<p>You’re interpreting it correctly. Most students are from inside the country so it isn’t as much of an issue to come to campus twice in a month. </p>
<p>There is a make-up orientation in the first two days after move-in. I would contact whatever number or email they have on the NSO website with your special case.</p>
<p>@spidermc25 on campus diversity</p>
<p>I can’t speak from experience since I haven’t spent much time on the NCSU campus but I would not say it is “largely conservative” because almost everyone is from NC. At UNC Chapel Hill, almost everyone is from NC and that campus is known for being very liberal. That said, I don’t think State is quite as liberal but I’m sure you will find a diversity of people and opinions. Wake County is one of the less conservative counties in NC.</p>
<p>I see you’re from Saipan, but I’m guessing you’re with a military family and have not always lived there. Where are you originally from in the states? Have you ever been to NC?</p>
<p>ncstatefreshman:</p>
<p>Thanks! I will do when I make my decision. :)</p>
<p>Jacob6684:</p>
<p>Thanks for the information. 
Ironically, none of my family members have ever been affiliated with the military (both American and Philippine). I’m born to Asian parents who immigrated to Saipan for work, but I was born here. Therefore, I’m a U.S. citizen, haha. I’ve been living in Saipan all my life! As far as traveling to the mainland goes, I’ve only been to California and D.C. Raleigh sounds like a great place to live though. It was cold enough for me in D.C. around late April! Tough for me to imagine now living in Rochester, NY… I’m still torn between the two schools as of now though (UR & NC State).</p>
<p>Spidermc25,</p>
<p>I apologize if this is an ignorant question but are you considered an international student? I know you love in a Commonwealth of the US, but I just don’t know the rules.</p>
<p>ncstatefreshman:</p>
<p>I definitely don’t see how that question is ignorant! Many people aren’t familiar with where I’m from (many think I misspell Spain…). I’m not considered an international student – still domestic. Eligible for FAFSA and everything. (Thank god.) :)</p>
<p>spidermc25, It looks like there might be a special Orientation session for international students: [Orientation</a> & Resources](<a href=“http://www.ncsu.edu/ois/orientation/oevents.php]Orientation”>http://www.ncsu.edu/ois/orientation/oevents.php) It looks like it’s just before move-in and classes beginning so you wouldn’t have to make a special trip. However, you would definitely need to be in contact with Admissions and the Office of International Services if you decide to attend NCSU.</p>
<p>@Spidermc25 That’s cool. I don’t really know much about Saipan but I just assumed U.S. territories in the Pacific were mostly military bases (like Guam).</p>
<p>But hey, welcome to NC State if you decide to go there. California weather and of course, middle-of-the-ocean weather is very calm and steady but you’ll find that East Coast weather is bipolar. Sometimes it goes from 30 to 70 degrees in a day or two. You should consider the weather, BTW. I know someone who moved to Orlando, FL from the Philippines and thought their winters were freezing. I can’t imagine how she would have reacted to a Rochester winter. :)</p>
<p>NeedAVacation:</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice!</p>
<p>Jacob6684:</p>
<p>All we have here in Saipan is a small Army Reserve base with a super tiny BX store. I saw the Air Force Base in Guam and I loved it! As for the weather, I just try to think that when I commission into the Air Force, it’s inevitable that I’ll be stationed anywhere in the world where the weather is the polar opposite of Saipan. I knew a girl who enlisted into the Air Force from here a couple of years ago and is now stationed in Alaska! Pretty insane but if others can do it, then I like to think that I can. My only concerns now really are the high costs there must be to change my entire wardrobe to fit East Coast weather (whether that may be in Raleigh or Rochester).</p>
<p>READ THIS MESSAGE AFTER THE ONE ABOUT RALEIGH!</p>
<p>To compare Raleigh to Saipan to Rochester.</p>
<p>Rochester’s average high is never as high as Saipan’s… even in the summer months.</p>
<p>Rochester has 10 days about 90F and 135 days below 32F.</p>
