<p>I was wondering if any other incoming freshmen are having problems scheduling their classes? My son did sign up early, and there were conflicts immediately. He has since been in touch with some faculty on campus, who recommended some classes, and he has not been able to get into any of them. He was not able to get into the language he wants to take (German) and returning to his old language (Latin) isn't much better. So far, he is only in one class he wants/needs to take -- Theoretical Linear Algebra and Calculus (2230). He plans to major in astronomy or physics. He has 8 AP credits in physics (mechanics, electricity and magnetism) and a college course in astronomy from Rice University. He has 8 AP credits for calculus BC and has taken a semester each of linear algebra, multivariable calculus, differential equations, and partial differential equations. I must say, we are both irritated. His friends who will be attending other schools seem to have had a much smoother experience, with phone or e-mail advice from an academic advisor prior to enrolling in classes. Frankly, I expected a little more from Cornell, for new incoming students who are inexperienced with the process and unsure of their options. I'm not sure how much "tweaking" will be able to happen once the freshmen arrive on campus next month ... and I hate the thought of him enduring a virtually wasted semester, in classes of little interest, and at great expense to us. We thought the college application process was going to be the most traumatic part!</p>
<p>[Course</a> Descriptions - Cornell University - Acalog ACMS?](<a href=“Cornell University - Acalog ACMS™”>Course Descriptions - Cornell University - Acalog ACMS™)</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“user's Blog! – Just another WordPress site”>user's Blog! – Just another WordPress site]Schedulizer[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Your son could look up course requirements for his major. I’m confident that there will be an interesting set of classes he can/must take this semester. Check course requirements, read course descriptions, and then plan schedule using schedulizer. It is rather unfortunate that he was unable to get into German but there are usually one or two students that decide to drop out before classes start.</p>
<p>He’s already done that. He has reams of paper about A&S requirements, physics brochures and recommendations, math brochures and recommendations, and astronomy degree requirements. Buried in paper … but in need of some guidance about which are the best first semester courses for him and his intended major. Most of the ones he has tried to add to his preliminary schedule have already been filled. I hope things will free up a little in August, when he is up there to talk to his advisor and faculty. And he will have to take the Latin placement exam, if he can’t start a new language, so that could also complicate course scheduling. I’m a former college professor myself, and trying not to get involved (not too hard, since it’s far afield from my specialty!), but it seems like a lot of spinning wheels at this point, perhaps wasted effort, and with a lot of decisions up in the air. Very frustrating, while his friends at other schools seem to just be breezing along with registration. BTW, he’s not on CC, and we didn’t even use it for college choice! So the whole forum is new to us. But, since we don’t know anyone else going to Cornell …</p>
<p>The only thing that I could say is to plan out how he wants the 4 years to be. Perhaps by doing that, he could take some other classes which is interesting/challenging for him on his first semester.</p>
<p>Unless I’m wrong, that math course is only offered at one time per day. Now I don’t know how classes look right now (or if you can even sign up for them), but if I were answering this a day ago, I would say to check and see if Linear Algebra or Linear Algebra+Applications is any more convenient for his schedule. Unless he wants to be a pure math major, taking that specific course isn’t too critical, I don’t think. Plus, the other courses have lots of other time slots. On the other hand, if his desired classes are filled at all time slots, then I don’t know what to do. Just look at the course requirements for his desired major and pack in as many of those classes as you can for the first semester.</p>
<p>If he can’t take German, there are bound to be other elementary language classes open. It’s just a matter of finding one of interest, seeing how it sets its classes, and attempting to enter them. Also, since I suspect he tried to get into higher level classes, there was probably nothing he could do from the beginning since other years have earlier selection periods than freshmen do. Do you have a link to a possible schedule of his (Schedulizer, etc.)?</p>
<p>Maybe I’ve just been lucky but people end up dropping courses they signed up for early, thus freeing up some space. Also, as long as the class isn’t one of those classes that specifically tries to achieve a certain cap on students (think discussion/seminar classes), then just talking to the professor will solve your troubles.</p>
<p>Also, I agree with mxmmstudent. Unless you’re considering graduate school in Math, I would just stick with the other linear algebra option (math2210) or just go with the engineering math sequence (math1920 – multivariable calculus, and then math 2930 – differential equations, and finally math2940 – linear algebra)</p>