<p>My daughter is an MIT hopeful and interested in physics, math, and comp sci. What would a typical first year course load contain?</p>
<p>Freshman usually take the General Institute Requirements during their first year.</p>
<p>A typical freshman schedule for the fall would be calculus (single- or multivariable), chemistry, physics (mechanics), and a humanities course. In the spring, it would be calculus (multivariable or diff eq), physics (E&M), a humanities course, and a course related to the student’s major.</p>
<p>Of course, many people come in with AP credit, or take advanced standing exams to pass out of some of these classes, so it’s certainly possible to take more classes in one’s major freshman year than this.</p>
<p>Thanks - is there a P.E. requirement?</p>
<p>Yes, students have to take four PE classes or participate in a sport that awards PE points (all varsity sports do, and some club sports do). These classes don’t have to be taken during freshman year, though, or during the term at all – I took all of mine during IAP in January when there’s no class.</p>
<p>Mollie, you left out bio! How could you of all people leave out bio?! :D</p>
<p>It is pretty common to take bio instead of a course related to the student’s major as a spring-term frosh, especially if the student hasn’t picked a major yet, which is fairly common.</p>
<p>Mollie - Did you get yelled at for not completing them before junior year? :P</p>
<p>Hey, she asked for a typical frosh courseload. 
And not everybody takes bio freshman year.</p>
<p>I don’t recall ever having been reprimanded for taking my PE classes late – and I even took the freshman swim test during IAP of senior year. But it’s possible I may have gotten a snotty email from DAPER and just ignored it.</p>
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<p>Yeah, but most do. Like you said, “typical”. :)</p>
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<p>DAPER’s grumpiness about that seems to be a thing of the last couple of years. I got a whiny email from them that I ignored (just like Mollie) and that was it.</p>
<p>I’m a senior and I’m still ignoring whiny emails. I think they threatened a fine at some point that they never proceeded to charge me. Who knows, maybe I’ll get a bill for forty bucks in thirty years. </p>
<p>Oh, and hi to some of the old CC people - I’ve been away for a few years. Mollie, you’re a super moderator now? Good grief! When is admissions going to just hire you?</p>
<p>Oh - and I’m also taking bio now. There is no good reason your daughter has to take ALL the GIRs that don’t interest her right off the bat. I would say to get going on feeling out potential majors second term freshman year. She might take the intro computer science class (6.01) and either finish the math and physics GIRs or go beyond them, depending on whether she tests out of the first ones or not. There’s plenty of time for computer science/math/physics students to take bio as seniors - and it’s fun to take it with a bunch of freshmen who are being graded on pass/no record! I think it’s very valuable to start getting into courses that are fun, interesting and relevant to a major (for people who have them in mind) as soon as possible.</p>
<p>However… for people who don’t have a major picked early, it’s good to take the GIRs while figuring it out.</p>
<p>It’s usually more common for freshmen to take chemistry in fall semester and bio in the spring, I feel. Some versions of chemistry aren’t even offered in the spring.</p>