<p>I'm currently stuck at only 13 credits as an incoming freshmen, because of my need to take First Year Florida. I kind of feel like 13 credits is slightly too few, and was looking into two or one credit classes and found AST1022L. I'm just wondering what exactly a lab class entails, for those who have taken it before, and whether it's available to freshmen. </p>
<p>I'll be taking AST1002, as well, and thought it might be a nice accompaniment to that class? </p>
<p>So, if anyone has prior experience with AST1022L, or any opinions on whether 13 credit hours is too few/acceptable for a freshman, please comment. <3</p>
<p>you should really think of fyf as about 1/3 credit worth of actual work since theres no studying involved. you should be taking a whole extra 3 credit class. while yeah it sounds like a good idea to start off slow and not take that many credits so you can adjust to college life, you risk having too much time on your hands. thats not a good thing to have.</p>
<p>16 credits with sls1102 isnt much differenat than just taking 15 credits.</p>
<p>lab experiences range in general… You can’t draw that many comparisons between every class that has the L suffix. Lab classes, generally, apply the scientific method to the material you learn in lecture. And in some you may do experiments that are hands on and in other labs you will do model exercises or made up scenarios. Almost all of the lab classes require lab reports in some way/shape/form. Most lab classes utilize a lab notebooks or coursebooks published by the school’s affiliates or some third party and you complete work inside that book. </p>
<p>As far as learning lab skills, at UF in particular, I do not think the lab components do a great job of teaching that at all. For instance, Bio lab doesn’t even teach you basic research methodology like doing an ELIZA or western blot. The most applicable thing you learn in gen chem lab is how to make a dilution. Useful skills may be found in higher level class labs but I have not taken those and would not expect much at all. I actually do research in a cell science lab at a medical school and did not learn any lab techniques I use now in my coursework at UF.</p>
<p>The lack of skill instruction is compromised with a pile of work that goes into the 1 credit worth of lab. Basic science labs (Bio/Chem/Physics/Orgo) tend to be very challenging because they are a part of the premed curriculum and some of them (bio lab in particular) require just as much studying as the lecture. But astronomy lab, specifically, does not seem, to me, as a lab that will require that much input of work. I would imagine you would be doing a lot of modeling/scenario stuff in the lab workbook and might learn some basic statistics to apply and beyond that probably would not have to study THAT much every week for the class. But I really do not know for sure, I have not taken that lab class. I did, however, take AST1002 (really, really easy… like stupid easy). </p>
<p>Also, side note of unsolicited advice, I would do what has been mentioned above and take a full 15 credits of courses even in my freshman year. I think the “adjustment time” is created in most freshman schedules simply because freshman courses tend to be easier and each class therefore takes up less study time than upper level college classes worth the same amount of credits. You are going to possibly later regret not taking a course earlier and look back and realize “I had so much time to take that my freshman year”. Also, the sooner you get basic, required classes out of the way the sooner you are eligible for internships, research positions, etc. in whatever field you are studying. I would also not recommend taking AST1002. It is 1 of 3 classes i regret taking as a freshman that were gen ed satisfying elective-type useless classes. Taking a physics or chem course for the physical science credit would look better.</p>