<p>We had our son (incoming Freshman, Biomedical Engineering) scheduled for his french placement test June 11th and orientation June 12th. It's starting to look like we'll be out of town that week. Does anyone think delaying his orientation by a week (to June 19th) would be detrimental for any reason? Do their chances of getting the classes/times they want decrease a lot if they wait?</p>
<p>Thanks for any information you can offer. :)</p>
<p>I think you’re going to be fine, that’s still a fairly early orientation date. Mine was something like June 15th? And the only problem I had was that all of the Bio101 classes were full. But, as they tell you, it’s still possible to get the classes you want before the summer is over just by checking VIP. So even if there are some classes that he doesn’t get at orientation, I’d encourage him to work at it! I eventually got into the Bio101 class (and then subsequently switched majors and dropped it…but I digress).</p>
<p>Okay, thank you so much!</p>
<p>I’ll echo what GamecockGirl said.</p>
<p>It’s still a fairly early orientation. (They run through the end of June and the first week of July, I think.)</p>
<p>He won’t necessarily be able to get into the classes he wants. (He probably won’t be able to get into things like US History or a Spanish class), but for the most part he should be able to get into the classes he needs. If he can’t the first round, he can just change his schedule over the summer and up through the first week of classes how he sees fit.</p>
<p>I had to do that, because my advisor originally told me to sign up for French 209, but I actually ended up being placed at the 300 level and had to change my class. It’s really common to change classes even through the first week, so if your son doesn’t get his first pick, it really won’t be the end of the world.</p>
<p>I appreciate the help ladies! Question, is it likely he will have to take more foreign language? He has taken 2 semesters this year (senior year) and is doing well. What is the possibility he’ll place high enough on his test that he won’t have to take more? Or is it mandatory? URGH - there is too much to know… he doesn’t really care either - I’m the one stressing over everything…</p>
<p>First of all, with engineering he won’t need as high a placement score because they ask for less language so if he’s good, he might exempt altogether. Look on placement web page for more info (link from orientation page). As to orientation date, that’s about when my daughter’s was last year and lots of stuff was closed. You’ll get something, after all at the beginning you have some general requirements to get out of the way. But, while I think they did add some slots to classes in aug and maybe another section or two for some subjects, USC does not hold spaces for kids with later registration. Just be aware that it may mean his chemistry class is at 6pm and lab from 8-10 (example). Likely to have not ideal schedule as far as when classes meet. You will end up about the 5th week in so more than half the students will have been by then. Earlier is definitely better. However, unless in honors, after they are advised and register they can change the schedule themselves and can monitor master schedule throughout summer for when people drop classes.</p>
<p>SCMom, thanks for the helpful information! I don’t think I’ve talked to you for awhile - how are things going with your son? Any decisions made?</p>
<p>Yea! Success in registering for orientation. We were quite pleasantly surprised to find out they are offering orientation on Memorial Day. Not exactly the ideal way to spend the holiday but saves another day off work/school. I’m getting excited for our DD as it seems the HOnors College at USC will have so much to offer.</p>
<p>We did early orientation with our son last year, think it was the Tuesday after Memorial Day – and he was really pleased he could get all the classes he wanted and when he wanted.
Hope2help, honors college is awesome, we have a daughter who will graduate this may and she is has loved it. She lived in the Honors dorm the first year it was open and that location is ideal. Good luck to your daughter and all the other new Gamecocks. </p>
<p>One tip, Parents Weekend has already been set for 2012 and you may want to make a hotel reservation now if you want to attend. It’s Sept. 21 and 23 and we wouldn’t miss it.</p>
<p>Do you mean Sept 21 THROUGH 23?</p>
<p>The problem with memorial day orientation is they need to take their foreign language placement test before they register, so ideally they should be there 2 days in a row to take their placement test the day before orientation. That’s why we had to wait till school was out, so we could be there two days in a row.</p>
<p>Oh and thanks for the Parents Day tip!</p>
<p>@CFitzRN I was very pleasantly surprised that we were able to schedule the language placement test on the Sunday before Memorial Day and then orientation on Memorial Day. That way we get it done early and we won’t be missing school/work. Well, maybe Tuesday for a travel day. But all the AP tests will be done by then anyway. Not exactly how we usually spend the holiday weekend but worth it to miss cookouts, etc. in my book in order to get the orientation in early. Just my .$02. Such an exciting time!</p>
<p>Actually, I have a daughter who is a freshman there and is having a great time. Hope2Help, that’s a great advisement time. I wanted to do it that week last year, but we were down to the wire on decision and the only days open were graduation day and graduation rehearsal! The nice thing about honors is that they will put you in classes based on what you think you did on AP tests, good since you obviously don’t have scores during orientation.</p>
