Current undergrad taking questions!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Rochester
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<p>The closest hotel by far - yes, bad joke - is the Staybridge Suites. It’s next to the UR apartments over the Genesee bridge. But it fills up very fast. Other than that, the area around the airport or in Henrietta, the town immediately south of UR, has every chain hotel in existence. Henrietta is also where all the stores are. It’s very easy to get to and from the stores, maybe 10 minutes at most, but then anywhere in Rochester is 10 minutes by car from UR. Bit of warning: Henrietta has two Henrietta Roads. East and West and they run next to each other. You won’t realize that from any map because who the bleep thinks there will be another road with the same name? </p>

<p>A recommendation: apply to UR Foot. Look it up. Great program. If you get in - totally random selection for limited slots - you check into the dorm days early. That mean no lines, no waiting, people who have nothing much to do waiting to carry all your stuff to your room. Deadline is in July.</p>

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<p>I realize that you meant fall orientation… it happens in August, so it is still summer!! I do recommend you book hotel early both for orientation and if you are planning to come to Meliora Weekend.</p>

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<p>We like the La Quinta on 15A (don’t remember if its E. or W. Henrietta), used to be a Hampton Inn. Go 10 minutes north, you’re on campus. Go 10 min. south from hotel, you’re in the Henrietta shopping area, with every chain store known to man.</p>

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<p>Thanks, WayOutWestMom!</p>

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<p>We like the Country Inn & Suites on E. Henrietta Road (there’s one on W. Henrietta, too, but it’s not as nice). Inexpensive, nice breakfast included, and about 15 minutes from campus so easier to get a reservation.</p>

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<p>^^^That’s where I usually stay too.</p>

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<p>That’s probably the 2nd closest hotel to campus. It is convenient. Head north on that Henrietta Road and at the fork you go left to Mount Hope or right and it turns into South. Left on Elmwood and you’re at school. Keep going and you head into town toward the Genesee. </p>

<p>I know where the gas stations and coffee places (and Abbott’s Frozen Custard) are, so this is a big route for me when I’m in Rochester.</p>

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<p>Ha - that’s where I stay too!</p>

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<p>We usually stayed at the Doubletree which is also very convenient as is the Courtyard Marriott. Whenever I go to Rochester on business, I stay at the Hyatt which is also a quick drive to campus. Once we booked late and stayed at the Hampton Inn North, up past the airport near the Greece Mall, not as convenient but worked fine as well.</p>

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<p>The LaQuinta on West Henrietta used to be the Hampton Inn Rochester South until last year.</p>

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<p>How did you pay for textbooks? Order off amazon?</p>

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<p>D2 has generally bought her textbooks from sources other than the campus bookstore. </p>

<p>However, she found that for some classes that require multiple paperbacks, it’s less expensive to buy those used from the UR bookstore because shipping costs can eat up any savings you might realize by buying used elsewhere. </p>

<p>She also has borrowed texts from other students–who are usually happy to share once they’ve finished with the class.</p>

<p>She has also rented some textbooks which she knows she won’t want to keep. UR’s bookstore offers textbook rentals for a very competitive price and the convenience can’t be beat.</p>

<p>If you plan on renting a text (from UR or any other online textbook rental source), and will be using the same book for 2 semesters–common in intro science courses–check to make that the 2 semester rental is LESS than the cost of a used textbook. (Often it’s not.)</p>

<p>Some courses do not have textbooks–just .pdf articles the instructor will provide or materials on reserve in the library. </p>

<p>Once you know which courses (and sections!) you’re enrolled in, you can go to the UR Bookstore website, find the textbook section, enter your course number and section, and get a list of your books for each class. The list will include title, author, publisher, edition and ISBN. (HINT: Google Shopping is your friend.) </p>

<p>Some intro courses <cough-biology-cough> use customized editions which cannot be bought elsewhere, but most other books can be found at a variety of sources.</cough-biology-cough></p>

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<p>Yep. Get the ISBN to make sure you have the right edition and shop the net. You may save money. Be careful ordering from a used book source. One of my kids ordered some stuff through half.com and it never arrived. Make sure you check out the seller’s reputation and leave yourself enough time to cover if something doesn’t show or is the wrong book. </p>

<p>If you’re lucky, you might get a Potions text with the answers written in.</p>

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<p>To all current and former UR students, especially natural science majors, and WayOutWestMom (you seem to know a lot) : What was your freshman year schedule, both fall and spring? I’m trying to pre-register and figure out which freshman classes I shouldn’t miss and what classes I can take later. I plan on pursuing a BS in cell/developmental biology.
I’m pretty sure I’m taking BIO112 ( I got a 5 on the exam), MTH 162Q, CHM 131, and obviously the writing requirement. I’m just wondering how the other three years will unfold and that largely depends on what I take next year. It’s a little overwhelming. I want to take French, english classes, music classes, and a semester abroad in a Spanish speaking country. I know, eager little freshman. I don’t really like any of the social sciences but I know I have to complete a cluster in on of those areas. I guess what I’m trying to gauge is how much is too much?
Also, for my intended majors third math class you have to chose from MTH 163, 164,235 STT 201, 212 BCS 200 CSC 161, 170, 171 or ECE 114. Based on what you’ve heard from employers, professors, and other people in your field which is most advantageous?</p>

