I am taking AP Physics C EM and Mech and Ap Calc BC this year, but my course selection for UMich is before I find out the results. (I would get a total of 18 credit hours if I got 5’s on all those.) So… kind of confused how this is going to play out… (like do I just assume I’ll fail, and switch into a higher course if not? probably right?)
You can revise your course schedule at any time up to roughly 3 weeks into the semester. You will need to meet with your advisor to change your schedule.
Reach out to an advisor. Even if you can get credit for it don’t be surprised if they want you to start with those classes at Michigan. I. Am assuming stem /engineering? Michigan has thru own brand of physics and Calc and sometimes they want you to take some of theirs especially in engineering.
My son just finished his freshman year in the COE and was in the same situation last year. He went to orientation, met with his advisor and picked his scheduled based on what he estimated he was going to score on his AP’s. It turns out he estimated correctly and didn’t have to make any changes but if there is a significant difference between your estimated and actual scores, you will have to revise your schedule. Also, you need to take the mandatory placement exams, one of them being math, BEFORE attending orientation and meeting with your advisor. These will also help in course selection. Michigan is very generous with AP credits but it’s a double edged sword. My son entered with 30 credits due to AP’s and placement exams. That might sound great but first semester he took ENGR 151 (Advanced Programming), Physics 140/141 and Math 215 (Calc 3). He managed but his grades were not the same as in high school, believe it when they tell you that you will see grades you’ve never seen before (the average on his Physics final was 57%). He loves UM but it was a big adjustment from high school in terms of difficulty and work load combined with the adjustment to college life.
@59lespaul. Yes correct engineering GPA from freshman to senior year is 3.3. Most will drop a full grade point at the start. It’s an adjustment for this high Stat kids no matter how many “5” you get. Michigan is tough! Also you start paying junior year prices after 55 credits and you don’t actually graduate early. It just gives you room to add a minor or do a co-op or internship. Still have to go through the engineering sequence. My son tells me he got a 65% and I am telling him to get help and see a tutor. He tells me it’s one of the better scores… Lol
Hard adjustment for parents also. ?
@Knowsstuff. It’s definitely a tough adjustment as a parent. Luckily, I’m an Alum so I’m familiar with the difficulty and demands of UM. Another useful tool for parents/students is the ART or Academic Reporting Tools which maintains data for the last 5 years for each course and graphs the percentage of grades awarded in each class. You need an ID to access but most of his classes have a median grade of B.
Yep. My wife went there but it was like a long time ago. Have to look at these reports. Engineering said that getting a B at Michigan is like getting an A somewhere else… I am good with that… Lol. My son is a junior in Industrial.
My freshman now sophomore has made great use of the math lab the first two semesters, which is free. East Hall was like a 2nd home. And I’m sure for semesters to come, since a math minor is in the cards as now. ?
Use your free resources.
@Knowsstuff , my ChemE junior got his first B - in Bio - I suppose that illustrates that the weeder class is alive and well at Michigan. At least he was philosophical about it, or perhaps it was because he had just finished his favorite ChemE class of all time - distilling - where the final project was making rum. Don’t ever say that Michigan doesn’t teach anything useful.