<p>I'm about to be a freshman and I'm pretty overwhelmed. I'm going to register for classes next week, and I'm supposed to have 7-10 classes picked out to discuss which ones to take with my adviser (whom I don't even know yet). I'm 99% sure I'm not pre-med, but I might major in something science-related. Please help me figure out where to start. Thank you.</p>
<p>Also, my school has no classes I HAVE TO take other than freshman writing. I have to fill distribution requirements, but everyone has said not to worry about those yet because they can be filled in a ton of different ways.</p>
<p>The only class I'm sure I'm taking is Calc 3.</p>
<p>pick classes that your school requires you to take anyway. (gen ed classes). Since you have to take them anyway wise on get them out of the way.</p>
<p>Just pick whatever math, science, English, etc. general classes sound interesting. That’s typically what people take in their freshman year, anyway. Don’t worry, it’s not uncommon to not know your major in your freshman year. Some people don’t know theirs until their junior year. Others will change their major a lot. Others will graduate and realize that wasn’t what they really wanted to study at all. So you won’t be alone in this confusion!</p>
<p>Just take any classes that sound interesting, that way you can get used to your class load and then if you find a major you can go from there… You said you may do something science related so it would be a really good idea to pick a path or two that you’re mostly likely to do (bio, chem, phys, etc) and take the gen class that way you aren’t a year behind. All schools should have a gen chem, gen bio class anyways. Most schools have classes that dabble in another subject, too. ie: I took an English class that was about pseudoscience. Filled my English credit and was interesting to me as I’m a science major, myself.
But your best bet would be to do classes that would help your major if you have an idea of it or gen eds.</p>
<p>If you are even THINKING about being a science major, then you should start getting the intro science sequences out of the way. It is really common for an upper level class to require not only a two-semester sequence in the same discipline, but also one or two classes in a related discipline. So, BIO 300 might require BIO 101, BIO 102, and Chem 101. If you don’t get started on the intro series right away, you make it harder on yourself later.</p>
<p>So, think about a science class (or two), your math class, and your writing class. If you only want to do one science class, then think about something that will challenge you in another direction. Take the opportunity to explore something new. Take a philosophy class, or a women’s (or men’s!) studies course. Maybe try a sociology class about witchcraft, or a history class about pirates. Go through the course descriptions, and find several things (maybe 6-10) that sound interesting. Maybe you won’t find your life’s passion among those courses, but you never know!</p>
<p>What about an Intro Accounting class? Sure history and english classes are interesting and fun, but exposure to business is not a bad thing. I’m all for a history class about pirates, but don’t only look at arts & sciences classes. I don’t know what school you go to or what their college of business’ policy is, but an intro class or a survey of accounting/business class won’t harm you. You might even like it.</p>
<p>Rainbowrose–don’t stress about your class selections or about being undecided. Because at WUSTL the only truly required class is Writing 1, you’ve got the freedom to explore any subjects that interest you. As there is no Gen Ed per se at WUSTL and requirements follow a distribution system, you’ve got a lot of leeway in regards to what courses you want to take. In that vein, rainbowrose, you might have better luck reposting this question in the WUSTL thread, that way people could offer more apropos advice.
Having recently met with my adviser, I can assure you have no need to be concerned. Just read through the course book and tag anything that piques your interest. Discuss those classes with your adviser once you meet him/her. My schedule is just a colorful collage of those classes that I just said, “Hm…that sounds like it might be interesting.” I will say, though, that I believe the sciences at WUSTL follow a rather strict cycle–as in you MUST start with Gen Chem 1 before you can take Bio or Gen Chem 2 (Don’t hold me to that, but that’s what I remember hearing everyone gripe about when I went). Gen Chem takes up a larger than normal chunk of your schedule because of its accompanying lab, so that might affect your other class choices. That’s something to keep in mind if you plan on pursuing the sciences. Also, if you’re planning on taking a language, 100 and 200 level classes are 5 credit classes, meaning they meet every day and also take up more time than the standard 3 credit course.
Another course possibility is the freshman seminars/programs. If you’ve signed up for one, that’s one of your classes right there.
