<p>What do you guys think about taking five classes? I know that it could be overkill but since I'm pretty set on majoring in engineering, I have only a few electives. I was thinking that this might be okay because I've taken AP Chemistry and calculus before but I don't think I'm good enough to go on so I will be taking Calc I and Chem I this fall. I'm thinking about Calc I, Chem I, Engineering for Everyone, Elem Latin, and one of the Eng 120s.</p>
<p>Don't do it your first semester -- maybe not even your first year. If you have extra time, you should spend it on establishing your social connections, joining activities, getting to know Smith, adjusting to the new area, etc. Undergraduate education is much more than taking classes, and you won't fully understand this until you arrive.</p>
<p>I agree, five classes is a lot. You can't really have any idea how much extra work it entails, and I strongly counsel against it. Take four classes and you'll be able to do really well in each of them, plus you will still have time to do outside of class activities. This is especially important in engineering, since the engineering curriculum is project based so you will likely be spending quite a bit of time out of class working on projects. Trust me, with calc, chem, engineering and Latin, you will have more homework than you know what to do with, and you will have a grueling final exam schedule. If you want to take English, you should drop one of the other classes.</p>
<p>"Trust me, with calc, chem, engineering and Latin, you will have more homework than you know what to do with, "</p>
<p>These classes probably start right away with the intense homework; however, in many courses, the first couple of weeks--maybe even the first month--will seem "easy," and you will have a decent amount of free time. It might seem as though taking five courses is not that difficult. As the semester progresses, however, the workload increases. You'll have major work due in several, if not all, classes at the same time. You'll have to study for tests. </p>
<p>Many students can do five courses, but you should wait until you are adjusted to campus life and college work before you decide whether you are one of them.</p>
<p>Echoing everyone else, five classes your first semester...especially <em>those</em> five classes...is not something I'd recommend. Even Elementary Latin is not a "gimme"...D did fine but often often sacrficed getting the homework done or done well. The "speed of the pitching" at Smith is a lot faster than most students have been facing. D has taken 20 units for most semesters (only 18 for one, when she had a broken foot that knocked her out of ballet), but there's a difference between two 2-unit courses (ballet & a music course) vs. another solid...though even the two 2's were enough of a PITA in terms of time not available for other things. </p>
<p>D sez: You'll effing kill yourself. If you've already had Calc in high school, you'll be recommended for Math 114 instead and you should do so. Switching to third person, as a Math major she adds that even if not listed as a pre-req, you should get some Smith Calc under your belt before taking the engineering courses besides Engr 100, which, having friends who are Engr majors, she says is by no means as easy as it sounds in the catalog. Note too that Latin requires completion of both semesters to get credit and that Spring is harder...doesn't mean not to take it but to gauge work-load accordingly. D recommends taking a non-Science/Math First-Year Seminar (one of the writing intensive classes) first semester. [Opinions of D by happy circumstance of being here in a hotel room 10 feet away.]</p>
<p>I would like to ask on behalf of a friend interested in this college, if there are any wait list possibilities. My friend will be applying in the fall, but knows it is very competitive and we were curious if anyone knew if any shot here. thanks</p>
<p>I don't understand, Mike. Why is the waitlist a factor before she has applied? She might very well get in.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice everyone, before I kill myself :)</p>
<p>TD, when your D says that I should go for 114 instead of 111, is that assuming that I did well? I took Calc I through a community college affiliated with my high school and I got a high C, but a C nevertheless. I know most of the stuff (one bombed optimizations test killed my grade) so should I spend the summer brushing up on topics I'm rusty with to prepare for 114?</p>
<p>othermuse, I failed the AP Calculus AB test (not the class) and I took 114 my first semester, and I did more than fine.</p>
<p>If you think there'll be an issue, just talk to math faculty during orientation (at one of the informal "talk to professors in all the departments!" things OR by going to the "what math class should I take?" session). </p>
<p>I didn't even spend the summer brushing up on topics.</p>
