<p>So I'm going to be a freshman in the fall at Vt and I'm really nervous about the classes I'm going to take. I took AP calc senior year so I'm not worried about calc. I just finished a refresher course for physics so I think I will be ok with that. But the chemistry is what I'm worried about since I have not had Chem since junior year and it wasn't AP. Can anyone give me some insight on their experience like how their classes were especially Chem, Chem lab, elementary linear algebra classes, and English as well. Thanks!</p>
<p>My son was in the same situation. He had not seen Chemistry since his Sophomore year so it was all a fog. Chemistry was hard for him (got a “B”), but it is more than doable with applying the necessary time and effort. The Chem Lab was easy. He had AP Calc credit so started in second sem Calc and thought the linear algebra was quite easy with minimal effort. This of course depends on what your math strengths are. English was an enjoyable, relaxing class compared to the others. He detested the “Engineering” classes and thought they were the worst. My son did say after his freshman year that he had no idea how much work and time it would take in college. High School, even AP classes did not prepare him for just how much effort it would take to do well. Hope this helps some. Don’t worry, you will do fine, just put forth the needed effort and ask for help when you need it.</p>
<p>My son just finished his freshman year in General Engineering. The first semester was a huge adjustment. My son said something very similar to bboop42’s son. High school, dual enrollment and AP classes do not prepare you for college level coursework. I heard my son give a friend of his the following advice about the chemistry class: “Study for your chemistry test until you feel comfortable with the material, and then study again. You have to double or triple the amount of time you think you’ll need. And do tons of practice problems.” Also, my son would go to his chemistry, physics, and Calculus professors often. I think, more than anything, he wanted to make sure he was on the right track. Plus, it is always a good idea to get to know your professors. He ended up doing very well his freshman year, but you definitely have to be ready to put a lot of time into studying. He loves Virginia Tech, and he loves engineering. Good luck!</p>
<p>Hokiefirst…give your son a heads up that the Sophomore year classes are yet even harder, more challenging and more time consuming than Freshman year. My son was shocked and wished he could go back to Freshman year. He is a ME major and is sooo glad to be done with all the ESM, Math and Enge Edu class and finally get to more classes in his major next year. He never thought he would be so happy to be see a C- on his report card (Dynamics). Definitely a learning experience on perserverance and dedication. Have a great year!</p>
<p>@mathkid76 - everyone posting experiences is reporting second hand information. There aren’t many students hanging around these boards during the summer so parent info is probably the best you are going to get.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, my son’s experience was as follows:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>linear algebra - this is mostly an on-line course. My son liked it because he could complete the requirements on his own schedule.</p></li>
<li><p>Chemistry - son took regular chemistry in HS and really didn’t enjoy the subject. He was surprised to find that he really enjoyed the lecture portion. The lab had some interesting procedures but he found maintaining the lab notebook or reports to be tedious. He is not required to take second semester Chem so he moved on to Physics second semester.</p></li>
<li><p>Physics and Calc III - Son took Calc BC and Physics Honors in HS. He found both courses in college to be extremely tough mainly because of the professors rather than the subject material itself. Unfortunately, both of these profs seemed to think that college level courses should demonstrate their rigor by having class test averages in the 50% range. He noticed a significant difference in class averages between different professors, i.e., same course taken by friend but with different professor.</p></li>
<li><p>English - he took the honors version of this class and thought it was similar to a HS honors class. Note that English is not his strong suit but he may have had a more lenient professor than others.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I’m an engineering student who just took all these classes last year. </p>
<p>Chemistry was hard for a lot of people, but I did really well in it. Ultimately, I did a ton of practice tests and did well on the tests. This class is hard, but definitely doable.</p>
<p>Chem lab sucks. The work is boring and very time consuming. Plus your grade depends on how hard your TA grades as some people said their TA basically handed out 100s every lab whereas some take off points for everything imaginable.</p>
<p>Linear Algebra is easy. You just have to put the time in to practice the problems and the quizzes and tests are the same questions.</p>
<p>Physics was really tough but I studied a ton for the tests and did well in it.</p>
