the beast that is Bascom Hill. How am I supposed to do that in the winter, with text books?! It’s huge, and maybe it’s just because i’m out of shape, but I wasn’t the only one totally wheezing at the top. (: Advice?!</p>
<p>OOH! One more question: what did your grades/extra curriculars look like? What were the essays about? That’s two questions, but oh well.</p>
<p>wis75-No offense but I think you are a bit out of touch on your comment that anyone that does not get a B in a required class should reconsider that major. I think that is a bit drastic. I would say the required classes for engineering are quite rigorous and incoming students should be prepared that they will not automatically get the grades they were used to getting in high school. There is a reason that the minimum GPA for freshman to “transfer” into the College of Engineering after completion of their first year at UW is a 2.5. Not to scare anyone…but the classes are hard…it is college after all! But Wis75 you have to get out of the 70’s and realize that classes and grading is tougher now…</p>
<p>@dayellex3
can’t tell you much about Bascom Hill, but I have heard that one of the worst things about UW is Bascom Hill in the winter- it is rumored to be 1/100 of the slope of Mt. Everest. I’m personally excited.
As for the grades/ EC, mine was 3.4 UW / 3.6 W and no EC to speak of. My essays were about my heart problem i had and my fascination with math. Upward trend of my grades helped, likely.</p>
<p>dayellex3, you get used to it. You really do. :] There’s also the buses 80 and 85 that can take you to the top (although honestly, I don’t think most people like the kids that get on on the Union and get off at Bascom. I don’t, because I actually have to take that bus all the way to the west end of campus, and there’s been times when I haven’t been able to get on the bus because too many people got on to take it two stops). Know that if you really hate it, there’s ways around it, the buses being one of them, and the 80 runs every 6 minutes, pretty much. </p>
<p>And you shouldn’t be carrying that many books anyway, so the added weight shouldn’t be too big of a concern. And heck, you might never have to walk up it. :] This fall will be my fifth semester and I haven’t had a single class sequence that required me to go up it. I’ve had to go down, but going down is way easier. ;]</p>
<p>In winter they’re pretty good about plowing, except during the *really *bad storms which aren’t often. It does get slick sometimes, so be careful. I’ve fallen down that hill at least once in winter. Typically it’s not that bad. There’s kids trecking up and down it all day, and they manage. Although I am reminded of the February 2006 storm in which the school didn’t close for morning classes, and the great shot of students all holding hands walking down the hill sideways. =P</p>
<p>Plus, the stairs on the other side of the School of Ed should be opening this fall semester, I hope. Those are much easier to master than Bascom, and they take you the same place.</p>
<p>If it helps, my friend is convinced that when walking up the hill, the slope of the right side is shallower, so stick to that side. :P</p>
<p>And this was way too long a comment talking about Bascom Hill. lol Just don’t worry about it too much. You’ll either get used to it, find a way around it, or never have to take it at all. :]</p>
<p>Hi Cryto!!,I am international students from China and I want to know some about our placement test. According to announcement of SOAR program, students are supposed to take math and English placement test prior to registeration of SOAR. So, can you tell me what the placement test look like? is it difficult or easy? I will be grateful if you can tell me what math placement test include? Thankyou again!!</p>
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<p>Hello there,</p>
<p>Just to clarify what you said you actually take the placement tests during SOAR on the first day. Second day you register for your classes.</p>
<p>In all honesty, I can’t remember exactly what was on those tests as I took them last July, but from what I remember they were pretty much the same as any old standardized test and I wouldn’t worry at all about trying to study for them or whatever. I’m not sure if English isn’t your first language and maybe that could be more difficult, but I’m sure you will do fine on it. Its just some reading of passages for comprehension and grammar stuff. The only thing that gave me minor troubles were some formulas I had forgotten for the math portion, but like I said don’t worry too much about them. They are just looking to see that you have retained some skills and want to set you up to succeed in your classes instead of fail.</p>
<p>You also may take a third placement test which would be a foreign language if you so choose. Its not mandatory but you ought to take it if you will be taking classes in foreign language your freshman year for retro credits.</p>
<p>wait… if you register for classes during SOAR, wouldn’t many of the classes be filled up by the time the few last SOAR sessions come? i’m an international student so my SOAR is on august 25th… O.O</p>