<p>How do I know what classes i need to take or I should take? Do I have to sign up for classes or do anything else before the orientation? Also, when do we take the math placement test?</p>
<p>Math placement test can be taken during orientation, I’m pretty sure.</p>
<p>I’d like to know what classes to take as well. I plan on doing Computer Science: Game Design.</p>
<p>Well, my major is computer engineering. I want to know what classes we are suppose to take</p>
<p>You sign up for classes during your orientation day. If you are entering freshmen, you should probably take a little bit easy. Your core class is mandatory, so that’s one class you don’t have to worry about choosing. For your second class, you probably want to take an intro class for your major or a math course. Third class you should probably take an easy/fun class that fulfills one of your GE requirements.</p>
<p>If you want to know specific courses, go to your respective major’s website (go to google and search UCSC computer engineering or whichever major). Then look at the undergraduate program and there they will list all the requirements for your major. Sometimes they might list an example course plan as well, so look out for that as well. If you are completely stuck, email an adviser from your major’s department.</p>
<p>@MidnightGolfer What do you suggest for a easy/fun class for GE requirements?</p>
<p>@theineffablebob: I’m in Game Design too (class of '13) so feel free to ask me any specifics about classes for the major!</p>
<p>I usually find these courses by looking through departments such as Music, History, Comp. Engineering, Film, or by just browsing through open classes. Then if you meet the requirements for the course (a lot of times there are no pre reqs), you have to take the time and cross check each of these professors with RatemyProfessors.com. I’ve spent a good hour or two every quarter doing this and it works like a charm.</p>
<p>I’m not going to go searching through the catalog right now, but here are some easy classes I know of/have taken: CMPE 3, CS 2, Music 80 with Lieberman, some other Music 80’s, HIS 43, CMPE 80N, some italian film class (found it by searching all subjects and then open classes), PSYCH 65 (AMAZING class but VERY difficult to get into - might be spring only), one of the OCEA 80 classes (forgot which one), a class on infectious disease (forgot the department), one of the astronomy courses, one of the anthro courses. You will want to check who is teaching the class and how easy/good they are. </p>
<p>Just be VERY careful when choosing GE’s by looking at what GE code they satisfy. You don’t want to find out you took an unnecessary class because you already satisfied the GE already. Be strategic!</p>
<p>oh for the math class. If I have to take the placement exam, when do I take it? Do I have to sign up or anything before?</p>
<p>You can take it either at orientation, or in the week before classes begin. No sign-up necessary.</p>
<p>Alright, I kind of have a schedule developing in my head for the first quarter:
- Stevenson Core Course (C1)
- Pre-Calculus (I need more preparation so I can take Calculus)
- Microeconomics
Would this be too hard of a schedule? @MidnightGolfer, you will be of great help because you took a similar major that I am interested in. I am interested in Business Management/Economics.</p>
<p>That sounds perfect for a first quarter schedule. Your core course is mandatory, microecon is pretty much essential for your major/really great professor, and finishing your math classes will allow you to take more advanced econ courses faster.</p>
<p>Sorta connected with the above: Are taking math/chem courses (as req. by certain majors) earlier a better idea than putting them off towards later quarters? IE: I need to take calculus and chem/physics for the path I’m hoping of taking, and I really despise those subjects. Better to get them out of the way ASAP? Or is it all dependent on our own preference?</p>
<p>It really depends on how strong you are in the subjects. I wouldn’t suggest taking calc and physics both for your first quarter. Even though you can technically get them out of your way sooner, if you get bad grades in those classes then you will find it difficult to declare your major or your GPA might just tank. What’s your major?</p>
<p>I’m majoring in Psychology, but I’m considering taking Pre-med courses (the reason for chem, physics, and calc)</p>
<p>Basically, I just want to get into Med school, and if I can do that with a Psych Major, I’m happy, but my goal is to become either a neurosurgeon or an anesthesiologist (I like the brain, and anesthesiology seems like a mellow job, just requiring concentration and calm)</p>
<p>I’m not exactly sure about the med school requirements for non-health science majors (nearly all my friends are health science), but don’t you also need to complete the bio series and take the o-chem series as well? If so, then maybe you should talk with a major advisor about planning your courses because that’s going to be a lot of classes added with your psych major + finishing your GE’s.</p>
