<p>DS went back and forth quite a bit about taking this class or skipping and using AP exam credit from Calc BC. He is taking the class, but now is regretting it. His Mid-Term grade is quite low. </p>
<p>Anyone else not doing great in this class?</p>
<p>He says he gets the concepts, but instructor is deducting because DS is not formatting correctly – Instructor is very big on dotting the i’s, crossing the t’s.</p>
<p>DS will of course work harder; nervous Mom just wants to know if anyone else is in the same boat. </p>
<p>He isn’t ready to give up Engineering yet, but he is at the point where he is questioning if he is cut out for it.</p>
<p>sometimes you will have instructors like that. you just need to learn how to play their game. most likely it will be ok. make sure he is taking advantage of any and all extra credit ops.</p>
<p>Oh, my gosh, if all the freshmen who struggled a little dropped out of engineering, the country would have no engineers! I was HS val, blah blah blah, but I got a 45 on my first physics exam in college. I thought my engineering career was over before it started. But I hung in there and ended up graduating with high honors.</p>
<p>Mom, DON’T be a helicopter parent. You need to let your son take care of school. Be a cheerleader, but that’s it. And offer to pay for a tutor in any classes that are really hard (I got one in physics and then in a EE class that sucked - what a bad prof).</p>
<p>My son could have exempted it and didn’t as well, so I understand the second guessing aspect. For him it was the right decision - he says it’s the only class he is taking that many his friends take too. He is enjoying the class and doing pretty well in it. It’s going to be hard for him to get enough departmental honors credit so that helps.</p>
<p>That said, ENG 103 is his only class that actually posts all the grades with a running total of the point count on blackboard, so it’s the only one I can see how he is doing in on a week to week basis. The median test grades (called quizzes) for the whole class are also posted. He’s in an honors section and I was surprised that the median test grades are so low - ranging from mid 70’s to low 80’s, so apparently alot of students are struggling. Don’t know what the median is for homework grades - although I think they are graded fairly tough too - my son’s homework grade is actually a little lower than his test grade. (Mostly thanks to the drawing assignments).</p>
<p>ECE225 is his - “Oh no, what have I gotten myself into” class. Pulled his first college all nighter this week writing a 30+ page pre-lab report!</p>
<p>Son has this class. He has a B at midterm, but he texted today that he is happy with his spring schedule because there is no engr 103. He is a cs major. Makes me worried about his grade. I haven’t been on blackboard.</p>
<p>DD is in an honors section of ENGR 103 and tanked the first test. She went to tutoring and realized she was approaching the class wrong and corrected course. Turned things around and now has an A for midterm grade. Tutor really helped her start to think more like an engineer and not like a mathmatician (i.e. just trying to solve for x).</p>
<p>ENGR*103. Engineering Foundations. 3 sem. hrs.</p>
<p>Introductory course for students in all engineering disciplines that provides the basic skills required for engineering with an emphasis on problem solving, sketching, teaming, oral and written technical communication, and the design process.
Prerequisite(s): MATH<em>112 and MATH</em>113; or MATH<em>115
Prerequisite(s) with concurrency: MATH</em>125 or MATH<em>126 or MATH</em>145 or MATH*146.</p>
<p>My D is taking this and is sitting in a C right now (I’m not sure what a C+ number would be). What tutoring specifically did your D take? From Eng dept or Honors My D has broken her foot in athletics and it’s throwing her out of whack getting around. I’m concerned she’s slide into a funk because I’ve pressed her on tutoring and I’m not getting specifics.</p>
<p>I know there are others tutoring ENGR 103 (DD’s tutor is a sorority sister). Don’t know why they aren’t listed. Will ask her today when she is done with classes.</p>
<p>And about 4+ years ago, before the one credit classes, there was a GES Eng’g Foundations class that was 2 or 3 credits that my kids took. I think this is it. Is this a lecture and lab class with projects?</p>
<p>Input from my DS (CS Major) is that most people seem to be in the same boat with this class. As to tutoring, students who have sought help have said that the tutors couldn’t solve some of the problems because the material is different than what they had in previous years. </p>
<p>Not to suggest that tutors won’t be any help; but the class has been challenging for everyone.</p>
<p>My DD was extremely panicked after the first quiz (she is in the honor’s section), as she studied for all of the wrong things. Since then, I advised her to go to office hours and speak to the professor, which was very helpful. She spends a lot of time working for this class, but has an A, so she is happy. DD is still not sure if she is going to remain in engineering, but she is much more comfortable now.</p>
<p>Students who are stuggling in this class need to visit their prof to find out what they can do to improve their grades. </p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that early-on, engineering classes are “weeder classes”. They’re supposed to weed out the students who aren’t cut out for eng’g because either they’re not strong enough students, or they just don’t have “engineering thinking”. Many very smart people do not have “engineering thinking.” It’s best to find that out early.</p>