<p>How many hours should i take in my first semster of a local junior college so that after a year my transfer application would look pretty good: 15,16,17....
the classes i'll prbly take:</p>
<p>Calculus II(4 credit hrs)
Calculus Based Physics(4 credit hrs)
Introduction to Engineering(2 credit hrs)
Composition/Rhetoric(3 credit hrs)
Programming Fundamentals I (4 credit hrs) OR Us history I(3credit hrs)</p>
<p>Total hrs=16 or 17
can that be considered a good course load for 1st semseter??</p>
<p>You know, a lot of schools actually say that the difficulty or specifics of the class are of little importance compared to how well you do in those classes. So don't take hard classes to get c's or b's...</p>
<p>yes shoebox, i was thinking about taking programming too, instead of US history(i can always take that later). School i'm looking into: Texas A&M, UT Austin and University of Oklohoma. my junior college has articulation agreements with all three of those universities.</p>
<p>and the weired thing is that junior college which i'll prbly attend has almost 17% asian(which iam too) people. On their website, there's a list of about 500 students with gpa of 4.0 and another 700 with gpa 3.5 or more. its not your typical community college.</p>
<p>Those numbers may not be as good as they sound. Plenty of CCers get 4.0s, as they normally arn't required to take the minimum of 12 hours. This could also be due to grade inflation. All the same, hope you do well! Be one of those 500 =P</p>
<p>thanx a lot. but the list requirement was that student had to attempt atleast 12 credits to get a name on the list. But yea, it prbly was grade inflation. i prbly could've gone to a Univeristy but i have no scholarships and I'm scared about taking too many student loans. Hopefully ican get some good scholarships at the end of my 1st year.</p>
<p>Okay, if you plan on Engineering, it's very important that you take the courses as a freshman that freshmen at the transfer U usually take. You can have a little variation, but the Engineering freshman curriculum is pretty set.</p>
<p>Your plan looks pretty much right on target. Check out, though, whether you should be taking Chemistry. Many Engineering curricula have Calc, Physics, Chem, Intro to Engineering in the first year. Rounding out this schedule can be Programming (C++ or ???), English/Writing Intensive. Often, Engineering freshmen don't take any electives in humanities/social sciences that first year.</p>
<p>Like I say, it's not hard and fast, but it will really help your chances to have the freshman reqs from your new school out of the way. It will help you once you get there, but it will also increase your chances of admission. Some schools won't admit you into Engineering as a soph unless you've completed their freshman reqs.</p>
<p>Most engineering students take a heavier credit load than other majors - it's just a by-product of the lab sciences they have to take. 16-18/semester is kind of typical. Not a hard and fast rule. Most important is to take the right classes - the number of credits will just fall into place.</p>
<p>i can take chemistry the 2nd semster. Or should i take chemistry in the fall and programming in the spring semester or vice versa. i didnt have any computer science classes in high school though.</p>
<p>Calculus II(4 credit hrs)
Calculus Based Physics(4 credit hrs)
Introduction to Engineering(2 credit hrs)
Composition/Rhetoric(3 credit hrs)</p>
<h2>Programming Fundamentals I (4 credit hrs) OR Us history I(3credit hrs)</h2>
<p>That's a heeeeavy courseload. I'm currently taking 17 units also but only two are major preparatory courses(honors) but still would not compare if I had to take intermediate macro/micro, cost accounting, calc 2, and stats in one semester. That's essentially what you're doing. </p>
<p>If you mind is dead set on taking that courseload, go for it. But just as a warning, it isn't going to be easy learning those courses. Unless you're some kind of mathematical/engineering genius. From what is commonly heard, programming, math, and engineering is practice practice practice.</p>
<p>The intro to engineering is probably cake though. Of course, it does look good when you're taking three major prep courses per semester out of a 15 or more unit course load. (calc 2, physics, and programming fundamentals).</p>
<p>Save the history courses for later. Complete the major prep(math,science,engineering) and the required english courses.</p>
<p>my mind hasnt been really set on the schedule. i might drop one of these. I know that i need a pretty good GPA . I also have to take chemistry too but i can take that in the 2nd semester. Which course if any i should drop if its too much for me. I can always take that next semseter.</p>
<p>JPNguyen is right that it's a heavy, demanding courseload that ballin outlines. HOWEVER, it is the TYPICAL courseload for an Engineering freshman, so it is the right type of schedule. If one doesn't want that kind of schedule, Engineering is probably not the right major.</p>
<p>ballin - it really shouldn't matter whether you do the chem in 1st or 2nd term, and the programming in the other. Either way. </p>
<p>I lean toward your not dropping anything. It's the right kind of schedule for a first year Engineering student.</p>
<p>That said, I might be swayed by hearing which school(s) you're thinking of for transfer. What do you have in mind?</p>
<p>Since UTA is the most selective of your possibles, I would recommend you pattern your schedule after what they recommend for their own students.</p>
<p>Looking at this part of their website (which may be out of date; check for most current info), their Engineering curriculum is not as credit-heavy as many I've seen.</p>
<p>Calculus II(4 credit hrs)
Calculus Based Physics(4 credit hrs)
Introduction to Engineering(2 credit hrs)
Composition/Rhetoric(3 credit hrs)
Programming Fundamentals I (4 credit hrs) OR Us history I(3credit hrs)</p>
<p>i can take composition/rhetoric in summer which is ENGLISH. should i take anyone of these courses in summer. if yes then which one???</p>