<p>People are just looking at classes. You’ll register online sometime in July, so don’t worry about it. (I’m not sure where people are looking for class times already, but you’ll have plenty of time to look at classes.)</p>
<p>Hi guys!</p>
<p>What is a registration window? Is there anyway to ensure that we get a “good registration window?”</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>To prevent the server from clogging up, registration will take place over the course of three days. They will open at the same time each day, but you’ll only be able to register after your assigned “window” has passed. Whether you have a good order is random at first; you’ll be assigned 1st, 2nd, or 3rd window depending on (I think) your last name or Duke Unique ID. </p>
<p>The registration window cycles by semesters though. So if you get 2nd window first semester, you’ll get 1st window the next semester, 3rd window the one after that, and back to 2nd window. Overall, its pretty fair. I got third window for next semester, and I still managed to get into all the classes I needed (though I didn’t get into my ideal time slots).</p>
<p>Registration window is assigned based on the last two digits of the student ID IIRC.</p>
<p>I’ve also heard some of my Duke friends use the word “bookbagging”. Could you guys also elaborate on what entails? Does Duke allow you to pick your classes ahead of time and then once your registration window opens, you just click submit and see if you got your classes, or do you have to pick them one by one when your registration window opens? I was wondering because if there are some classes with just a few seats left then I would try to pick that class first before going on to my other ones.</p>
<p>Bookbagging is the process by which, before your registration window opens, you can select several classes that you are interested in taking. I usually pick the classes I’m interested in and then “bookbag” all available time slots. Bookbagging is nice because you can not only pick what classes you want ahead of time, you can pick specific time slots, and then you can have the graphically arranged to make sure they don’t overlap.</p>
<p>When your registration window open, you’ll have the classes you want selected and you just click on an “Enroll” button. It’ll enroll you for all classes selected, waitlist you for those that are full, or just not allow you to enroll for classes that don’t allow a waitlist (like Writing 20). It does all classes at the same time, so you don’t need to worry about the order you pick classes in. Once you get your Blue Book, they’ll have detailed instructions and screenshots to show you how it works. It’s a really simple process, though it takes some getting used to. </p>
<p>Some of you guys may be interested in this helpful took:</p>
<p>[Schedulator</a> | Home](<a href=“http://www.dukeschedulator.com/]Schedulator”>http://www.dukeschedulator.com/)</p>
<p>If you are interested in certain classes, this is a tool you can use to find a combination of time slots are work. I usually just do a trial-and-error approach but I know loads of people who make their schedule almost directly from that tool. (There are errors in some classes, so always double check it with the actual registration site.)</p>
<p>I understand that if my academic status changes rapidly in my second semester of senior year Duke has the right to withdraw my admission. I am wondering how bad my grades have to get? I am expecting my grades to drop a bit -I go to a local school in TW and my school ask students who are admitted to colleges to spend less time at school so that we won’t distract our classmates.
Thanks.</p>
<p>C’s will raise eyebrows. Any lower and serious questions will be raised.</p>
<p>Don’t get C’s and don’t get arrested. Haha</p>
<p>I’ve got a few questions:</p>
<p>1) If I come to Duke (still deciding between Duke and UVA), I won’t, coming in, know any upperclassmen well enough that I’d be comfortable just contacting them whenever and asking them questions. The two upperclassmen I know who are at Duke right now are graduating this year. How easy is it to get to know upperclassmen well enough that you can use them as a resource (especially for students like me who have had a hard time getting to know older students in the past)?</p>
<p>2) If I got a 5 on the AP Chemistry exam, but took the course in my junior year, would it be wiser for me to take Chem 43 to refresh my memory on the concepts I learned in AP, or would it be better just to go straight to Orgo and take Biochemistry to fulfill my second chem requirement for pre-med? I’ve heard that Chem 43 is an unnecessarily hard course, but it probably addresses topics that will be on the MCAT, so I’m not exactly sure which way to go.</p>
<p>3) I would really, REALLY like to do a FOCUS program, but how easy/hard is it to balance FOCUS with the pre-med requirements? Is it manageable, or does it overload your schedule?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>tainted, </p>
<p>I am NOT a student (maybe I shouldn’t post here given the title of the thread)</p>
<ol>
<li>You and a Sophomore FAC (First Year advisory Council) member will be assigned to each other for just that reason. Our son was a FAC member and had benefited from his FAC freshman year. In addition, you really will meet other students from other classes in clubs, activities, the classroom, parties, etc. The class demarcation in college is not like it was in high school.</li>
</ol>
<p>I leave 2 and 3 to those better equipped!</p>
<p>taintedlove21:</p>
<p>1) I came into Duke knowing absolutely no one. Not one person from my school has come here in the past 5 years. And in the last couple of years, I’ve gotten to know many upperclassmen intimately, through various activities and organizations, so being active will help. Don’t sweat it, though. No matter what, you’ll always have CC. 
