<p>I will be a freshman at Colgate this autumn and it is my understanding that one of the graduation requirements is to take four classes part of the Core Curriculum. Right now I'm trying to figure out which classes to take in my first semester and I'm wondering if the administration would prevent me from completing all four Core requirements in my first semester. I've read all the literature I've been able to find and it doesn't seem like there's a rule against taking four Core classes in one semester but I do get the vibe the university prefer that students spread the Core classes out. Thanks.</p>
<p>Why would you want to jam 4 core courses in a semester, much less your first semester, when all other freshmen take courses of varied interest and their freshman seminar?</p>
<p>My advice is to relax and go with the flow during these 4 marvelous years at Colgate.</p>
<p>I agree. It’s not particularly difficult to get all of your CORE courses done in your first two years, but depending on your major you may need to start taking intro classes first thing. Definitely for languages, also probably econ, computer science, math, sciences, etc.</p>
<p>Not that the CORE courses are bad or anything, but I’d much rather mix things up a bit and take a variety of classes rather than all 4 required courses all at once. My first semester I ended up with 2 CORE courses - my scientific perspectives as my FSEM, and CORE Japan, but I was a Japanese major so 1. it was required for my major and study abroad and 2. I was really interested in the subject.</p>
<p>CORE courses also tend to be pretty writing-intensive compared to some other courses, so that’s something to consider as well.</p>
<p>I reviewed my son’s courses for his 1st year and Colgate and am wondering if it will be too rigorous. He’s considering applying to dental school and majoring in Chemistry. He doesn’t know his AP results yet. Assuming 4 or 5’s in calculus ab, bio, and chem, his 1st choices are as follows:</p>
<p>Bio 211 MWF 9:20-10:10
Chem 111 MWF 10:20-11:10
Calc 112 MWF 12:20-1:10
FSEM Legacies Tues/Thurs 9:55-11:10</p>
<p>Who are the favorite bio, chem and calc teachers?</p>
<p>He wants to take science labs after calculus on M & W but I suggested he takes them on Tues and Thurs. What do you think? Also, when do most kids take their PHED’s? Playing club sports doesn’t count?</p>
<p>I wasn’t in the sciences, so I can’t really say, but I do know that they changed it when I was there so that labs are now 0.25 credits (a regular class is 1 credit) to acknowledge that they are a lot of work. Two labs in one semester is probably not out of the ordinary, but might be a bit much for the first semester. If you want to take more than 4.5 credits per semester, you have to get it cleared by your advisor or dean or something.</p>
<p>I don’t think it matters much which days he takes them. I always liked having my courses all in a row and getting them out of the way, then having lighter days to focus on studying, but I think it’s totally a personal preference and depends on how you work best and what type of work you have to do. I am also not a morning person and liked to sleep in once in a while…</p>
<p>Club sports (not intramural) do count for PHED, but you can only get 1 of the 2 required credits from them. The other credit can wait until he’s settled and confident of handling the academic workload. There are usually a ton of seniors in the PHED classes.</p>
<p>I took Calc 111 with Professor Strand my senior year after no math at all since high school, so I was terrified that I would be hopelessly lost. Prof. Strand was fantastic - I’d go to his office hours pretty much every day after class to go over what I missed on the homework and to review before tests and I ended up acing the course. I’m not sure if he teaches 112 or just 111 and 113 still, but he was great. No idea about other profs though…</p>
<p>I was a mol bio major, and have taken all of those classes but 211.</p>
<p>If I were your son, I’d save the labs for T&R, because an early lunch break (11:20-12:10), followed by 4-5 hours of class and lab sounds like hell. Plus he’ll have a harder time finding people to eat with him this early. Much better to schedule labs for T&R so he can have lunch with his friends. </p>
<p>A few other notes:
Is your son pre-med? If so, I would recommend Chem 101 & 102, as they are an excellent way to get two As instead of 1, and because most medical schools will want to see either a year of gen chem. If you take just Chem 11 you will need a second more advanced (and more difficult) chemistry course at the college level (as AP credits are less and less popular).
Otherwise, Chem 111 wasn’t too bad IMHO. And Woods (the guy teaching it this year) is supposed to be super cool (I never took a class with him though 
)</p>
<p>Edit: You said pre-dent? Not sure about dental school requirements for chem, but I would check and make sure they take AP credit or if he will need a full year of chemistry.</p>
<p>For Calc 2: I would also recommend Strand if he’s still around.</p>
<p>For Biol211:
Why is your son taking this? A bio major? Such a blah course from what I hear. I skipped it as a mol bio major and took 212 instead… huh. Just looked up the major requirements. Guess its required now. So basically, I would only take this course if your son knows now he wants to be a bio major. I’ve never had any of the teachers teaching this semester (for the two evolution/ecology classes I took, I had Frey (awesome) and McCay (even more awesome)). So no help here, sorry.
