<p>Hello,</p>
<p>After the AP Physics C exam, I have become unsure about my physics, and thus, engineering ability. I have been accepted to the UVA engineering school, but now I am seriously thinking about doing commerce. My question is: What special steps do I need to take while in SEAS to be accetped to McCintire?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Doing badly on the AP Physics exam shouldn't make you doubt engineering. I got a 2 on it and I'm doing fine in engineering, as are many others I know who did badly. Is there something else making you want to switch?</p>
<p>As for actually switching, you're stuck in SEAS first semester, for good. No ifs, ands, buts. As for second semester, you can simply sign up for all college classes and try to get your pre-reqs started. But, your first year will be spent, entirely, in SEAS. It's just there are ways around it second semester.</p>
<p>I don't think you'll be able to get into the commerce school after second year (like most other applicants) just because you won't be able to satisfy your pre-reqs by the end of second year.</p>
<p>Sure you can. I know one guy who planned to double major in Comm and Systems Engineering. He decided against it due to the workload he would have to endure the next two years, but he was able to get the pre-reqs done. The pre-reqs are pretty basic from what I know. However, I don't know how exactly the move would be if you went from SEAS (1 year) to College (1 year) to Comm School (2 years). I don't know if you have to satisfy the basic education reqs in the College or not.</p>
<p>Best advice: stick with SEAS for a semester and give it your best. College courses really aren't similar to AP/IB, not only because the education style is different, but you're entire life is different. Instead of wasting 7 hours a day in school, then peddling around with ECs for another hour or two, you're in class for 3-4 hours a day, a few days a bit more due to labs, but the rest of the time is yours to study. Talk to your adviser about your concerns. If after the first semester you still utterly hate it, consider taking College classes, then transferring at the end of the year. I won't lie, SEAS is scary. It's still scary to me. But people do it, even those of us with 2s on AP Physics ;)</p>
<p>Thanks for the encouraging advice shoebox10. I will stick with SEAS and see how it goes. By the way did you take the Mechanics AP? I forgot to realize that I can devote my time more to subjects I need for the degree and less for other useless things. That's good to know too, since I really think if I had studied a bit more for the AP Physics exam I could have had a good feeling about it. I was able to answer the questions I knew about pretty well.</p>
<p>I took the harder of the tests. Whatever that was. I'm pretty sure it was Mechanics only though.
As far as other "useless" things are concerned, you'll have to take humanities and STS (engineering writing) courses during your years. You'll actually learn to enjoy these courses (while learning to find the easy/interesting ones) as a break from SEAS. Like I said...just wait and see. Things will flow :)</p>
<p>I'm probably getting a 2 too (I /was/ thinking of a possible transfer to achieve my desired mix of major). </p>
<p>I've never done this badly on an AP test before. On both of them. It probably didn't help that I spent all of the night before trying to finish my French project to my professor ... [/desperate for excuses].</p>
<p>A bit less related to the OP's concern but I want to ask a related question here -- I feel really unconfident about my grasp of physics after that debacle. I did all the practice exams before, but then I went in for the FRQ and I felt floored, especially since I knew I knew I could do the problems, just that suddenly all portions of the problems seemed to overwhelm me. For those who didn't get credit, did you find that the introductory level courses that would otherwise have been skipped a pain? Or did you find that having to go through the courses was indeed necessary in terms of consolidating your concepts?</p>
<p>When we went over it again today, my reaction to all the FRQ's that I blanked out on was, "duh ... how did I not see that. That's what we've been doing all year." We didn't do any labs that explored the differential-equation nature of LC, RC and LR circuits, for example, so I'm wondering if the feeling of lack of mastery is natural or whether it really means I do have to retake the whole set.</p>
<p>don't worry too much about physics, you will probably be like 90% of all the other students and will complain about physics the 2 semesters you take it.</p>
<p>Tip: be well prepared for the first 2 midterms in mechanical physics because those two midterms are the easiest so you want to do extremely well on those. After that you're just trying to do well in comparison with other students since the average will be anywhere from 45%-60%</p>
<p>Shoebox is a little too panglossian at times. </p>
<p>If you find that physics is a little tough, get help immediately. I don't know about CLAS, but SEAS will have tutors that can help. Don't be afraid to talk to your TA as well.</p>
<p>I was more of trying to say just because you got a 2 on Physics AP, don't sweat it. I didn't want to scare off anyone by saying the two semesters of physics are hell, especially round 2. If college physics is tough, I agree, find help ASAP. But I wouldn't sweat it until you get to that point. Some people do perfectly fine.</p>
<p>ps- nice big word</p>
<p>I took a satire class in high school. Candide was the only work I sort of remember. </p>
<p>Pangloss is still alive and writing fortune cookies somewhere. I've always wondered why fortune cookies don't portend the truth like "Your wife will be gruesome, your kids ungrateful, and you will die in debt".</p>
<p>Panglossian; now that's a word!</p>
<p>MechWahoo, are you sure you're not in the College? Perhaps a double major in English and Philosophy.</p>
<p>Nice cookie. I always like the "You're going to go nowhere in life". I like how we always see the not-so-sunny side of life...and laugh in its face.</p>
<p>In general how much does one need to sweat in college before getting help?</p>
<p>Arch,</p>
<p>You'll know soon enough if you need help. Again, know your TA well and be sure to go to all the study sessions.</p>
<p>For each first-year class, there will be study groups of students that will form up on an informal basis. Be sure to join one because they can be of great benefit, especially if you're stuck on a particular homework problem.</p>
<p>That is one big benefit of the old dorms vs the "new" dorms. It was always much easier to get together a group study session in the old dorms. IMO, hall dorms are much better than suites, both socially and academically.</p>
<p>It is a mistake not to let first-years request the old dorms.</p>
<p>MechWahoo,</p>
<p>I completely agree with your comment on the new housing policy for first-years; it IS a mistake not to let first-years request the old (or new) dorms.</p>
<p>However, IMO, suites are much better than hall dorms, both socially and academically.</p>
<p>Which sort of proves the point: why NOT let incoming first-year students CHOOSE what they think they would prefer?</p>
<p>The Housing folks really missed the mark on this one. Fixing a “problem” that doesn’t exist, and treating incoming University students like they were entering Kindergarten instead of College. Formulating and announcing a new policy that impacts so many, with no input from existing students.</p>
<p>Such clandestine decision making seems incongruent Mr. Jefferson’s original goals for how the University of Virginia should work.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips. Is the library a good place to study and get help?</p>
<p>Arch,</p>
<p>Let me slip into Shoe mode. Calm down and enjoy the summer. </p>
<p>Seriously, you'll do fine. Make sure you schedule time in the fall for studying and homework but also make sure you schedule time for yourself. I always take Friday nights off and Saturdays for recreational stuff. I </p>
<p>I may have been a geek when I came to UVa, but I hope I'm a well-rounded one by the time I graduate.</p>
<p>ha--ha... Don't kill the positive on here. Then again, at least powderpuff is in the college where everyday is a happy day and not spreading her enthusiasm everywhere ;) Besides, do you seriously think one should drop out of the e-school because of a bad AP score? I say forget about the APs and just see how college floats. If you still suck at physics, consider dropping the e-school then.</p>