</p>
<p>2) If you can, take 31 and 32. Orgo is a *****, especially for a first semester freshman. You’ll be in a class of super-gunner freshmen still in the high school mentality. You will see those super-beast classmates carrying around their orgo books everywhere. You will likely get pwned by them on exams. Please, avoid it if you can. </p>
<p>3) Not hard at all. Even engineers can do it. I’d definitely recommend FOCUS to anyone.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>omg can’t agree enough. I did this and EVERYONE was so smart I wanted to shovel up and die…</p>
<p>I’ll second the orgo comments above. Some people will go to extreme lengths to get an A in orgo. It’s frankly ridiculous just the volumes of color-coded highlighted handwritten notes that some of them can create. It’s probably about the same size as the book itself. </p>
<p>Also, regarding biochem, chances are it won’t fulfill the second gen/inorganic chem requirement. Most med schools accept biochem as a substitute for a semester of orgo. That and you’ll need another semester of chem lab as biochem at Duke doesn’t have lab.</p>
<p>Thanks SO SO SO MUCH for all of the advice, especially regarding the Chem 43 vs. orgo in freshman year question. I had a feeling that taking Chem 43 in my freshman year before taking orgo would probably be the smarter idea even though I technically don’t need to, so if I come to Duke this fall, I think that’s what I’ll do.</p>
<p>eatsalot - I hope this doesn’t come off as stalkerish or anything, but I happened to look up “undergraduate neuroscience program rankings” on google (since that’s what I’m interested in), and came across a CC thread in which you had written that “Duke’s program was the final cherry on top an helped me finalize my decision to attend.” Can you elaborate? I’m really interested in neuroscience and have done enough research on Duke’s major to know what classes you have to take and what requirements you have to fulfill to get distinction and all that, but I’d love to get your insider’s view! What about Duke’s neuroscience major do you believe distinguishes it and puts it head and shoulders above the undergrad neuro majors offered at other schools?</p>
<p>I kinda disagree with the orgo advice. </p>
<p>It is true that the freshmen orgo 151 is probably the most competitive class at duke, but that class apparently has a B+ curve. Other orgo sections end up having a B-/C+ curve. Take that into consideration (you can’t register for the freshmen section after your first semester freshmen year)</p>
<p>If you think you can keep up, go for it. Orgo has very little to do with gen chem.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say other orgo sections have a B-/C+ curve as a rule. My sophomore orgo I class had an A-/B+ curve. The prof was very generous.</p>
<p>Who was your prof? B+/A- orgo curve what??? In 151, my class eventually got a B-/B curve.</p>
<p>After hearing all of this really informative orgo experiences, what would you guys recommend for someone who took Chem I sophomore year, and now coming into Duke, really does not recall anything that he learned 2+ years ago? I was thinking of taking chem 31L first semester freshman year and then chem 151L second semester freshman year because a couple of my friends in the same situation as me are doing that/did that at Duke. I actually want my first semester freshman year course selection to be my easiest because I want to get acclimated to Duke, build study habits, etc so do you guys recommend me to hold off on chem 31L until second semester freshman year and then take chem 151L first semester sophomore year?</p>
<p>Orgo ‘pretty much’ has nothing to do with general chemistry. You don’t need to remember all your chemistry to take orgo.</p>
<p>The question is that if you can (or are prepared) to handle a class with a heavy workload (if you want to at least get average or above) first semester.</p>
<p>I would suggest that you either take the freshmen orgo or wait a semester to take orgo (and not take any chemistry the first semester, as long as you have AP creditw) so that you could become acclimated to Duke.</p>
<p>Generally I don’t think retaking a class as a refresher is great idea because students are much smarter and more diligent at Duke than at your high school (most likely unless you went to a school like TJ). Retaking something doesn’t guarantee you an easy ‘A.’</p>