Edit: Not a bio major, avoid. Biol212 or Biochem would be more interesting for a chem major.</p>
<p>Let me know if you have any other questions about the sciences. I have only rave reviews of the chem and bio departments at Colgate :)</p>
<p>If club sports count, then how come they weren’t listed in the book of course offerings for the fall 2011? Were they listed in prior year’s? </p>
<p>For those who have AP credit coming into Colgate from HS, is it used for placement only or is it actual course credit (meaning one or more courses they don’t need to graduate)?</p>
<p>Thank you for your detailed responses. My son already submitted his requests with labs on the same day as hBio, Chem & Calc rather than labs Tue/Thurs. I understand you can resubmit your choices any time and also can make changes once classes start.</p>
<p>Changes may be required once he receives his calc, chem and bio AP grades. He can’t take Bio101 if he gets a 4 or 5. He can’t take Chem 101 if he gets a 4. He can’t take Chem 102 if he gets a 5, and he can’t take Math 111 if he gets a 4 or 5 on Calc AB. We were advised to go for the more advanced classes since it will be easier to get into the more entry/basic classes, as needed.</p>
<p>In the 2011 registration book received, the only other Bio class listed is 211 with either McHugh, Cardelus, or Wacker. For lab, there is also LaFave.</p>
<p>The only other Chem class listed is 111 with Woods and Chanatry for Lab.</p>
<p>The only other Calc class listed is 112 or 113 taught all by McGreg. He listed the 11:20-12:10 as his first choice so he has a better time for lunch.</p>
<p>For Legacies, he listed Howard, a music professor I think.</p>
<p>What are the chances he’ll get all 1st choices? I understand those with last name starting with “D” will be placed last this semester.</p>
<p>This is a very interesting thread. My daughter will be a freshman at Colgate, and has sent in her schedule. I have heard that it can be difficult to get your schedule preference, so we are hoping for the best. She is in the second group to register so that should help.</p>
<p>As for AP credit, I believe you do get actual college credit if you score high enough. AP credit cannot be used to satisy the core requirements. Can AP credit be used to satisfy the Global Engagements and Areas of Inquiry requirements? I don’t think so, but am not sure.</p>
<p>I was in the first group freshman year, and got every class I wanted. I highly doubt you will get your first choices if you are in the last group. Biol211 is a big group though, and they will make sure he gets into Chem111 I suspect, since its only offered once a year. I bet he’d get calc 2 in some section too, but the FSEMs are kind of a hit or miss, especially if he’s gone for a popular one. If I had to re-do it, I’d take an FSEM that met another requirement (core, distribution, etc). </p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn’t bother with a biology class at all this semester if I were your son. Biol211 is a waste, and Biol212 will be open to him in a later semester after he’s taken some chemistry classes. I’d try and get some core class out of the way instead (those were a real pain, imho).</p>
<p>Second group really shouldn’t have too many problems unless she’s chosen sought after classes.</p>
<p>AP credit counts as college credit, I double checked my transcript. You can only transfer 5 credits or something like that though. Not sure if they can be used for distribution, but it would kind of defeat the purpose of a liberal arts degree, so I doubt it.</p>
<p>Cooper11, I’m pretty sure the club sports aren’t ever listed in the course catalog. They’re not courses, and how they’re run varies drastically by sport (some even have tryouts, you can’t just sign up and go). Also, the club sports offered vary year-to-year based on student interest, since many of them are student-managed. The PHED classes are more like normal courses, though they aren’t a full semester - they meet every Tuesday at 7 pm for 6 weeks or whatever, and are really low-key, whereas club sports will have all sorts of practices and games and can actually be quite competitive - in some cases the Colgate club teams compete against varsity teams from other schools. I’m pretty sure that varsity sports aren’t listed either and those count for PHED credit as well. Intramural sports don’t count for credit.</p>
<p>I was a club sport captain, and the process is that in order to get PHED credit for a club sport, you need to spend a minimum number of hours participating per semester. The requirement used to be 30 hours per year for a specific club in order to get credit. Driving to and from events counts as well, IIRC. The captains fill out a sheet showing the hours participated and on which dates.</p>
<p>When I started at Colgate, they actually required 4 PHED credits, so I took Tai Chi and the Human Sexuality course or something (it was 2 credits and didn’t require physical exertion of any kind, so it was really popular…), plus one from my club sport. Then after I’d done all that, they changed it to 2. Oh well!</p>
<p>As for getting the classes you want, I was in the last group going into my first year. I didn’t get my top choices for FSEM or one of the other classes I wanted, but I did get my 2nd or 3rd choices, and ended up in a different section of my CORE Cultures class. After that, though, I was pretty much able to get in to all of the courses I wanted, though being in a less popular department certainly helped a bit. Bigger/more advanced classes will also be much easier to get in to.</p>
<p>I believe that AP courses can count as credits, but only in some departments where it’s specifically approved (my 5 in English didn’t count for anything at all) and they can get you into higher level courses, but my understanding is that they cannot count for any CORE (including Global) or any area of interest courses.</p>
<p>I do not advise that. No one I knew did that, not even the overachievers. Your first semester should at least have one class of enjoyment. The required classes are FULL of reading and writing, so you’d probably be doing work ALL day, and that’s not what college is about. Most people I know take up to two core per semester.</p>
<p>@markham good advice</p>
<p>OP youll have time to add/drop and get your schedule the way you may want it. The school knows that freshmen are new.</p>
<p>Also welcome to Colgate :)</p>