Help Me Navigate OSU Engineering

We are considering OSU for engineering and have some questions. Can some help?

  • The engineering program son is considering says “Direct admit to the major”. Can someone help me understand that? Does that mean they still take the gen’l engineering courses freshman year but don’t have to compete for a spot later? Anyone know what happens if they change their mind/ want to change into a different engineering major?
  • What happens freshman year if they are already coming in with DE Diff EQ, Chem 2, Physics 2, and gen’l ed courses. Can they move on in the engineering or is there a reqm’t to do something for a year to prove something? (We still need to see how the DE will transfer)
  • Describe the OSU engineering, please… competitive/ collaborative, easy/ hard to get classes, taught by TAs who don’t have experience/ profs
  • Other OSU/ Engineering specific things to share?
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You posted in the transfer thread.

Is your student transferring from another college (has taken college credit after hs graduation) or as an incoming freshman (is a current hs senior yet to graduate)?

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Direct admit to major programs do not require freshman students to apply to their major once admitted to the College of Engineering because there is a lot of capacity in those departments.

As a major in their department they will have reserved seats for majors for the required upper division courses they need.

For students in pre majors, they will need to complete a series of classes with a good gpa to earn that privilege of reserved seats for majors by applying to their major (submit an application to their department). This keeps students from declaring majors just to get those seats. It also helps in planning because only pre-majors of the most popular majors (CS, ME, BioMed, Aero) can apply to be majors in that department.

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Your student schedules at orientation, so attend the earliest date you can for best options in scheduling.

Majors have required coursework listed on department websites with a sample schedule for eight semesters. There are many courses that have pre-requisites that build sequentially, so it’s important to understand that flow if you are coming in with a lot of credits so you can prioritize the most important classes to schedule.

Use Transferology to see how dual credit coursework will transfer in.

There is an app students use to generate schedules. My student just listed the classes they wanted and the app generated multiple schedule scenarios. Students schedule in windows, so mine always scheduled when their window opened and always got what they wanted.

We did have trouble one summer when fewer classes are available figuring out useful credits to be full-time. But a professor opened their lab for my undergrad to pursue research for credit to get her to full time.

We’ve found to be successful at OSU developing the skill to ask is essential. Most people are glad to help you figure out a solution, but they have to know you need something first.

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There is a freshman engineering series (or the honors option) which includes team projects. So students do start engineering right away. This series is also a pre-req for other courses.

Engineering is collaborative. It is not a weed out program. The professors were available and supportive. There are free tutoring resources. I don’t recall any lectures taught by grad students, although lab sections and recitations are usually led by Phd students.

I’d recommend participating either in an engineering scholars or living learning community.

There are also lots of engineering teams/clubs - this is a great way to connect with other students and faculty and build the skills employers seek. There are undergraduate research opportunities. Student jobs can also help fill up an early resume.

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OK then I need more help than I thought. LOL. I’m not seeing at all that this is transfer… I’m seeing a new thread under OSU. Help me post in the right spot??? He’s current HS senior.

I thought I saw a little grey ‘transfer’ tag originally under your title, maybe I’m just seeing things.

Was your student required to take summer classes or what led them to take summer classes?

They had a rotating co-op.

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You did - I edited it out when it was clear this wasn’t a transfer student.

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Freshman take a class their first semester led by their academic advisor with other students in their major that introduces them to the requirements to graduate and create a plan to do so. They will also learn about campus resources, tutoring, undergraduate research, career services, etc.

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Just one thing about DE and transfer credits. While you might get credits, there is a reasonable chance an engineering adviser will recommend taking the class again at OSU if they think your preparation is not strong. They don’t always see a class taken elsewhere as equivalent. A Georgia Tech DE will fly through. A directional University may not. You know the university at which your child is DEing, so just judge based on that.

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