<p>rn2011, because your program is 5 years, you may be able to do it but you’ll have to see how it goes. There’s plenty of advising available as well.</p>
<p>I disagree about the math issue, perhaps because I tutor kids in math and know how hard it is for most people. (That said, though I have friends who design grade school level math programs, I don’t like the way math is taught. Not at all. I think most is a waste.)</p>
<p>I think people need to understand statistics. Everyone needs to have a working knowledge of basic statistical concepts because every field now depends on that. Anthropology, linguistics are obvious. Much research in English and literature uses statistical analysis. Almost no one needs to learn calculus. I find it odd that people may get exposed to derivation but not integration when the latter is far more intuitive (as long as you don’t have to any actual figuring).</p>
<p>I can’t say much about teaching evolution because it is generally taught and then generally disbelieved because people prefer to believe what their religion wants them to believe. As for quantum mechanics, I’d say there is 0 chance many people can grasp that in any detail; it’s simply beyond them. It’s been over a century since special relativity and we’re approaching that mark for general relativity and very few people have a clue beyond the very most general scifi notions. Some ideas are too difficult. People can be taught about the Standard Model and they’ve certainly heard of quarks but they will never grasp how inflation works other than maybe a vague idea there is a cosmic microwave background you can see on a picture.</p>
<p>Remember, not that long ago in our history, it was easier to list the things a person should know because we didn’t know that much. The language of biology now takes years to learn. But in the 19thC, not many people understood field theory. One of my favorite bits is that set theory quite literally didn’t exist until George Cantor and then it didn’t take modern form until the 20thC. It would seem that sets would be central to math - since they are - so how could the entire field not exist until after 1870? How many people 100 years ago could tell the difference between kinds of infinities? </p>
<p>As for Impressionism, it’s easy to say it’s about rendering light and a different form of representation but very few people understand it in any depth. They probably like Monet, get confused by some guy named Manet, like Renoir, sometimes aren’t sure about Van Gogh but know his pictures are expensive, etc. Most people can’t see art just as most can’t hear music - witness the endless repetitions of the same basic popular music tropes and the rarity in all of human history of truly great music. </p>
<p>As for literature, everyone uses words but most people only use the basic counting numbers and arithmetic they learned in Kindergarten through 2nd grade.</p>
<p>I’ve heard that there are fewer general education requirements for UR, is this true? if so what exactly are the requirements and do they make double majoring any easier?</p>
<p>In addition to freshman writing and the three clusters (one of which will include your major area of study) there are only departmental requirements for majors. A double major is very manageable and how easy it is truly depends on the major subjects and the requirements for that major. I am hardly an expert, just familiar with my own daughter’s experience.
Additionally, I am not advocating scientific or mathematical ignorance. I was responding to another post. You would not have been accepted if you were not capable.</p>
<p>ASticks-- URoc doesn’t have any general education requirements. (Well, except for freshman writing.) Instead URoc students are required to take a cluster, minor or major in each of these three general areas: natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.</p>
<p>A cluster is a group 3 related courses, usually but not always in the same dept.</p>
<p>An explanation of clusters together with links to the clusters currently offered:</p>
<p>The lack of distribution requirements does make it easier to double major. However, if you double major with 2 majors in the same area (i.e. two social sciences, two humanities, two natural sciences), you will not have much slack in your schedule for optional electives since your two majors and 2 required clusters will take up just about all of your schedule space. </p>
<p>But this true also at schools which do have GE requirements. Double majoring take careful planning and discipline to get all your necessary coursework done in 4 years no matter where you go.</p>
<p>I mentioned evolution, impressionism, and quantum theory as examples, not specific “must-know” topics!</p>
<p>On evolution, you’re exactly making my point–folks reject evolution because they don’t understand it. Evolution is about change in living things, not “my ancestor is a monkey”. Most of evolution is genetic and biochemical. For example, I am a Catholic, and most Catholics just assume the Church is against it–but it’s not. There is a basic misunderstanding of how science works. It’s not about “believing” evolution through faith, it’s about “accepting” evolution as the best explanation of how living things change over time. Science and religion are not diametrically opposed–they just operate in different realms: one has the starts with faith, the other with observation and fact. Theories can never be proven, but are supported by evidence. Existence of God can similarly not be proved as well.</p>
<p>There is a basic knowledge of quantum theory that high school kids are exposed to that is conceptual in nature. Treating particles as waves and waves as particles led to all modern technology. Even Einstein himself rejected some aspects of it and as a result, was kind of “out of the loop” in some respects. He wrote the famous letter to FDR alerting him of the Nazi atom bomb program, but Einstein was not at Los Alamos.</p>
<p>Bottom line, because I was made to learn both math/science AND the liberal arts, I kill at Jeopardy–no category scares me LOL!!</p>
<p>MADad, keeping this short because it’s somewhere way off topic, the problem isn’t education but that belief trumps education. I realized this some years back when classmates who had become evangelical started saying, “Evolution is only a theory.” They knew better but they accepted dogma that requires rejecting fact. Sad truth is that much belief, particularly fundamentalist belief of all stripes - whether religious or political or philosophical - is counter-factual. Fact-based people have trouble grasping this; they try to argue with believers using facts when the believers will only deny, distort and lie.</p>
<p>Hollinn:
What do students do with their stuff during winter break? Can they left their big items (microwave, fridge, etc.) in their dorms or they need to remove them?<br>
Thanks.</p>
<p>lightseeker: During winter break, all stuff can be left in the room. The only thing students have to do is remember to unplug everything, and clean out the refrigerator! I’ve forgotten to empty my refrigerator in the past – it wasn’t pretty.</p>
<p>You don’t need to do anything over winter and spring. For summer, there are storage companies that will pick up and deliver. Given that much UR housing is clusters of 3 and 6, there is also a chance you’ll have a local roomie with a garage.</p>
<p>I know that I’m jumping in on this conversation a bit late, but if any current students have any advice I’d be very grateful to hear it.