<p>@scmom12 All advisors put you in classes based on how you think you did on AP tests, not just honors.</p>
<p>That’s good to know. we did have to change after scores came out because daughter’s HS math teacher told her she should move up a level from what they suggested, so we did change her schedule.</p>
<p>Yeah. You sign up based on how you think you did.</p>
<p>What happens in the CAS is they take you during orientation and explain all of the basics of graduation requirements and general education and things like that, then they divide you into groups of four or five students based on major. If a student is undecided, then they just randomly assign you an advisor based on where you’re sitting at the time. So you could literally have pretty much anyone if you’re undecided.</p>
<p>Then, that advisor goes over basic course numbers and things to tell you to write down. Once you’re done talking with them, they take you to a computer lab and you make your own schedule. They don’t have to approve it or anything and you literally just sign up for whatever you want or think you should be in.</p>
<p>It’s probably a good idea to ask right after an AP test how you think your child did, so they can get an idea of where they should be and it’s not a month later when they’re kind of fuzzy gauging their performance.</p>
<p>We’re registered for June 8th for my son, who starts this Fall as a freshman. The scholarship confirmation letter we received advised us to attend the earliest orientation date possible “as classes fill up early,” and since his HS graduation is June 1, this is the first date we can be there. As a music major, I’m guessing things operate a bit differently for him - for example, they will be scheduling his “applied instrument” lessons with the professor, and he will be in Marching band (required with credits for 3 semesters), so his Gen Ed classes will need to work around those things. Not to knock any other majors, but I would hope they give some extra consideration to this situation to ensure he gets in the classes he needs/wants - for him, the sooner he gets the Gen Ed stuff out of the way, the sooner he is fully dedicated to music. It’s his passion and the reason USC recruited him with a scholarship, so I will not be happy if getting classes is a challenge.</p>
<p>I hate to be the one to say it, but there will not be any special consideration for your son, StoneMagic. Trust me, there are certain restrictions for all majors. For example, theatre majors cannot schedule classes after 6pm on any day of the week, because of rehearsals. Registering for classes can be a difficult time for any student, regardless of major. I know that music majors have it especially tough because of all of the required classes, but I guarantee that things will work out, although he probably won’t get the “ideal” time slots or professors. At orientation, he will be advised by someone from the music department, so they will definitely help him out.
This probably won’t be of much help for the first semester, but I would strongly recommend using the website MyEdu.com. It lists all available classes for the current semester, and is very helpful when you want to create a schedule.</p>
<p>Stone, they actually don’t give any consideration at all as to a new students registration status. On the “Master Schedule” (link to it is on the VIP page) it will list each class and section offered, and a max class size. Whether your son can sign up for a particular class will be determined by whether or not that particular section has been maxed out or not.</p>
<p>There will be someone at the orientation who is very familiar with the music ed curriculum and can guide him to making good choices, but it would still be in his best interest if he (and you) studied the curriculum in detail in advance.</p>
<p>My son’s biggest regret is that he didn’t go to our local community college prior to starting USC. It’s also OK to only take one or two general ed classes each semester. As far as timing the general ed classes, I believe that only absolute requirment is that Eng 102 has to be completed prior to the Jr. year (I have no idea what happens if that requirement is not met).</p>
<p>It may actually be to his advantage to dive headfirst into the music curriculum. I figure that if he is going to decide to change majors, the sooner the better, and taking lots of music classes his first year may be the deciding factor as to whether he will stick to music. And remember he can always take general ed classes during the summer at any college, but he he likely can’t take any needed music classes during the summer.</p>
<p>A good first semester curriculum may look something like this:</p>
<p>Engl 101
Music Theory 1
Aural Skills 1
Applied Music (select for two, three, or four semester hours)
MUSC 100 and MUSC 100-L (thats two different classes)
Marching Band
Beginner Group Piano 1</p>
<p>And maybe one more class, maybe music history, or possibly one of the little one hour classes that teach different instruments, or another general ed requirment. if he makes the top wind ensemble in August (it’s by audition a few days after bandcamp starts) then he would certainly want to drop a class and participate in the top ensemble (not all that likely, but there were one or two or three freshmen who made it this year).</p>
<p>I know it sounds like a lot of classes, it is, thats what makes majoring in music so difficult. My son started out taking 3 general ed classes and found that it was just too much for him to handle, so he dropped one. He is intending on attending our community college this summer to take a few general ed classes.</p>