I need advice!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Central Florida
1

<p>I'm a computer science major currently attending a Florida community college(Broward College). I have a 3.53 overall GPA right now and I want to graduate at the end of the summer. I plan on transferring to UCF(or UF) for Fall '09.</p>

<p>Now, the problem is: I will get a C or possibly fail a FIVE CREDIT class that I'm currently enrolled in. My professor told me that he is willing to audit for me if I'm not happy with my grade at the end of the semester. He doesn't want me to take a W or fail the class.</p>

<p>Here are my options:
Take the C -
The C would hurt my GPA, but I would be able to continue with my program prerequisites and graduate at the end of the summer. I would have to cram in 4-5 classes in the summer - Calc II, Calc III, Phyics I, Physics II, Intro to Computer Programming(maybe). </p>

<p>Audit / Take a W -
I would be able to take the class over and learn the material much better with a different professor....and earn an A. Taking the class over would keep me from finishing everything in the summer...but I would be able to spread those 4-5 classes and take more computer science electives that would make me stand out from other UCF/UF aplicants. My girlfriend goes to UF, and this would keep me away from her for 4 more months than planned.</p>

<p>What should I do?</p>

2

<p>Oh...the reason why I'm considering a W is because there is only one more open class at the campus I'm attending in the Winter, and there are only 14 spots open. Waiting for the audit could cause me to be blocked out from registering for the class I want to take over. Also, this is an extremely boring/painful 2 hour class and I'd have to keep attending(4 more weeks) to receive the audit.</p>

<p>Would a W look horrible when I apply to UCF? It would be my only one...</p>

3

<p>Can you switch to audit now so that you can register to retake the course next semester?
Would a sympathetic advisor issue an override so that you can register now?</p>

<p>If I understand correctly, there is NO negative impact on your transcript to having "audited" this course, while both a C or a W would have that negative impact.</p>

<p>Am I missing something? This seems like a no-brainer to me.</p>

<p>Any way you could wait and take this course AFTER you transfer?</p>

4

<p>Yeah, this is a no brainer...but my parents are asking me "what's wrong with a C?", and being away from my girlfriend longer also made me think twice about this. I just wanted a few opinions before making my final decision.</p>

<p>I saw an adviser yesterday, and she wouldn't give me the override. She said that I have to wait until I'm done with the current class to re-register. I spoke with an advisor at the other campus, and he said I should be able to get one..but he's not 100% sure. I'll try again on Monday. I have to take this class before I transfer. Without it, I can't move on to the Calc and Physics classes that I have listed.</p>

<p>If I can't get the audit, and the class I want to take starts to fill up...I may begin to feel pressured to take the W. This whole thing has me worried right now.</p>

5

<p>The courses you mentioned are no cakewalk. If I were you I'd be just as concerned about mastering the prerequisite as I am about what shows up on the transcript. If the current course is required for the calc and physics, and you end up not really getting the material, that's a much bigger problem than whether a C, W, or Audit appears on the transcript, IMO.</p>

<p>"I would be able to take the class over and learn the material much better with a different professor....and earn an A. Taking the class over would keep me from finishing everything in the summer...but I would be able to spread those 4-5 classes and take more computer science electives that would make me stand out from other UCF/UF aplicants. My girlfriend goes to UF, and this would keep me away from her for 4 more months than planned."</p>

<p>You've really answered your own question - you just don't like the answer.
I've been married 23 years to the man from whom I was separated by an ocean for months on end when my work took me overseas prior to our engagement. We got through it. You shouldn't make a choice that negatively impacts your academics to be with your girlfriend sooner. Especially if you are trying to transfer to UF. That separation could be a LOT longer, if your grades aren't what they need to be...</p>

<p>Good luck..</p>

6

<p>Hey I'm also a student at Broward and am also planning on transferring for the fall of 2009. I see a BUNCH of problems with your plan, but I'm sure something can be figured out. If you can post me your schedule semester by semester, I'll be able to help you out better. Do it like this:</p>

<p>Fall 2008:
MAC1147
Whatever else
Whatever else
etc</p>

<p>Spring 2009
MAC---
Whatever else</p>

<p>Summer 2009
MAC---
PHY---
COP---</p>

<p>So just type out your whole schedule in there for me so that I can get an idea of what's up. It does NOT look good though for UF in the fall of 2009.</p>

7

<p>Here, you also need to check this link out. Looks like you'll have to take differential equations also. There's no way you're going to pack 5 or 6 math/science courses into a summer semester.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.cise.ufl.edu/academics/undergrad/admission/CSE-Transfer.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.cise.ufl.edu/academics/undergrad/admission/CSE-Transfer.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Post your schedule and we'll figure something out.</p>

8

<p>I talked to my professor today, and he will audit me for sure. It's too late to drop for a W anyway.</p>