<p>My cousin is an anesthesiologist in Chicago and she tells me it’s a pretty stressful job. She’s constantly paged after midnight because of adverse effects a patient has or that someone just SLIGHTLY messed up one of her orders. </p>
<p>If you’re interested in the brain, have you ever thought about majoring in neuroscience? Or majoring in health science and getting a minor in psych? Of course your undergrad major doesn’t really matter for med school (my cousin actually majored in literature), but it will make it a whole lot easier to meet your requirements for med school and completing your undergrad.</p>
<p>Thats interesting about the stress of anesthesiology. If it’s possible to know, does your cousin enjoy her work/her life outside of work?</p>
<p>That’s good to know that anything can work for med school. I’m fairly good with the brain (and when I’m focused, can do wonders in psychology/human bio courses), so I might skip the pre-med requirements if they arent necessary to get into med school. I was under the impression one needed to have Chem, Physics, Calc, and all those bio coursework done prior to applying to med-school.</p>
<p>And I have thought of majoring in neuroscience, its just that similarly to pre-med, a lot of it is based on micro-bio and chem (I’m much better with anatomy, physiology, and macro-biology). But I suppose going into a med field, theres no escaping that tiny stuff.</p>
<p>Hopefully I wont have too much trouble with the psych work, so I can chip away at a pre-med course every quarter or so sophomore year and beyond.</p>
<p>She has a whole love/hate relationship with her work. I know for her 1st she liked doing what she was training for all these years, but now she seems more tired of it and kinda wishes she went into research instead. Don’t really know too much about her life outside of work, but I do know she does find some time with her family/friends. On the other hand, her husband is in gastroenterology and he has a LOT more time on his hands (I sometimes used to play him on xbox live when she was at work). </p>
<p>I think each med school has its own requirements, but from my understanding, nearly all of them require UCSC’s lower-div chem series, the upper-div organic chem series (THE true grade killer), the regular physics series, the regular calc series, and the lower-div bio series. If that’s the case, that’s about 14-15 courses (might be less depending on AP tests), which would be about 4-5 quarters worth of work.</p>
<p>Most of those don’t overlap with psychology at all (except for a quarter of math), so you would almost be adding on a whole other major to your course load. It’s doable though because Psych + finishing up med school reqs will probably take you 3 years (shorter if you take summer school) and then you have a whole year to finish up your GE’s. </p>
<p>My only warning is what my cousin was telling me about (which might not even apply to you). Even though she completed all the med-school requirements at UC Berkeley, she was still only seen as a Literature major. She wanted to put herself ahead for her med school apps, so she applied to do some research work at various labs/companies. While most of her friends easily got positions with majors like Microbiology, she had to actively tell employers that she actually has a chemistry background. </p>
<p>Med schools don’t care about your major, so you’ll be fine in that aspect. Psychology isn’t completely different because of positions like psychiatry, but if you are interested in outside experience at labs/companies, then it might be a little difficult. However, you can always apply to do research on campus.</p>
<p>OK.</p>
<p>So basically I don’t have to worry about signing up for classes until my orientation date?</p>
<p>Most people I know who want to be anesthesiologists is because of the money. I originally wanted to be some type of surgeon when I was younger but after taking AP Biology, Chemistry and Physics, I knew med was not for me. Being a doctor is tough, not only mentally but it can wear you out. Most people who come out of med school have 100K+ debt and some even have a family to take care of. Add in residency years and most doctors don’t receive their first pay check until their 30s. It’s a tough path.</p>
<p>Thats true Protein, that’s very true. The only reason I’m still considering this path is because of my passion for the human body. But again, macrobiology is my thing, I despise anything to do with concepts or objects that one can not visualize without a microscope or some other tool.</p>
<p>Golfer, what you said about taking 3 years and should be able to finish pre-med requirements: If I can get into med school with a psych major, what purpose would adding the stress of courses outside of my major be to me? Unless of course you mean (I assume you did mean this) that all of those courses are required to be eligible to apply for med school, in which case, how would someone majoring in psych (or literature, or anything else besides bio sciences) deal with the course load and not contemplate implosion? Heh</p>