<p>hi all, just thought I get this out of my chest...</p>
<p>I'll be attending cal in the fall.
I looked at upper division math classes for fall 2012. As expected, Hald's math 104 is the quickest section to reach full capacity with the longest waitlist while the other sections of math 104 on average have less than 10 students. </p>
<p>If math 104 is offered just like math 110, i.e. one lecture with limit of 200+ with several discussion sessions, then I might just get a chance of getting into Hald's class. I've heard he's super good, plus he's the only one who offers a voluntary section. Isn't it like recitation/discussion session? that's a more reason to take his section that's unfortunately closed :(:( </p>
<p>On a slightly different note, anyone knows if students can approach any professor for questions even if the students are not in the professor's class?</p>
<p>^yes. at a school as big as Cal’s, only the students who have initiative will get what they want. no one will hand you information or help. if you want to speak with any professor, just go up to them and start talking.</p>
<p>ex: i went into a professor’s office hours to interview him on a topic for a paper i have due and needed better understanding. this professor never heard of me before, nor was i even in his department nor would i ever take any of his classes. </p>
<p>he graciously gave me 20 minutes of his office hour time (which was mostly empty anyway) and i went off and wrote my paper. </p>
<p>so if you want to go to hald’s section. just show up. there is no reason he would kick you out, or even know you’re not his student (unless you told him, for whatever dumb reason). heck, if you want to go to hald’s LECTURE, just show up and listen. then go to your ENROLLED lecture only when it’s time for exams, etc.</p>
<p>it’s a public university in a free country. even a hobo could spend every day in a class and learn as much as any student.</p>
<p>thanks crowslayer91! I plan on sitting in on his class/discussion. it’s good to hear that I can just go ask any prof. about a topic.</p>
<p>I’m in the same position, I wanted to be in Hald’s class too. I wish they would turn that voluntary section he’s hosting into another section of the class. That would be awesome! In fact, scrape all the other post-docs and just have him lead the entire class. That would be wonderful. It’s unfortunate that people absolutely need small class sizes. Don’t understand why 104 demands it while 110 doesn’t.</p>
<p>I second that easylife808. If the dept wants a small size class for 104, then 36 class capacity isn’t exactly small either.So…yes, I too fantasize about 104 becoming a big section with several discussion sessions :)</p>
<p>In case you weren’t aware, Math 110 used to be in several small classes like 104 and other upper-div math course. It’s the budget cut that made having one large class starting in Fall 2009 more cost effective.</p>
<p>Honestly, I’d rather have an amazing professor like Hald who has a wonderful reputation here at Cal instead of a post-doc with little to no teaching experience. And if you look at A. Chowdhury who is teaching 104, she doesn’t have the most stellar of teaching evaluations (as shown on her website). If I’m paying 10k+ a semester for an education, I’d like to be from the best it can be. Math 53 was amazing this year with Prof. Neu even though the lecture hall was full of ~150 students (from an initial ~300).</p>
<p>Hmm…I didn’t know that about 110. </p>
<p>Why is it so hard to be in a small class with a distinguished teacher in a world class univ? ;-)</p>
<p>well…we must do with the resources we have I guess.
Although I too would choose a huge size 104 class with a good teacher over small one with an average one. </p>
<p>My former math teacher told me that analysis is one of those classes that if you are fortunate enough to have a good teacher, then it’ll save you heartache in grad school. </p>
<p>So, hopefully I can still sit in on Hald’s class in incognito :-)</p>