Orientation tomorrow...

<p>Yes, you can either take the general intro to engineering if you're an undeclared engineer (like my S) or the intro in the specific field of engineering you THINK you may major in if you have some idea of what you might like. Both will satisfy the same requirement & the other courses are pretty general (some level of calculus, writing 140, some GE course to go with the writing course). You MUST speak with an advisor in order to register in any case. Courses get a bit more specific 2nd semester & considerably more specific in your 2nd year & increasingly moreso as you get further in the program (in engineering more than in many other schools).</p>

<p>Should I go to orientation with a list of the classes I want to take, or should I just go with a vague idea and talk to an advisor?</p>

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Orientation was alright, it's a lot of ******** talk though, a lot of WELCOME TO THE TROJAN FAMILY, AN EXCELLENT INSTITION BLAH BLAH BLAH, I love USC but most of orientation really is pointless, the only cool things were getting the USCard and signing up for classes, My friend and I made a lot of cool friends with the faculty at Annenberg, We were joking around alot with the director and the assistants, they were cool people, and if your at Annenberg they do personally help you select classes.

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<p>Yep, I will agree. Most of the presentations were pretty inane and monotonous and repetitive</p>

<p>BUT </p>

<p>what I really enjoyed about Orientation was meeting all my future classmates. Sitting at lunch, other students would join you at your table, ask you your name, your major, where you were from, etc.. Everyone was incredibly friendly.</p>

<p>In addition, it was the first time I was able to stroll around campus feeling like I belonged there. Before I would just walk around campus admiring the architecture, not quite sure if I would be accepted.</p>

<p>It may seem strange, but I was also really happy when I saw other students scoring higher on the placement exams than I did. It signaled to me that students around me were as smart or smarter than me, something not always true in my high school.</p>

<p>Besides, you have to admit that the skit was pretty funny. ;)</p>

<p>Misoo:</p>

<p>I would go in with the 4 (5) classes you want to take, but not necessarily which times you want to take them.</p>

<p>Generally,</p>

<p>Social Issues GE
Writ-140
Another GE
Math
Additional 2 unit class (optional)</p>

<p>If you plan on taking 5 classes freshman year - one of them better be pass/fail (most of the 2-unit seminars are)</p>

<p>Also everyone planning to take GE's, remember that you can take <em>one</em> of your GE classes pass/fail (meaning that you only need a C- to get the P grade which does not affect your GPA at all) and that if you are not particularly good at writing it can really save you a lot of angst.</p>

<p>
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Should I go to orientation with a list of the classes I want to take, or should I just go with a vague idea and talk to an advisor?

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<p>I usually pick my classes, times, and professors precisely before talking with an advisor, but only because I'm obsessive-compulsive about such things :) You should not feel pressured to have more than a vague idea though, that is what they are there for.</p>

<p>I do recommend that you check out senatecourseguide.com to see what other people say about different professors and classes as their feedback is very helpful. Also if you plan to take a Cat-5 class (ARLT-100) I would make a list of options ASAP because all of them fill up FAST!</p>

<p>
[quote]

It may seem strange, but I was also really happy when I saw other students scoring higher on the placement exams than I did. It signaled to me that students around me were as smart or smarter than me, something not always true in my high school.

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<p>While I don't want to put down my friends from HS, I understand what you're saying...hanging out with other students from USC is a lot more intellectually satisfying sometimes. And it takes some pressure off trying to be top in your class, since there are a lot of great people - though, you will also find that being surrounded by smart people will make you achieve more and be smarter yourself.</p>

<p>Ok right now, my schedule looks something like:</p>

<p>Geography 100gm , Gender Studies 210gm (These are the only CatVI classes that meet the diversity requirement.)
Writ-140
Another GE (maybe a science)
Math 126/208x (I don't understand series/sequences, but I got a 5 on Calc AB, so I might just take 126)</p>

<p>So it's possible to take Writ-140 as pass/fail? Is the class the same as the one for a letter grade? (I was invited to TO, but I think my writing really sucks ass, so I didn't apply.)</p>

<p>BTW, lower division courses are supposed to be taken the first two years, no? Biochemistry has 7 required lower division courses. How does that work out if there's only 1 slot for "another GE?"</p>

<p>I forgot to say, no, writ-140 and writ-340 are the only classes at usc that explicitly cannot be taken pass/fail. You can take up to one of your non-writing GE requirements pass/fail, and personally I think the Cat-6 is worth that - but it's up to you. You have the 1st 3 weeks of the semester to decide.</p>

<p>It is exactly the same course if you take it P/F, it's just at the end of the semester, if you got a C- or above you get credit and a P grade, you get D+ or lower you get no credit and NP as a grade. Either way (even NP) you get <em>no</em> effect on your GPA.</p>

<p>You can take upper or lower division courses at anytime, assuming you have the prereqs, and the course does not explicily say "junior standing" as a requirement (very few do)</p>

