Some background info:
I currently go to community college and want to transfer to a 4-year university within two years. I want to transfer to a UC in the future.
I’m in my first year of college and I feel like I’m messing up my 1st semester because I’m undetermined and not exactly motivated for my 1st semester. I find it hard to make friends in my classes, most of the people in my classes are in their 2nd year. I can’t find someone in the same boat as me. Idk, I just can’t seem to get out of my shell.
I also want to major for Biology/BS. However, before college started I was unable to register for classes that were related to my major because most of the biology and chemistry classes were already full. My counselor tries to get me into classes that have open spaces but she checks this website called “ratemyprofessors” to see whether the teachers that are available are actually “good” professors. Well, turns out those professors have bad ratings and I don’t get to do any science classes. Instead, my counselor puts me in an Asian history studies class because I’m “Asian” and she thinks I would easily get the credits. I’m totally bored out of my mind in that class and the teacher keeps going off topic sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, history is great but it’s just not my preference. So, the only classes I was able to get was a math and english course which I’m totally okay with.
but I just want to know;
Am I messing up my 1st semester by taking courses that aren’t related to my major?
How do you get yourself motivated in college?
Advice please, thank you.
If this is literally, no exaggeration, what she did, I would complain to some higher-ups. She’s not doing her job correctly.
You are not messing up your first semester by taking gen eds – check requirements for transferring to a UC, I’m guessing you’d have to take some at some point anyway. But I would get a more concrete resource than your wishy-washy advisor, because she doesn’t sound like she knows what she’s doing.
I am assuming you are attending a California community college? If so, you can look up the GE’s, pre-req’s and major required courses for your major and your intended UC transfer target on assist.org. This is an example of classes needed for UC IGETC (General Ed requirements) for transfer and the classes you are taking will fulfill these requirements so not a waste. One of the most important factors in transferring to a UC will be your GPA, so an easy class should be an easy A…
Try to find motivation and do the best that you can in the courses you are taking. Doing well will take you further than anything else. I agree, find a different adviser and get familiar with the requirements to meet your goals.
@Gumbymom has correctly pointed out IGETC. A huge factor into whether you get accepted as a transfer to UCs is if you have completed most, if not all gen eds through IGETC, and if you have completed the prerequisites for the major you intend to apply for at any UC. Both of these criteria of classes are of utmost importance so you do not have too much time to be undecided especially if you want to enrol into a STEM major like Biology. Another immensely important factor for being accepted as a transfer to a UC will be your GPA. UCs get thousands and thousands of transfer applicants every semester, with no shortage of 4.0s with completed gen eds and prerequisites (especially for those applying to STEM majors). Applying for transfer to UCs is a very precise and rigorous process. I suggest you look more into this as soon as possible and speak to the UCs themselves about how to proceed regarding your goals. Remember once you’ve taken college courses, that transcript will be there forever, meaning one bad semester (which WILL end eventually) can taint your GPA for life if you are not careful. I have suffered this and to this day (5 semesters later), am still trying to raise my GPA to a decent level.
I wish you the best of luck with your studies! I cannot stress how important it is to keep your grades up no matter rain or shine. This sucky time in your life will pass before you know it and good times will roll on, however that GPA you mess up might end up haunting you for years to come (speaking from personal experience). This is not to scare you but to keep you guided on the path to achieve your goals
