<p>^^^I am thinking about taking 5-6? FWS, 1 or 2 sciences(Chem and/or Bio), 1 or 2 languages (mandarin and/or french), math, PE</p>
<p>4-5 is about right.</p>
<p>I wouldn't recommend 2 intro languages, especially if one of them is mandarin (I've also heard intro french is particularly difficult, and keep in mind that intro languages meet every day of the week, often early in the morning). Even just one new language is a lot.
Intro Chem and Bio and most math courses involve a lot of work. If you're taking chem, bio, and math, I might draw the line at 4 classes. Then again, you can always sign up for 5 and drop one later; you have 7 (!) weeks after term starts to drop. It's become routine for me to start out with 5 and see how it goes.
Most people take 4-5.</p>
<p>I'm Chinese, i've taken Chinese as a kid. I've taken French for five years so I don't really want to give that up so i don't know</p>
<p>If I'm pre-med i don't know how many science classes I have to take. Is there a site for a sample pre-med's schedule?</p>
<p>Just a question, but say you're a freshman, do you have to take an English class.</p>
<p>I've taken 5 classes each semester (PE doesn't really count)</p>
<p>As a freshman, you are not "required" to take a writing seminar but a vast vast majority do, and I highly recommend it. People who take FRESHMAN writing seminars as sophomores don't look too good. Some schools (Hotel) have different requirements, and sometimes people AP out of a semester, but the typical freshman takes a writing seminar both of the first two semesters.</p>
<p>Also, I'd highly suggest not taking 2 languages. Mandarin is typically 6 credits (meet for 1 hour per day twice per day every day), and another language along with 4 other classes is virtually suicide (no pun intended).</p>
<p>FWS, bio (either intro bio or another one if you place out of intro bio, Chem 207, and 1-2 electives are about right for a freshman schedule. You might want to take math as one of the electives depending on how well you can deal with 3 sciences. Chinese at Cornell is extremely time intensive so I wouldn't suggest taking it as a freshman unless you can devote a large portion of your schedule to it.</p>
<p>hey mcdcoops, what do u mean by "taking FRESHMAN writing seminars as sophomores don't look too good"?</p>
<p>Which Chinese are you thinking of taking? </p>
<p>Right now I'm taking 5 classes including Chinese 102. I'm fluent in Taiwanese and knew a bit of Chinese (but not characters) so I took the 101-102 sequence. Given that background, I only spend the time in class plus maybe an hour per week outside of class doing homework (8 hours of class+1hr outside). If you're taking 109-110, be prepared for a lot of work since all those students are generally fluent in spoken Mandarin and know a fair bit of characters. Feel free to ask about details of the Chinese program here.</p>
<p>I am fluent in Mandarin but have forgotten many characters because I just stopped reading the newspaper in high school. I want to re-learn the characters (reading/writing)</p>
<p>Take 109-110 then. Or you could take a placement test and go into the 200/300/400 lvls depending on how much you remember.</p>
<p>hey gomestar, how many credits are you taking now?? i remember that you took a ton before cornell or something...what about now and in the past few years?? i'm just curious because i'm considering taking more than 6 classes next year.</p>
<p>i usually take 5-6 and 16+ credits</p>
<p>I think you should go by credits instead. try to get around 15-18 credits per semester so that you have some spare time in your last few semesters at cornell to try out some non-major classes you are interested in. then again it varies depending on what college or major you are in: I know people in ILR who come in with a lot of APs and take 12 credits a semester and are on track to graduate early... go figure.</p>
<p>oh forgot to mention: if you are taking 1-2 sciences (chem/bio) keep in mind that chem and bio both come with labs as well. even if you are taking autotutorials... and labs (although they are only 1-2 credits) usually take longer than and are just as much work as classes.</p>
<p>If you are premed+Bio major, you should probably think of taking these courses in your first semester.</p>
<p>Intro Bio
Intro chem
Math
FWS
And if you like studying a lot then maybe an additional elective!</p>
<p>regarding Mandarin, I have heard the 101-102 requires alot of work (class meets 5 days / week, plus two sections/ wk). Roughly 7 hours for 6 credits, not including daily homework. Quiz every week.</p>
<p>6 classes, including Mandarin 101-102 would literally be not allowed, as that courseload would exceed 21 credits your first semester. </p>
<p>109-110 is a different story. I have a friend in that class, it is alot of work but very manageable (moreso than hard science classes). Required recording every week, so the emphasis is on conversation.</p>
<p>I am in Chin 201-202. It is relatively easy for me, but that is due to 4 years of rigorous high school mandarin. Knowledge of vocabulary is extremely important at this level, but the instruction, quizzes, single prelim and single final are very straightforward. </p>
<p>I would not recommend taking more than 18 credits each sem freshman year, especially premeds/engineers, so choose wisely. </p>
<p>Personally, I would also not recommend starting off with 14-15 credits. 18 allows the "cushion" of dropping a class, and dropping a class is VERY easy here.</p>
<p>for the mandarin classes...do they use traditional or simplified characters at cornell???</p>
<p>For Mandarin,</p>
<p>how big are the classes? what are the quizzes like? do they including a speaking section? also, how much time do you spend doing hw, and what kind of hw does it include.</p>
<p>p.s. yes, i'm interested in taking mandarin in cornell. is there some kind of test before course selection so you know what level you fit into?</p>
<p>thanx</p>
<p>100 levels teach you traditional first; subsequent classes teach both (or so they say).</p>
<p>aside from writing seminars, are there many required english courses for schools?</p>