<p>Rochester has nearly 90 inches of snowfall on average every year, while Raleigh has 4.7 inches every year. I’m someone who doesn’t mind the cold, but I know it sucks to wake up when it’s 20 degrees and walk to class in the dark and snow.</p>
<p>spidermc25,</p>
<p>I just checked out the temperatures for Saipan.</p>
<p>Basically, you have year round what we have in June, July, and August. I assume you wear a t-shirt and shorts all the time. You can do that here from April to September, at least. We average 43.1 days a year with the temperature above 90F. </p>
<p>March, October, and November, for me, is usually jeans, a t-shirt, and a light jacket that I can take off mid-day. If I don’t want to wear a jacket, I’ll wear long sleeves and a vest of some short (down or fleece) to keep my core warm before 11AM and after 5PM.</p>
<p>December, January, and February are pretty chilly. You’ll need pants (jeans or khakis), a coat at least as warm as Northface Denali fleece, and some closed toes shoes suitable for wet cold conditions. Make sure you have a rain jacket or umbrella because it rains quite a bit. We average 60.6 days with the temperature below 32 F (but that’s the low for the day, on those counted days).</p>
<p>ncstatefreshman:</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the detailed information! I’ll definitely know what to pack and buy if I choose NC State. </p>
<p>I have another question about the academics. Have you had a lot of trouble getting into the classes that you want? I know the UC students have been having a lot of those issues and not being able to graduate on time. Also, I know NC State has world class engineering classes, but what have you heard about the general education classes? Do you think you’ll be able to receive a well-rounded education? And lastly, what is your opinion on practical vs. theoretical engineering curriculum? I’ve heard that that is the main difference between Rochester and State. Miami engineering, I’ve never heard much of at all. </p>
<p>If I choose State, I’m really thinking of applying for WISE housing. I think it’d be a really good experience to build camaraderie with fellow female engineers. What style dorm do you stay in?</p>
<p>Spidermc25,</p>
<p>I haven’t had trouble getting into the classes I needed, but I have heard of friends not being able to get the teachers they want. I think not getting classes as a whole is more of a problem in General Education (GEP at NCSU) because word travels that some class is really easy so seniors flock to take it. The good thing is they reserve some popular classes specifically for freshmen or they’ll reserve a number of seats for some in-classroom diversity. And if you don’t get a GEP you want, there are plenty of others that would also fill the requirement. </p>
<p>Well, I don’t know the strength of every program but I know that NC State offers much more than engineering. Our agriculture programs are supposed to be really good quality and I’ve heard nothing but good reviews from students in communication, business, math, and physical sciences. You probably won’t be taught by all world class professors for your general education, but you will definitely be offered a solid education in whatever you want to use your general education classes for. </p>
<p>Are you suggesting NCSU is theoretical or practical?</p>
<p>ncstatefreshman:</p>
<p>Ahh, I see. The amount and diversity of courses in State definitely makes up for its size. Also, I hear NC State is more practical whereas Rochester is theoretical.</p>
<p>Well, I think that a practical education is necessary. You can learn the theory behind how words are spelled and what their roots are, but until you practice spelling, you won’t be able to spell.</p>
<p>I know my PSE curriculum is really hands-on and from your freshman year you spend time in paper mills and on our pilot machine. I think in general, our freshman are sought after because of the experiences in the classroom and then the emphasis we put on getting internships.</p>
<p>Thanks so much again for your response, ncstatefreshman. I’ll try to get more information regarding the electrical engineering department. Just out of curiosity, are there many events on-campus that have lots of giveaways (shirts and such)? I’m such a sucker for those things. 