<p>I second what Borgin says. I'll try to ask D when I get a chance but now we're back home and are dealing with both individual and mutual tidal waves of things to get done.</p>
<p>Is it a bad idea to take two language classes my first semester/year? I haven't taken a good look at course offerings (which change, don't they?) but I'd like to continue with French and begin taking Russian. I remember reading somewhere that some schools won't allow students to take two beginning level language courses concurrently, but since I'd be taking two different levels I think it'll slide. I realize that taking two languages can limit my electives (and who doesn't want to explore first semester?), but I've sunk my teeth in and I'm not willing to give up either language without a fight.</p>
<p>On a different note, can anyone tell me a bit about some student organizations? For instance -- the swing dance society? I know there are several parents on here with dancing daughters. I have absolutely no experience, but I love swing era music, and I'm hoping to give it a try. I'm also curious about the environmental and gardening groups.</p>
<p>What groups have you (or your daughters, friends) found the most interesting, exciting, rewarding? Thanks!</p>
<p>I have friends involved in the Swing Dance Society (though I've never really asked what they do regularly) but I think the events/meetings are usually a swing dance lesson and then an actual dance...</p>
<p>As for two languages, it's not impossible and I don't think it's looked down on, either (as long as you know it limits your non-foreign language classes). I know a French major who recently completed, as a sophomore, her second year of German (which she began at Smith). Because she's going to Paris, I'd guess that she took intermediate French and beginning German her first semester.</p>
<p>Borgin, what do you mean by "it limits your non-doreign language classes?"</p>
<p>I mean that if you're taking four classes, and two of them are foreign languages, you only have two classes left for history, math, art, science, etc. I took four semesters of German, and I loved the classes, but continuing the sequence meant that there was one other class that I couldn't take because I didn't have the time (and I didn't go abroad or minor in the language).</p>
<p>I took Calc 114 for a couple weeks. I told the professor (David Cohen... so sweet!!!!) that I had taken some calc in high school but NOT AP Calc. He asked what topics had I studied... I had studied everything that was necessary to go into 114 EXCEPT for Integrals in which I'd have to do on my own. (I eventually dropped for personal reasons)</p>
<p>It's really recommended for people who took AP Calc AB and just needs a few more topics... it's kind of like combining Calc 111 and Calc 112 so once completed this 114 course, you can go straight to the third semester Calc (whichever number it is) in the second semester. You wouldn't take 112.... 114 is essentially covering one year of calc into one semester providing that you've already studied some of the topics... definitely talk to one of the faculty members.</p>
<p>Also as for the five course load.. I did it in my second semester of first year because I had too much time on my hands :P Plus I wanted to take Drawing I just for fun and to relax since art was one of my hobbies. It worked out pretty well and I had to manage my time, especially since that class was held at night two nights a week. I was also taking Elementary Russian - ridiculously easy.... so 5 classes is DOABLE as long at least two classes are EASY!!! Math, Chem, History, Foreign Language... ? I think not. Read over the syllabi very closely before actually doing it and see how the readings are assigned over the semester.</p>
<p>Wow... that was all SO long ago... nearly 3 years ago...</p>
<p>Your daughter should have an idea as to what classes she is interested in, but unfortunately, it is the luck of the draw as to what classes she will get into considering that she doesn't actually register until the last days of orientation. Your daughter sounds extremely intelligent, and I know you mentioned that she was allergic to math and science courses, but I really think that she should give these courses a try - especially during her freshman year where the grades aren't going to kill her chances later on for latin honors. One of my biggest regrets has been avoiding these types of classes because of my fear of failure, only to find out that I ended up loving this particular area and it was too late to switch my major at that point, or even to be able to minor in the field. As for classes at the other colleges in the area, it all depends on what your major is as to whether Smith offers the more advances classes or one of the other colleges does - art history happens to be one of Smith's better departments.</p>