<p>Both ENGE classes are horrible and just assign you ridiculous busy work. The tests are generally really hard. Read the book in these classes even though it’s probably the worst possible textbook to read as it’s super boring. </p>
<p>Honestly the classes aren’t that hard you just have to study and put the time in. Just study for tests and do the homework and you’ll be fine. People overestimate the workload for freshman in my opinion, I wouldn’t worry that much about it.</p>
<p>For chemistry there is one professor that puts out a DVD (Trevedi or something like that) with a ton of practice problems and things like that. Even if you don’t have that professor you need to buy that DVD (it goes into a computer not a DVD player) and it’ll make the class so much easier to study for.</p>
<p>Chem Lab is easy if you pay complete attention to how you fill things out. Do everything to the letter and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>For physics Get. Chang. He’s the best professor, deal with whatever class time you have to to get him. Sit on add/drop as long as you need to to get him. He only teaches (unless it changed) physics I though.</p>
<p>Physics II is kind of a beast. It isn’t nearly as intuitive. Spend a lot of time on this one.</p>
<p>Linear algebra isn’t hard. You can take as many practice tests as you want from the same pool of questions the real test uses so there’s no excuse for not getting an A. Vector geometry (aka hope you paid attention in trig) is also pretty easy. Just remember SohCahToa.</p>
<p>Later on people seem to either have a problem with Calc III or Differential Equations, usually not neither and usually not both. I ingloriously squeaked by in Calc III and had no problems with DiffEQ. Pay a lot of attention in these classes too.</p>
<p>English isn’t hard and most professors realize you don’t really want or need to be there and make the class accordingly difficult. The professors have a lot of latitude as far as what they have you study so you usually end up with something the professor is passionate about which is fun. My first semester we studied graphic novels (and made one) and my second semester we studied legendary heroes.</p>
<p>The ‘engineering’ class was horrid when I was there, don’t know if it got better. Boring, professors who don’t want to be teaching it, generally unrelated to anything you’ll ever be doing, and way over reliant on grading you on how you fill out your paper, such as putting your name in the right box on the ‘engineering paper’ you’ll never see again. (Want to know how I know it’s not really engineering paper? An engineer would have put the word ‘Name’ in the box you write your name in.) Show up, try a little, fill out your papers right, get your B, move on.</p>
<p>Chang isn’t teaching Physics anymore (at least the last 2 years during the “normal” cycle) They have him teaching quite a few ESM classes (Statics, Dynamics, Deforms) and a few ME classes, which is nice because he is good, even though he does tend to get behind in the material. Joyce was a nice alternative for Physics. Again, all information from my son when I asked the question.</p>
<p>In that case get Chang for Statics and Deforms if you can. He’d be much better than Hendricks at teaching that class. He’s a great professor so as often as you can take Chang.</p>
<p>In regards to sitting on add/drop, I heard from someone (second hand info) that there was an app. for a smart phone that could monitor the classes for openings, anyone heard of it? Or know what it is called?</p>
<p>In regards to the this, I am going to be a freshman and I have been looking at a lot of the classes on the timetable of classes. All the electives I wanted to take are full, what is the likelihood of being able to get in?</p>
<p>ChrisTKD - do you recall what profs. your son had for Physis and Calc III?</p>
<p>kcblondy - it is my understanding (read it somewhere on the new student web site pages) that they will open up more spots in many of those ‘full’ classes during freshman orientation, they hold a certain number back specifically for the incoming freshman - afterall, none of the freshman have even registered for classes yet by the time upperclassmen are done registering.</p>
<p>S did his schedule at orientation yesterday, and I can report that most of the electives that fit around the required engineering courses were FULL. Maybe they are holding seats open, but when he and the advisor tried to pull them up, they show as 40 seats full for a class with a max of 40. Maybe they have some kind of block on those seats and will open them up for the later orientations?</p>
<p>granipc: Which classes were filled up? </p>
<p>As freshman will soon learn, often times you’ll have to do force-adds to get into your required classes. Lots of people spend the first day of school running around campus to get the required signatures and fill out forms to get added into classes. </p>
<p>If you have children that are freshman, I wouldn’t worry about it. They’ll probably get their required classes in. Electives are more of a hit-or-miss.</p>
<p>No problem at all getting required classes, but really tough finding an elective that either wasn’t full or conflicted with required classes that couldn’t be changed. He already has all of his area 3 credits, so that threw a wrench in it as well. However, he found an Honors Government and Politics class that worked and I think he will find interesting.</p>