Feel like I did bad for my freshman year of college

Student Lounge College Life
1

I just finished my freshman year of college at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and I feel like I did not do as well as I had hoped. I was hoping to get some feedback on how I did. I am a mathematics major in the college of arts and science, but I am trying to do an intra university transfer into the school of engineering to pursue mechanical engineering. My courses and grades for my first semester is the following:

College Writing and Reading (writing course) : B
Calculus 1: C
Music in American Culture: B
Ethics: B-

Calculus 2 Coseminar: A
Intro to Programming: B
Calculus 2: B
General Physics 1: C
World Religions: A

My overall GPA is 2.816… I feel like I did really bad for my freshman year. I plan to retake Calculus 1 during the summer to get an A, and I am also taking General Physics 2 alongside Calc 1. Does this seem like a bad grades for an engineering student?

2

Your grades are not exceptional but they aren’t horrible either so long as you construct a plan of action going forward to ensure that you don’t rack up too many more C’s.

Engineering is a very difficult discipline and you need to make sure you have a strong foundation in Math & Physics to prepare you for the upper division coursework. If you’re struggling in General Physics I and Calculus, you’re gonna have a pretty rough time in classes like Thermodynamics.

3

Getting a C in Calc 1 as a math major is kind of a red flag.

4

Not even Thermodynamics. You’re going to have a difficult time in Statics, Dynamics, Mechanics, and it will continue on if you do not have a strong base in Physics 1 and your calculus. If you want to be a MechE major it is absolutely essential you have the skills mastered.

What made Physics 1 difficult for you? What tripped you up in Calculus 1? What was something differently that happened in Calc 2?

5

You should retake General Physics 1 this summer and learn the material. I would ignore the Calc1 poor grade since you did better in Calc2. Or does Calc 3 terrify you ? It is really different and 2x harder than Calc 2 which is 2x harder than Calc 1.

You are basically on a 5 year plan for engineering. So 4 more years … I don’t even think summers would get you out in 4 or 4.5 years, too many courses with prerequisites. If you try to “catch up”, your odds get very low.

Mechanical is an odd and difficult choice for someone who did not do well in Physics 1 or Calc 1 (2 is OK, but should have been better and yes you need derivatives).

Physics 2 is electromagnetism … which might be easier, for you, and let you head down an EE path.

ChemE … well, why no chemistry ?

And you need to actually somehow convince the department, that is maybe limited enrollment, that you deserve a shot at taking engineering classes. Personally, I probably would not take you in preference over anyone with better physics or calc grades or who had taken more of the freshman engineering program and done well.

Next year, take Physics2, Chemistry, programming, intro to engineering, computer aided design and manufacturing, and start on the sophomore curriculum.

The flow charts are on line, so you can work through it yourself. If you do, and then go talk to the department with a plan on how to attack the first few years, maybe they will let you in, even provisionally. That would get you into a few intro to engineering classes so you can see what is involved.Then if you have good grades next year, you can start on say the semester 3 and 4 curriculum.

Getting buy in from your school’s department is going to be necessary to get approval anyway, so take advantage of their advice as well.

Engineering has its advantages which are often touted, but it is a difficult major which is equivalent to 5 years of most majors. So, without good prep and good results freshman year, you need 5 years … and there are easier paths.

I would also seriously consider what you are interested in, your main goals in life whether financial security, independence, whatever, and pick a major that suits you.