<p>Fall 2008:
MAC1147 < Auditing
SPN1120
CGS1061C
SPC1600</p>

<p>Spring 2009
MAC1147
CHM1045
CHM1045L
SPN1121
PHI2010</p>

<p>Summer I
MAC2311
BSC1010
BSC1010L
COP1000C? - might not take it at all</p>

<p>Summer II
MAC2312
PHY2048
PHY2048L</p>

<p>Fall2009
MAC2313
PHY2049
PHY2049L
COP1334C</p>

<p>I know differential equations would be needed, but I see that UF will take 6 of the 7 prerequisites they have listed. I'm leaning more toward UCF, and their prerequisites stop at MAC2312...so I should be alright either way.</p>

9

<p>I guess I won't even bother taking MAC2313 and differential equations if I decide on UCF....</p>

10

<p>Okay, so far the fall of 2008 looks good and so does the spring of 2009. Summer I looks fine also but I wanted to let you know about biology. Since you are a science major, your two levels of physics will fulfill your science requirements, and so you don't have to take biology. You can talk with an advisor about this. By the way, which campus are you on? Into to programming will be fine for summer 1 also.</p>

<p>Now, for summer II there's a problem. Calculus (and probably physics) only start during summer I. When I took calculus I over the summer of 2008, I took it during summer I but since it's a 5 credit class, it doesn't end until sometime during summer II. I am also sure that there is never a calculus II that starts during summer II. So there's nothing much to do for summer II besides take COP1334C and study for the upcoming fall classes.</p>

<p>For fall 2009, you'll be taking MAC2312 and your PHY2048 classes, since you won't be taking those during summer II.</p>

<p>And finally for spring of 2010, you'll be taking MAC2313, PHY2049's, MAP2302 if you choose, etc. By graduating in the spring of 2010, you'll be completely ready to transfer to either UF or to UCF. You can see that by auditing MAC1147, and since you can't take two calculus classes over the summer, you're schedule is pushed back two entire semesters.</p>

<p>Even though UF says you can have just 6 out of 7 of the prereqs, just imagine how many kids are DYING to go to UF and will have all 7 out of 7 done with awesome GPA's. The way I see it, your best chance at UF is for the fall of 2010. Now, with UCF is different, and you're correct that the requirements stop at MAC2312 but have a look at PHY2049 because it seems that it's required. Print</a> Program Sheet - Broward Community College now Broward College</p>

<p>So I guess my advice is that if you want to shoot for UF, graduate in the spring of 2010. If you want to go to UCF, you can maybe squeeze in there and transfer there for the spring of 2010. You just need to revise your schedule a bit more (take off the biology, move summer II to fall 2009, move fall 2009 to spring 2010). The next time you go to an advisor, ask them to look at your schedule, the one you just posted for me. That way he/she can make sure everything is in order and correct, and you'll have a much better idea of when you'll be graduating.</p>

<p>If you need any help, just PM me again. I'm a student on central campus by the way, though I sometimes take classes on south campus also.</p>

11

<p>Thanks! I forgot all about the biology thing. I also go to Central Campus and sometimes South. All but one of my classes will be at South next semester. </p>

<p>I'll revise my schedule and talk to an advisor this week if I can. </p>

<p>The Calc I class you took over the summer...was it 2 days or 4 days a week? I'm hoping there's a chance of a one term class with 2 hour class meetings 4 days out of the week...</p>

12

<p>It was 4 days a week but I don't remember how long it lasted. Either way, I think there were only 2, maybe 3, calculus 1 classes offered, and that they were all like mine. They all lasted longer than the first term and that there were no calculuses in the second half of summer. Believe me, that's what I would have liked also.</p>

13

<p>By the way, which professor do you have for 1147? I see that Elusta and Guild are teaching it this semester.</p>

14

<p>I have Elusta. Who did you take it with?</p>

15

<p>I took 1147 and 2311 with Guild and got A's both times. But I also took Elusta for 1105 and got an A too. I felt that Elusta was kinda the funny lovable sort of guy but that he wasn't that good of a teacher. I totally recommend Guild. He teaches 1147 basically every semester and I found him to be a good teacher and he also has no accent. Why are you having trouble with 1147 though? Is it the material or is it the professor?</p>

16

<p>It's mostly the professor. Elusta rushes through the material and makes our 2 hours class meetings pure torture. I've always had to go home and teach myself, and at some point I got fed up with it. He makes our tests as hard as possible and doesn't give reviews like he does for his other classes. He basically teaches us how to do easy problems, gives us easy and hard problems for hw...then picks out all of the hard problems for the tests. Most of the class has a C, and this is only because of the 10 extra credit points available for each test. </p>

<p>I've only gotten one C since I've been at BC, and all of my other grades are A's and B's. I do MUCH better in 1 hour classes. I'm taking Roig-Watnik for 1147 next semester. Class is 1 hour on Mon/Wed and 2 hours only on Fri. I should get an A since I've learned a decent amount of the material in Elusta's class, and I'll be able to focus much more in the 1 hour class meetings.</p>

17

<p>Alright man, good plan. Please make sure to meet with an advisor so that you can map out the schedule for the next few semesters. Make sure you're positive on the requirements that UF and UCF want, and be sure to keep getting straight A's if you want to get into UF. Let me know if you have any other questions.</p>