Problems before even starting college- not being assertive enough (scheduling), family, social

Student Lounge College Life
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@ MYOS1634 Cse 100 is the course my advisor told me was full and was a sophomore class. I really tried to get into it. Okay, this is really weird. I just checked the schedule thingy for my school and the class is NOT full. There is only a little bit more than half enrolled in the class (which makes sense because I was only the second group for enrolling in classes). I’m not sure why I didn’t check this out when I was in the computer lab, but now I am confused. Maybe I said CSE 231? But, that’s not really probable because I remember asking if I could switch my other seminar (the one for the summer course) to the computer science one. She showed me the screen that only showed one class like I’m seeing now and while I didn’t look hard enough, maybe I should have?

Anyway, I got a 3 on my AP Comp exam so I waived the writing requirement.

Yes, I think what you are describing is the cognate (which may be similar to a “specialization” or as close a minor as one can get). I didn’t really hear much about it (not at all) and I just saw it in passing while looking over the flow chart and the major’s requirements. I just assumed that I didn’t have to decide until later. Out of sight, out of mine. I did take Spanish for four years in high school. But, to my utter embarrassment, I remember nothing and I probably can’t hold a halfway decent conversation, which really sucks because I really want to be bilingual. I also wanted to study abroad in either west or central Africa or maybe South America where Spanish might be useful, but that depends on if my college has any actual credits going toward that. I was still debating on taking Spanish on the college level.

I might just do communications (I am really interested in their research and how it relates to technology and people) or social science.

Yeah, I was also thinking of replacing human nutrition with a “bioscience.”

CSE 231 is a sophomore class? I was under the impression I would be behind if I didn’t take it. My assumption came purely from me and I am kinda happy that I won’t be behind in at least one course. Good. And no, I don’t know Python. I was attempting to start something on Khan Academy, but I get distracted with life very often, so I will check your links.

Yes, from now on, I will definitely try and have something written down before I head to an advisor. I had things in my mind, but as we can see, it didn’t work out so well. Something on paper will probably greatly help because as I learned, I shut down and stop asking questions when I get confused and lose my footing in the conversation because I unexpectedly learn something, which is really counterproductive.

I will also be on the lookout for the book. And thanks for your really helpful advice!

Also, not to bother you with more of my issues, but I just now realize that my final exam conflicts with a class I have that day. Is that fine? Should I go out of my way to change it? Looking at my schedule brings on more questions like namely when am I supposed to study, but I am guessing in the evenings because I honestly purposely don’t have a class earlier than 10:00.

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You need to go to the tutoring center and have a tutor reserved AND go to office hours. It’s important for you to get to know your professor, and vice versa. They’ll be able to explain their thinking. Tutors will help with questions, exercises. It’s not the same and you have to do both. Study groups are another way to study. All three matter.
Email your adviser and ask if you can swap a section for another - but only after you checked if it was possible for your schedule.

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One thing to note. During the first week of classes lots of students change up their schedule and withdraw from some classes. You may have the option of enrolling in a class that was previously full that you want to take so keep your eyes open if there is something you want to enroll in. Every semester there is a drop/add period at the beginning so it is quite common to make schedule changes.

17 to 18 credits a semester is quite common in engineering school when you take into account classes with labs.

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@MYOS1634 Just to make sure, are you responding to my comment above? I wasn’t sure you saw it because it was under review. So, I should switch my class because of the final exam?

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I wasn’t, it dealt with your comment when you said you preferred tutoring to office hours and I was explaining YIU needed to so both.

You don’t have class during finals. Let’s say finals are December 12-17. All classes stop December 10, you have ‘Reading days’ then exams start and all you do is prepare for exams/take exams.

You need to be in CSE100 your adviser made a mistake.
However 231 is a sophomore class and you do need to learn Python ahead of time.
Class numbers 100= first year, 200= second year, etc.

You’ll typically have a foreign language placement test. Did you have that at the same time as the math test? Often if you do well you place out of one, sometimes two semesters of the language you studied in high school.
To study in Africa, French is recommended. Spanish for South and Latin America.
However I’m not sure if you can take communication AND a foreign language.

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@MYOS1634 Well, yeah. She made a mistake, but I don’t know how to attempt to fix it. Because by the time I am allowed to change my schedule, it very well can be full.

I never really correlated the number with years. Very interesting to note. Thanks for the tidbit.

We have the option of doing placement testing in advance, hence how I knew I was put into remedial math so early and was able to get into my program. But, yes, we did have foreign language testing and math testing at orientation for those who didn’t take them yet. I just didn’t pay attention to it. I believe I can still take it online. But, according to my advisor, she said I should bomb it purposefully because they’re five level courses, you can’t move down a level if you want to, and a less than stellar grade in a five- credit course can wreck your GPA.

But, I am currently thinking heavily on switching out human nutrition because I put it there as an “exploratory” class, but I am finding I am actually more interested in other things. Also, I’m not sure if adding a class spring semester will be worth it (I’m eyeing chem and the lab as being pretty intense). I’m going to discuss that with my advisor (my program one), but after the second orientation is over (our program had two orientation dates).

Also, will it be appropriate to email a program director and ask them questions about their major? It’s a new major that combines humans and technology which seems great for me, but it is new much like the career(s) (experience architecture for UX/ UI). The college it is housed in has pretty brutal income rates and job placement. But, they may be because it is housed in the college that has writing programs, so I am thinking the bulk goes to graduate school or the likes ( I have a list of questions I am not sure about asking). I’m just not sure if will be tacky to ask about their internship and job placements rates. I’m eying that major and another just in case I wanted to switch.

Also, thanks for informing me about the whole exams thing. It seems like such a simple thing to know, but alas, all the things you don’t know as an income freshman.

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@DadTwoGirls Wow, I completely missed your comment.

Anyway, yeah, I pretty much decided that summer vacation ended in my junior year. If I am not working, I will be taking a summer class. If I am not working, I will be doing an internship. If I am not doing an internship, I will be doing study abroad. It is pretty much what my program director said in passing. I didn’t really think about it until now. I’m not exactly complaining because I am hoping by taking the right steps I can build a nice life for myself (where I definitely won’t have the summers off). It’s an interesting realization, one I which I wish I came to earlier so I had my time to enjoy my summers instead of complaining about not having a job (which IS very important)

But, yes. Thank you. I am nervous, but I am very much excited. Because at the end of the day, while others are helping, I get to decide all myself. I either sink or swim. I took a risk going by to the college I choose, so I just hope I don’t have to go home with my tail tucked between my legs.

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@twoinanddone Yeah, everything is standardized, but it is a curriculum so there has to be to a certain degree.

Financial aid isn’t really involved with this. I think you’re referring to Mth 103 (the class that is in my fall semester) as pre-algebra? But, that is college algebra. Mth 114 (my spring semester) is pre-calc. That’s required, period. That is just a university requirement I have to take regardless of majors.

But, I’m not sure my program will be all to happy about me dropping cem 121. I think it was actually in our contract that they had us signed. I should probably look at that because it might have mentioned something about mandatory study meetings, also.

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For a typical engineering student, you don’t take any engineering courses freshman year…you take Calc, Chem, Physics, humanity, intro to programming, etc. For CS, I assume it would be similar. See if there is a curriculum online that shows the general order of courses and see if you are mostly on track with that.
Don’t worry if you have to take any remedial math…that is usually more about your HS than you. Take this opportunity to “catch up” and keep moving forward.