<p>Got back from orientation the other day. How come on my schedule under instructor, some just say 'Staff'? Have they not put a professor in that position? I'd like to know who my professor is so I can look them up, or pick a professor I'd prefer for my schedule.</p>
<p>Yeah, “Staff” means a professor hasn’t been assigned yet. One could pop up at any time. What classes are they?</p>
<p>General Chemistry (not the lab, the 3 cred one)
Engineering Exploration (and the free time, assuming same prof?)
Calculus
Principles of economics (micro) ---- (I picked the one with SC Trost, but there are some other classes on the timetable with ‘Staff’ as instructor)</p>
<p>Also chuy, what do you think about this: They have over 400 extra students in the college of engineering this year. So, we weren’t able to arrange or move around our core classes at all. Looks like I have at least 2 classes everyday of the week…</p>
<p>It sucks you don’t have any flexibility, but you want your schedule balanced out like that, ESPECIALLY your first semester. It’s much better for the average student to have two or three classes a day than four in one day. Especially 4 on a Tuesday or Thursday. </p>
<p>For Gen Chem I think Dowling is pretty good, although I never had him. My chem professor is retired now (I feel old) so no luck on advice there. Do make sure to get the computer-DVD if you can afford it, especially for second semester. It has all of the lessons and a bunch of example problems and helps, a lot. Why aren’t you taking the lab? Isn’t it required for engineers or did they change that?</p>
<p>Engineering Exploration professors come from all over, but avoid Ohenahi at all costs. He’s terrible. Terrible terrible terrible. The other two times associated with that class are recitation and the ‘free time.’ The recitation is once a week and taught by a grad student where you do projects and get help on homework and stuff. The ‘free time’ is time where you have to go to seminars or whatever some weeks. Usually there’s nothing you have to do during that time though.</p>
<p>Calc has a TON of professors. All I can say is avoid Carl Prather (if he’s still there) and see this video for why: <a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FAVG1c2Jck[/url]”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FAVG1c2Jck</a> . </p>
<p>No clue on the econ class. Stick with Trost though since that should mean you don’t get a grad student.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>I am taking the lab, i just meant that I know who my lab teacher is, but not my general chemistry class teacher.</p>
<p>Also, there’s no more recitation (never heard of it, nobody mentioned it) with engineering exploration, just the class itself, and a free time.</p>
<p>Schedule balance will be good for you. I didn’t have to take chem or econ (which calc are you in?) at VT thankfully do to placement, but I have heard good things about Trivedi (spelling…?) for chemistry.</p>
<p>Have you been introduced to Hokie Spa? You’ll be able to use drop/add to get a section that fits better for you if a spot opens up (stalk it)</p>
<p>In addition to them not knowing how many sections of a class to offer as well as what teachers will be available, they intentionally hide the professor’s name in some cases because kids will choose timeslots based on professors. <—DO THAT! Check ratings.</p>
<p>I was lucky enough at my info session w/ Dr. Watford to speak to the schedule advisor and sometimes they are able to tell what STAFF section a teacher will be assigned to. For example, she knew that a physics section marked STAFF was going to switch to Chang once drop/add opened up, and added me to it. They won’t always know, but it’s worth a shot to be nice and hope you get lucky.</p>
<p>Prather is funny even to just pass by in the halls of McBryde. Just don’t get him for class haha. I had Ben Romdhane for Calc II first semester, and I thought he was okay. I’ve heard positive things of Ogoud (spelling?) from friends, particularly that her notes were good.</p>
<p>@ Engineering Exploration: They didn’t call it a recitation last year, it was a “workshop”. Prepare to hate the ENGE department by the way.</p>
<p>I’m in Calc 1205 (Only got a 3 on the AP test, needed a 4). Thanks, and yeah I know about the DropAdd stuff. Guess I’ll just check that out every now and again.</p>
<p>Oh, and after looking at my schedule, for Engineering Exploration, I have the class, the additional time, and the free time. I guess the additional time is recitation/workshop thing ou are talking about.</p>
<p>I’m going to hate that class, huh? haha</p>
