<p>So I got in to Roosevelt even though it wasn't my first second or third choice and I heard really bad things about it. i.e the GEs are a lot and are very hard. I'm a biochemistry major so all of the GEs at Roosevelt are gonna be pointless for me. How hard is it to switch to another college like Muir or Marshall?</p>
<p>Also how hard is it to excel at UCSD? I heard it's hard to get a good GPA. How accurate is that, especially in the science department.</p>
<p>Thanks :) I've been having a hard time deciding wether I want to go to UCSD so hopefully your answers help.</p>
<p>I’m in ERC so I can maybe help you out I was freaked out too at the GEs and thought they were going to be horrible, but they really aren’t that bad. Making of the Modern World (the writing program) is actually really interesting and taught me a lot, and they shortened it to 5 quarters instead of 6 this year. Addressing your comment, “I’m a biochemistry major so all of the GEs at Roosevelt are gonna be pointless for me,” that’s not entirely true. ERC does not state WHICH specific classes you have to take, besides the writing class. Rather, they give you set guidelines, for example, they tell you to take two science classes. That means some of your prereq classes for your major will go toward your ERC requirements, if that makes sense. I am actually graduating in three years as an ERC student AND I spent a quarter abroad. It’s really not that bad.</p>
<p>It is difficult to switch to another college. You have to complete your original college’s writing program and prove that switching to another college would save you 2 quarters or more. Don’t expect to be finished with this process, if you choose to do so, until the end of your sophomore year. Most people who are skeptical about ERC (or any college, for that matter) end up loving it once they settle in there. </p>
<p>It is hard to get a good GPA at UCSD especially because the science/pre-med fields are competitive, but how difficult it is will ultimately come down to your own study habits.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your insight. I was really interested in the mmw classes when I was reading about that but people keep telling me how hard they are.</p>
<p>That sucks! I’ve been debating wether to go to a school were I can graduate with like a 3.7 or ucsd a much much more prestigious school than the one I’m considering. Btw I’m considering between ucsd and Sdsu.</p>
<p>MMW has its good and bad. Even though I’m unlikely to be a humanities major of any sort, I don’t entirely despise MMW (though I think it’s seriously flawed in its set-up and bureaucracy). Supposedly, after taking the sequence you should possess a general knowledge of human history from our ape origins until present day. Just for my personal education, I find that pretty appealing. The lectures can be quite entertaining/interesting, depending on your professor. </p>
<p>While I’ve found myself looking forward to MMW lecture, the writing assignments are another story. My main complaint about MMW is that it imposes more work on me than I’d personally prefer. I know that might sound obvious, but I actually am willing to do work for MMW but for a GE, I find it to be excessive. It’s not always like this, but there have been times when MMW is the most time-consuming, stressful (as far as getting the grade I want) class I’m taking. Truth is, getting your desired grade in any writing class is never too easy, but I think the work load is unreasonable for MMW 2 and 3 and on top of that, it’s a 5-quarter sequence (and that’s AFTER they cut it down)? If you think about it, MMW is this time/energy-consuming block that just sits on your schedule for two years of college… and it’s only some writing class that doesn’t progress you toward any major besides History. If it actually improved my writing skills drastically I might be more sympathetic to the duration of MMW, but I honestly don’t feel like my writing has improved much. I guess I have to say, if you really proactively seek help with your writing and fully utilize the available resources, then maybe you could come back here and say MMW has actually improved your writing. But for the majority of MMW students, the sequence doesn’t seem to do much for improving writing skills. </p>
<p>Even with the heavy workload, MMW isn’t horrible; you just find yourself wondering why you’re taking this class for another year. The exams aren’t bad at all (although you have to write fast) and lectures can even be fun; it’s just the writing aspect of MMW that I take issue with, primarily because of the workload and inane requirements like photocopying every single source you ever cited.</p>
<p>Oh well. You’ll survive, just like everyone else in ERC has/will.</p>
<p>^I agree. Except I personally think my writing improved greatly with MMW along with my ability to proofread and attention to detail in writing. I feel like I went into my upper division classes that required writing WAY more prepared than some of my peers.</p>
I was freaked out too at the GEs and thought they were going to be horrible, but they really aren’t that bad. Making of the Modern World (the writing program) is actually really interesting and taught me a lot, and they shortened it to 5 quarters instead of 6 this year. Addressing your comment, “I’m a biochemistry major so all of the GEs at Roosevelt are gonna be pointless for me,” that’s not entirely true. ERC does not state WHICH specific classes you have to take, besides the writing class. Rather, they give you set guidelines, for example, they tell you to take two science classes. That means some of your prereq classes for your major will go toward your ERC requirements, if that makes sense. I am actually graduating in three years as an ERC student AND I spent a quarter abroad. It’s really not that bad.</p>