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<p>My personal opinion–take MathLab (don’t know the course number but it’s offered irregularly thru the math dept). MathLab is a software pkg used to do data/statistical analysis in a variety of science & engineering fields. MathLab at UR is one part programming, one part statistics. For most science/engineering applications, MathLab has replaced JAVA and C++ as the most desired programming skill.</p>

<p>Statistics is also immensely useful. (STT 212–applied statistics for biological science. STT 212 doesn’t have a pre-req so skip STT 201.) BCS 200 has been discontinued–STT 212 is the recommended course now.</p>

<p>MTH 164, 165, 235 is the sequence which will give a minor in math. (MTH 163 is a terminal course so skip it if you plan to take Calc 3 or complete a math minor.)</p>

<p>More math is better than less math, IMO. A math minor will make you more marketable upon graduation than a straight Bio BS will.</p>

<p>If you want to do a semester abroad, it’s more difficult to do as science major. You need to plan for it starting from Day 1. You won’t be able to take any of your science coursework (esp lab classes!) during your abroad semester and that may interrupt your sequence of courses and put you behind schedule for graduation.</p>

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<p>Oh forgot—</p>

<p>First semester: CHM 131+lab, BIO 112+lab, MTH 164, PHL 103</p>

<p>Second semester: CHM 132+lab, Bio 113+lab, MTH 165, WRT 105, ANTH 101 (yes, she overloaded.)</p>

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<p>WayOutWestMom, what did your daughter major in? I am majoring in Neuroscience and my schedule for fall and spring looks exactly like your daughter’s (except my cluster classes are diffrent). Am I also going to have to take my neuorscience classes in addition to chm, bio, math, clusters, and writing? I will be WAY overloaded then…</p>

<p>BTW if anyone can answer…what is the disctinction between “neuroscience” and “BCS”?</p>

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<p>D2 is double major in neuroscience and mathematics. (Math major added during 2nd semester sophomore year. Neuro from Day 1.)</p>

<p>Yes, neuro has some very specific course requirements, but you can’t start them until you’ve completed BIO 112-113 or BIO 110-111. So you can’t start them until sophomore year.</p>

<p>If you plan carefully you won’t have to overload–although if you plan to go abroad you may.</p>

<p>Neuroscience is a sub-specialty offered within the biology dept. Your degree will say BS (or BA) BIOLOGY with a concentration in neuroscience. BCS is a separate dept and your degree will say Brain and Cognitive Science.</p>

<p>Practically speaking, there’s a difference in core required coursework. Neuro has more required courses for the degree which includes 2 years of chem, 1 year of physics (plus all the Bio dept requirements); BCS does not require a second semester of BIO, any chem or physics.</p>

<p>BCS has a broader selection of subfields and disciplines to choose from. BCS courses include courses from CS , statistics, econ, music, philosophy, physics, optics, linguistics and engineering as well bio and psych.</p>

<p>D2 say BCS is “less science-y” than neuro, but that may be her bias showing.</p>

<p>BCS is slightly-to-very more theory-oriented than Neuro (depending on the specialty concentration) and much less centered around the functioning of mammalian brains. (For example, artificial intelligence is a major sub-specialty within BCS, but would be totally out of place in neuro.)</p>

<p>But generally speaking, there’s a ton of overlap between the 2 disciplines since the same core neuro/bcs courses are required by both degrees. Neuro and BCS majors take the same courses together. And Neuro and BCS majors often work in the same labs.</p>

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<p>about curves…
WOWM and Holinn discussed curves in math and science classes; what about social sciences, humanities, writing and other courses a freshman might take? Are curves used in grading those classes as well? Son’s major is “undecided” (though NOT math or science), but considering psychology, political science, anthropology and WRT 105 to start. Please comment on grading, and would also appreciate any teacher recommendations. (And, is calculus really necessary for economics?) Thanks.</p>

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<p>Eleana Kim for Anthro 101. Wonderful, warm teacher. Great discussions. (Not sure if she’s scheduled to teach it this fall, though.) </p>

<p>WRT 105 is taught by a variety of instructors Some are tougher than others, but the philosophy of the program says if the student meets the criteria set by the program for competency, then they get an B. Writing beyond competency gets higher grades. There are no curves in WRT 105.</p>

<p>D2 said the grading is her anthro classes has been much more generous than in her science and math classes provided you can write persuasively & well and you keep up with all the assigned readings. No formal curves or grade distribution quotas, but no all A classes either.</p>

<p>Econ 108 (the first econ course students take) requires co-enrollment with Calc 1. (Or AP Calc AB with a score of 4 or higher.)</p>

<p>Econ majors are required to have a full year of calculus and those going on to grad school need additional math coursework beyond Calc 2. [Requirements</a> for Majors - Economics Department - University of Rochester](<a href=“http://www.econ.rochester.edu/UG/requirements.html]Requirements”>http://www.econ.rochester.edu/UG/requirements.html)</p>