<p>The amount of upper-division coursework varies with major. Generally in the college (CLAS) 24-32 upper division units are typical, meaning you take a lot of lower division courses junior and senior year. Expect more in the professional schools and engineering - Personally about half of the units I take at USC will be upper division. :/</p>

<p>Is it one non-writing GE per year, or the entire four years?</p>

<p>Also, I checked out the schedule of classes for the CatVI. There's only 1 class, and it's like 90% full!</p>

<p>I'm also in FSH, so would that "another GE" be a science class?</p>

<p>you should look here - <a href="http://www.usc.edu/academics/classes/term_20063/classes/si.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usc.edu/academics/classes/term_20063/classes/si.html&lt;/a> - for your cat-6 classes</p>

<p>I honestly don't know anything about FSH, I think it's new this year. In this case I'd consult an advisor.</p>

<p>you can only count one GE taken pass/fail, for your entire degree. So for example, suppose you take your Cat-VI pass/fail. You cannot take any other GE class, any category, as pass/fail and have it count toward your GE requirements <em>unless</em> you take another cat-VI class for a grade - which frees up that "pass/fail" option for another GE.</p>

<p>As long as you don't count a class toward major requirements, or GE requirements, you can do it pass/fail, even if it is a class marked with a 'g'.</p>

<p>The CatVI classes with diversity fill up quick; would it be easier to take it during spring?</p>

<p>The TO web registration session was surprisingly impersonal for me, but many others seemed to have a better experience. I accidentally went to the psych department one at first, and it was really nice because there were only six of us and two advisors so you could ask as many questions as you like. When I realized that I needed D-clearance for registering for TO classes, though, I discovered that I was in the wrong group and literally spent ten minutes trying to figure out where the TO group was. Luckily I knew which classes I wanted to take already as I looked at the schedule the night before-there were five advisors for roughly 50 people, and I got very little time to ask any of them any questions. They're very friendly, don't get me wrong; it's just that they spend so much time with each person that they don't get around to everyone, especially if you come in late. I did see the two main TO advisors spending a lot of time with the students who were asking them for advice; they seem to really want to help you out in every way possible. I remember seeing Robin Romans, the TO director, actually talk through this one guy's career plans-the student was considering going into med school but didn't want to major in bio, so Romans was offering suggestions about the different majors the student was considering.</p>

<p>Registration itself really isn't that complicated if you know which classes you want to take and that those classes are still open. If you want to take a freshman seminar, sign up as quickly as possible! All of the ones I wanted to take were filled by the time I registered, and all the other ones I was considering were either filled, cancelled or conflicted with class times. It also helps to look at the Senate Course Guide in advance to see which professors you want to have for your sections. Still, I'm glad I got my first choice of classes overall.</p>

<p>I must say that one of my favorite aspects of orientation, besides making some new friends in widely dispersed majors (USC isn't lying about diversity), was the student services/activites fair on the second day. Besides the booths for student services like housing, transportation, USCard, health insurance, etc. there were also booths for study abroad, fraternities and sororities, volunteer opportunities, the marching band, publications and other activities. It's a really nice introduction to all the things you might be interested in doing outside of class without having to make a commitment then and there.</p>

<p>And yes, the dance was...an embarassment. I've been to one dance in the last four years at a summer college program which was pretty good, but this mixer was just really awkward. And the room smelled really strange. If you go downstairs into the basement people are more relaxed and just hang out and eat.</p>

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I've been to one dance in the last four years

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<p>Same here! Good thing the dance is crappy! :p</p>

<p>Does everyone register at the same time? I'd imagine it'll be pretty hectic.</p>

<p><em>ignores intelligent conversation about class registration</em></p>

<p>yeah, the dance was pitiful...there must've been a dozen people dancing at any one time. everyone was in the basement eating and socializing. the sad part was when the OAs got on a stool and screamed, "HEY.....<em>soft voice</em> somebody come dance with us...." haha. it was a good chance to meet people though.</p>

<p>lol, I was one of those people down in the basement. I didn't even bother going up...</p>

<p>yeah, i was in the basement the whole time...the food and water ran out quick though because of all the people haha. and on top of that, i left the social early with someone, and on the steps of the VKC an Improv group was performing. we were there for at least 20 minutes...so much for the social haha. but we got a taste of culture.</p>

<p>I saw like 5 minutes of the VKC....</p>

<p>I was at orientation #3 (20~21). Were you there? BTW, did you see that guy who was running pass?? Because that was me...lol. One of the guys yelled something and ran after me. haha.</p>

<p>actually, i was at F3 20-21 haha. i didnt see anyone running, so i guess i didnt see you...who was your OA?</p>

<p>Was the improv comedy troupe Commedus Interruptus? I saw them during the scholarship interview weekend, and they were absolutely hilarious!</p>

<p>My OA was Serena.</p>

<p>Should I bring a pillow to orientation, or is that one of the things provided?</p>