I am going to be a freshman at the University of Rochester this fall, and I plan on taking bio (110 or 112, haven’t found out my AP score yet), chem 131, and first year calculus. I know that it is very difficult to be pre-med at a science-intensive school like Rochester, and I was wondering how the curves in these classes worked. Is it very competitive and difficult to get an A, or do the curves usually work in the students’ favor? Thanks for any help you may have!</p>
<p>D2 took the same schedule you’ll be taking, except she took Calc 3 and had an upper level philosophy as her 4th class.</p>
<p>Curves in science and math classes are true curves at UR for all large lecture classes. The center of the curve will be at a C+ for most classes. (Occasionally at B- depending of the prof.) If you score 1 standard deviation above the class mean your grade will be in the B/B+ range. If you score 1.5-2 std deviations above the mean, you’re in A-/A/A+ territory. You will not see an intro science class with all As, or even mostly As.</p>
<p>So how much the curve helps you depends on how well you score on the exam relative to how well the rest of the class does. For example, if you make a 42 on an exam and the class mean is 44 with std deviation of 6 pts you probably get a C/C+. If you score a 88 and the class mean is 93 with a std deviation of 6 pts, you’ll probably get a C-. Curves cut both ways.</p>
<p>In reality, there will be a huge spread of scores in the freshman pre med intro science classes. D2 first chem exam saw raw scores from 115 to 4 points, out of a 100 point exam. (115 included 15 extra credit points. The guy with 4 point actually lived on her hall and she saw his exam sheet to verify that indeed that was his score. He got 4 points for putting his name on the answer sheet and everything else wrong and didn’t answer any of the extra credit questions not even the the softball “What is the name of your recitation TA?”.)</p>
<p>BTW, your exam score and the class mean plus the std deviation will be posted when grades for each exam are posted.</p>
<p>And the examples used above are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent actual cases. The actual std deviation tend to be much broader.</p>
<p>The curves, in general, are pretty tough. However, freshman curves are the easiest (just don’t be a stupid freshman)! You will get the benefit of the doubt in these classes. You should be fine with those classes, just remember to consistently work hard during the semester and seek help when you need it.</p>
<p>If you have difficulty with that courseload as a first semester freshman, then I think you should reconsider pre-med… it only gets worse. Sophomore year may be the most difficult for the curriculum, because you no longer receive a “freshman cushion”. The curve gets more difficult because most of the wannabees will have quit pre-med by that point.</p>
<p>But just work hard and you’ll be fine. Learn study techniques early on so you can continue to develop them to accommodate for the increase in difficulty as you progress as an undergraduate.</p>
<p>Sorry if I sound harsh, but this is something you probably need to hear.</p>
<p>Thanks WayOutWestMom and Hollinn for the helpful and honest answers. I’ll get ready to hit the books next year, and hopefully it will all work out!</p>
<p>Hi, Hollinn~
I will transfer to UR this fall.
Now I am a little worried about housing, do you know the chance for transfers to live on-campus? ( I’m a sophomore) ThX~</p>
<p>Transfers are not guaranteed housing; however if you are willing to accept whatever opening is offered to you, then your odds are probably pretty good. </p>
<p>Notification of housing openings for transfers will come fairly late in the summer–think the latter part of July.</p>
<p>Hi Hollinn,
My D is coming in as a freshman for orientation and our flight arrives at 1AM. What’s your best guess for reasonable lodging. Near the airport? I know there is a Univ. /student discount with a taxi company.<br>
Thanx for the input,
Manaful</p>
<p>The University is a quick cab ride from the airport. If you are talking about summer orientation arrival, you should book a hotel fairly quickly. There are several in easy distance from the airport and the school and the university website has a list. If you are going to be doing errands and going to Bed, Bath and to Target, it would be helpful to rent a car.</p>