AND (before I bore you to death ;P) there’s one more thing that I don’t think you even find out until you get there–you’ve been randomly assigned a term to take Writing 1 already, so you really have no choice as to when to take it.
WUSTL recommends entering freshmen take 12-15 hours first term. So, assuming you’re assigned Writing 1 first term and intend to study the sciences and a foreign language…
Writing 1 - 3 credits
Gen Chem 1 + Lab - 5 credits
Freshman program/seminar - 3 credits
Foreign language (assuming intro level) - 5 credits or Foreign language (upper level) - 3 credits
Calc 3 - 3 credits
EQUALS
17-19 credits, putting you right about where you need to be.
or drop the foreign language for 14 credits.</p>
<p>There are two approaches for your first year:</p>
<ol>
<li>Focus on finding a major.</li>
<li>Focus on general education requirements.</li>
</ol>
<p>Most students do a combination of the two. If you feel drawn towards the sciences, you should be taking one or two science classes in addition to math. Fill the rest of your schedule with interesting classes that will count towards your distribution requirements. Have you tried browsing the course catalog? There are always a few courses that just jump out at me when I do that. </p>
<p>A few random courses I have taken over the years just because they sounded cool: sociology of religion, web development, politics and the mass media, natural hazards (geology), intro piano, positive psychology, accounting, violence and public health. Each of them had a profound impact on how I view the world!</p>
<p>Freshman year is the perfect time to study something completely random that happens to appeal to you, maybe for no tangible reason whatsoever. You’ll acquire new perspectives, get your general education requirements out of the way and maybe even pick up a minor or a new major along the way!</p>
<p>Thanks grammarfreak. I thought I would get more responses here, but the majority of them so far have been irrelevant. I saw on WebSTAC that it says “Spring Writing Placement Approved” which means I’m taking it in the spring, but I’m not sure if that means I got into T&T which I signed up for. If I did, there are 2 classes taken up right there.</p>
<p>P.S. One more thing about gen ed requirements: please don’t feel committed to take anything just because an adviser tells you that it might be a good idea. My college advises freshmen to get the math/science and foreign language requirements out of the way in the first year because these classes will get harder the longer you postpone them. That is true, but my friends who postponed them were on average happier with their majors than the students who followed the advice. The defiant students had more time to explore majors in their first year. Students who followed the “standard” first-year schedule (math+lab science, foreign language, mandatory writing courses) didn’t have much time to explore until their 2nd year, at which point it is almost too late to change majors. Many of them resent the advice they got.</p>
<p>I was interested in a few fields. Business, criminal justice, public health and urban planning. Fall 2010 I took intro to CJ, public health and urban planning. CJ satisfied a gen ed requirement, public health and urban planning have both ended up being electives for me. They gave me an idea of what the majors are like. I also took a necessary math course and another gen ed. I still wanted to check out business, so Spring 2011 was accounting, economics, business calc, public speaking and another CJ course. </p>
<p>Now I want to major in business and CJ is my backup major if I don’t get in. I got some gen eds out of the way (also have two knocked out through AP credit, and just knocked two more out this summer). That worked pretty well for me I’d say.</p>
<p>Look up all of the majors you are possibly interested in.</p>
<p>Check to see how long the prerequisite chains of courses are for these majors. Generally, the majors with the longest prerequisite chains are those which you must start taking courses for early if you want to avoid delaying graduation. Most of these majors will be science or engineering majors, though some other majors may also have long prerequisite chains.</p>
<p>So start with the courses needed to keep the door open for the majors with the longest prerequisite chains (e.g. math if you are considering any math-based major like math, physics, statistics, computer science, or engineering). If you are interested in something science, physics and/or chemistry may be a good idea to start early, although taking both may be a high workload due to having two lab courses.</p>
<p>What may be a good first semester schedule if you are interested in science would be:</p>
<ul>
<li>math (as you mentioned)</li>
<li>writing (requirement if needed)</li>
<li>1-2 science courses from physics, computer science, and/or chemistry, depending on your interest and the requirements of the majors you are interested in</li>
<li>0-1 humanities or social studies courses that fulfill breadth requirements</li>
</ul>
<p>Note that of the sciences, math, statistics, physics, and computer science have much better job and career prospects than chemistry and biology.</p>
