Fresh. Classes for Engineering

<p>Okay so I got my registration packet two days ago, and it said that I need to take:
Chem 102A/104A/106A
Calc (I'm thinking 155A, since I did really well in Calc AB this year)
ES 140
and a Humanities/Social science or two Technology-Society courses
with an optional Freshman Seminar</p>

<p>1) Are these the only classes I'll need to take this year? I know I've placed out of at least one English course from my grade on AP Lang, and I'm 95% sure that I got a 5 on Lit as well.</p>

<p>2) Do the technology-society courses change year to year? The subjects seem semi-interesting, to where I could engage myself in them, but I don't know if it would be worth it to wait.</p>

<p>3) What humanities courses would you suggest? My parents and I can't see eye to eye on which language I should take, so those are out.</p>

<p>4) Would you recommend doing a freshman seminar?</p>

<p>I know it's a lot of questions. I appreciate it!</p>

<p>5) I took AP Calc and Chem this past July. I’m 90% sure of a 5 in BC and 50% sure in Chem. Should I sign up for the 200 class assuming AP credit and move down later or sign up assuming no AP credit and move up later?</p>

<p>Hopefully an engineering student will weigh in, I’m just a parent of an engineering student. I don’t have all the info, but I do remember my son saying that he would not get any additional credit for the second AP English class/test. A 5 on AP Lang was used to meet a requirement, but AP Lit did not count towards anything.</p>

<p>Speaking as a parent, I am wondering why your parents are involved in your foreign language decision. I sure don’t remember being asked by my kids which foreign languages they should study!</p>

<p>If we don’t know our AP scores until mid-July, how are we supposed to accurately choose our courses by June 22nd?</p>

<p>Well I would love to take French, since I took Spanish in high school but have no desire to continue it, but my mom thinks Spanish makes more “business sense”… it doesn’t help that we’re from Texas.</p>

<p>good question, swimwin. Have you sent an e-mail or called someone in engineering and asked what they are advising students to do? My memory is that son’s course selection was done after his senior year AP scores were in, so this wasn’t a problem.</p>

<p>karabee, as much as I defend the right of parents to know what is going on with regard to their undergraduate children’s education, I still don’t understand why this isn’t your decision. While your mother has a valid point, there is something to be said for adding another language to your skill set.</p>

<p>i am overwelmed with the class option too…i have just taken the time to look at all the option and i think i am going to go for an intro to ethics class. engineering majors have enough intense class time. the elective should be something you are really interested in.</p>

<p>oh and and it says to list 2 options for a tech-society classes which gives me the impression you would only enroll in 1</p>

<p>yeah, i realized that after i posted here smalltown. oops :]</p>

<p>and one more question: i’m doing bme, and i’m considering doing pre-med and i’ve seen that writing seminars freshman year are a good idea, as well as taking chem and bio together. is it completely bad if i wait until sophomore year to take a writing course and bio?</p>

<p>does anyone know why the VUSE packet suggests freshmen who get a 5 on BC consider retaking 155B rather than just going straight into 175?</p>

<p>My husband is an engineer, now in top management…and from his perspective one of the biggest problems for many engineers is their lack of writing skills. You may have the best technical knowledge and math skills, but the ability to transfer that knowledge in clear, effective reports and documents is critical to your advancement. Having some writing classes on your transcript (and adequate grades for them) shows that you can communicate effectively—and you’ll stand out in the hiring process. *Same for pre-med…doctors need to know how to write!</p>