<p>I’m curious, when you say “over 400 extra students in the college of engineering…”, do you mean that they have 400 students overall for fall 2010 than spring 2010? Are there 400 more in the class of 2014 than 2013? I’m trying to understand if they cast their net too wide and got more acceptances back then they anticipated, which may mean tighter admissions next year.</p>
<p>She made it sound more like there were only so many students that they SHOULD have accepted, but they overaccepted by 400. Could have been an exaggeration though.</p>
<p>That’s what I’m trying to wiggle out. Exaggerations are no big deal, I’m not hear to point fingers or pixel count. I’m just looking to see how this may effect admissions next year. I guess it’s all speculation anyway.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone that helped me out, but I have another question to throw up here. AP Credits got me out of English so I replaced it with a Econ class (knocks out some of CLE reqs). So my first semester schedule so far is:</p>
<p>General Chemistry - 3 Credits
General Chemistry Lab - 1 Credit
Principles of Economics - 3 Credits
Engineering Exploration - 2 Credits
Elementary Linear Algebra - 2 Credits
Calculus - 3 Credits
Free Time - 0 Credits</p>
<p>I’m in the College of Engineering, GE major. That only adds up to 14 credit hours for my first semester, and I’m not finding any other class that I truly want to take or would fit comfortably into my schedule. After all, it’s my first semester and I have some hard classes. Would I be fine with just the 14 credits? It’s under the reccomendation of 15-18, but it’s over 12.</p>
<p>You could always take a CLE6 course which is one credit pass/fail.</p>
<p>I just found a resources geology class from CLE7, think I’ll take that one. 17 credits total.</p>
<p>Roommate took that resources geology class, and while he wasn’t the most motivated, he loathed the class. He’s a civil engineer through-and-through, and even his love of rocks and the like wasn’t enough to save him. I think he may have taken it for a CLE, but I’d consider your other options.</p>
<p>Linear Algebra is a joke, by the way. 1024 (enge exploration, everyone calls it 1024) won’t really take up much of your time but it’s just not a very good class. If you have zero idea of what an engineer is, have absolutely no professional ethics, don’t know how to graph, or do most of what they’ll ‘teach you’, I suppose it is marginally helpful. Every engineering school has to have a starting point somewhere so I guess this is it. Hopefully you get a cool TA and meet other friends because that’s all you can really ask for.</p>
<p>I’d consider taking the creativity+aesthetic experience (CLE 6, 1 credit p/f, also a joke in terms of ease) if you can get into it. I plan to study abroad and then get the school to accept it as the CLE I didn’t come in with either by BS or actually taking a cultural class.</p>
<p>Get Trivedi for Chem 1035. Not only is he awesome, he’s a pretty easy teacher (his DVD has everything on his tests, there’s never any uncertainty) and you can play TRIVEDI BINGO!</p>
<p><a href=“http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/6897/bingob.png[/url]”>http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/6897/bingob.png</a></p>
![http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/6897/bingob.png[/url]](http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/6897/bingob.png%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>Of course, here’s a video I found of Trivedi’s antics if you don’t believe me:
[YouTube</a> - The Final Demonstration of Ketan Trivedi](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzmmkttkMSg]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzmmkttkMSg)</p>
<p>I took your advice hokage and dropped resources and added creativity. RateVTteachers.com agreed with you, and it fits better into my schedule anyways.</p>
<p>And thanks ymon, I’ll keep checking for Trivedi. Who did you like for Calculus ymon?</p>
<p>I got a 5 on the AP Calc BC exam, so I didn’t have to take the introductory Calculus courses. I had Agud for multivariable and she was pretty good (plus all of her quizes were take-home) so I’d recommend her if she teaches Calc I or Calc II. That said, there are likely other good Calculus teachers, check *******.com or any other rating website.</p>
<p>I have a schedule similar to awilly’s . But for Eng Exploration and Calc 1, I have staff on my schedule, and in the drop/add table all of the Calc and Enge classes are staff. Is there any way I can pick my professor ( I’ve already been to orientation) ? Or do I just have to hope I get a good one?</p>