As of now, I’m just waiting to hear back from my possible scholarship and then it’s really decision making time!</p>
<p>There are so many events like that! You can move in 6 days before classes start so basically you chill and get free food during that entire first week. </p>
<p>I got so many t shirts I could do a load of laundry that was just new red shirts so that they wouldn’t bleed with my other clothes :)</p>
<p>ncstatefreshman:</p>
<p>Sounds really great! Another one of the main differences I see between NC State and the other school is that State uses a lot of TAs (whereas Rochester and Miami will have professors teaching). Would you say the TAs in State provide useful perspectives or would you prefer just professors teaching? Also, what type of laptop do you own now? Does it help you with your engineering curriculum?</p>
<p>I can’t speak for other students and the experiences they have had, but besides labs and supplemental classes (recitations and problem sessions), I have never had a TA actually teach a course. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, but I haven’t experienced it. </p>
<p>I’ve never actually heard of a TA teaching a course, but occasionally graduate students will teach courses. They aren’t called TA’s because they are the teacher, but they also aren’t professors. </p>
<p>I’ve loved and really appreciated having TA’s teach my problem sessions because, for the most part, they are really cool. My CH102 (Chem Lab) TA, Trisha, was a Master’s student that just chatted with my lab group while we worked. I got to know my MA141 (Calc 1) TA, Emi, because she was Hungarian and I’m half Hungarian. I was immediately taken aback by her accent, because it sounded like my family reunions. I’ve had one negative experience with a TA so far, and that’s because his English was hard to understand. But that’s the first time I’ve not enjoyed having a TA supplement the professor’s instructions.</p>
<p>I will say that some classes are taught by people with a Master’s and not a PhD. My English 101 class was taught by a “Ms”, and my Calc 2 class is as well. Calc 2 is a different story, however. My teacher (Leslie Kurtz) is AMAZING at teaching calculus. She has taught Calc 1-3 and Diff Eq and really loves calculus. It’s not often you find that in a professor teaching a basic level class. </p>
<p>I own a 3 year old MacBook Pro that works just fine for PSE/CHE (so far). I can run VPython on it and I go to the library to use Maple because it costs a ton for students. My boyfriend is a CE and he also owns a MacBook, which works fine for AutoCAD. If you don’t own a Mac (or don’t like them), Lenovo laptops are very popular. If you have a Mac, you run a slight chance of not being able to use some of the software you major needs, but I don’t mind going to the library for that. I don’t know the requirements for EE. </p>
<p>If your question was Windows vs. Mac, this ([Macs</a> in Engineering | Student Owned Computing](<a href=“http://www.eos.ncsu.edu/soc/laptops/macs]Macs”>http://www.eos.ncsu.edu/soc/laptops/macs)) can help!</p>
<p>ncstatefreshman:</p>
<p>We really need more genuinely helpful people like you in this site! No one has been more helpful in all my college searching than you, so thank you so much. =) Realistically, I think Rochester’s fading away from my list. Even with the Gates scholarship, I’d still need to cough up ~$16,000 plus the expenses of purchasing tons of winter gear. I’m still unsure though, because I might possibly be interested in optical engineering and Rochester is a great place for that. Their free curriculum is really appealing, too, because State and Miami’s gen ed requirements look strict. Nevertheless, thanks to people like you, I’m seeing all the benefits of the other two as well. </p>
<p>Your experience with TAs is really helpful. I hope if I choose State, I will have a similar experience. As for laptops, I’ll probably try to get a Lenovo.</p>
<p>I have another question. I’m thinking of applying to WISE housing which is in Lee Residence Hall. How far of a walk is that from Reynolds Coliseum (where AFROTC is held)? Would it be too much of a hassle to walk back and forth during PT mornings? Do you suggest moving somewhere closer, like Tucker or Owen? I just really think I would prefer suite-style living.</p>
<p>Thanks again, ncstatefreshman! You’ve been absolutely fantastic in answering my questions. =)</p>
<p>Spidermc25: I’m so glad I could help. I love talking about NCSU to people, so this is a pleasure for me!</p>
<p>The walk from Lee to Reynolds Coliseum is about 10 minutes, maybe 12 if you are strolling like I do. It’s not bad, but it’s substantial. </p>
<p>If you are set on suite-style living and want to be closer to Reynolds, I would choose one of the Tri-Towers (Metcalf, Bowen, and Carroll). It would only be a 5ish minute walk from those dorms. </p>
<p>If you are set on opitcal engineering, I would look into professors and where they are doing research. I’m sure a physics professor or someone working in an area that would interest you!</p>