<p>Intro to Psych: Huge class, considering the size of the school! I love both professors involved in teaching it and so far it’s really interesting, despite the amount of work. </p>
<p>Intro to Gender Studies: I love the subject but I feel like I’m going to get into a lot of debates/arguments, etc. </p>
<p>Comp Sci/Robotics: An easier class, which I’m okay with. We’ve had one meeting and we were dismissed after only a half an hour of an hour and fifteen minute class! Fun, though, and the professor seems very nice. </p>
<p>Advanced Intermediate French: Dropped it because the professor wanted us to buy nine different books for one semester! Switched to another class, so we’ll see how that goes.</p>
<p>Chemistry I: Pretty easy so far; chem is probably the weakest of my science but im confident i can pull of at least an A- in the course.</p>
<p>Physics I: Very easy so far, I actually have credit for Physics I and Physics II but am taking it anyway for the grade boost plus the pre med requirement. Most likely will get an A.</p>
<p>Intro to Bio: Boring lectures, but relatively easy. My adviser actually told me the class is really a joke so I should get an A in the class.</p>
<p>Intro to differential equations: So far basic and doing what I’ve done in AP Calc BC. Should be able to get an A if I do the homework.</p>
<p>Conclusion: Looking at a 4.0 or 3.91 GPA this semester</p>
<p>Intro. to Cell and Molecular Bio: Good professor. The class is pretty easy so far because I’ve already taken IB Bio HL.</p>
<p>General Chemistry: Pretty big class, and the professor lectures at a fairly fast pace. But, so far it is easy because I’ve taken IB Chem SL in high school.</p>
<p>Cell Bio Lab: The TA seems pretty cool. We’re going to have a quiz every week though, so I’ll have to put in some effort.</p>
<p>Chem Lab: Haven’t gone to my first chem lab yet…</p>
<p>Genetics: Good professor. Covers a lot of material fast, so I anticipate that studying/reading for this class will take up a lot of time.</p>
<p>Spanish: Small seminar class. Nice professor. Not that difficult because I already have AP credit for spanish. It’s basically a review (should get an A).</p>
<p>Calculus: Easy so far because I’ve already taken AP/IB calc in high school. The professor is really bad at explaining things though…he makes everything more difficult than it should be. We’re supposed to have a quiz every week, but it shouldn’t be too difficult.</p>
<p>Freshman Seminar Class: Interesting class. I’m looking forward to hearing all of the guest speakers. Should be an easy A.</p>
<p>Ordinary Differential Equations (3): The teacher seems nice enough, though definitely more of a math nerd than I’m used to for my math classes (he’s the faculty adviser for the math club if that gives any clue). I’m hoping his testing style is not as symbol pushing as many of the book problems. Speaking of the book, it isn’t very helpful in teaching the material, though is a decent enough resource for practice problems. I feel like I haven’t gained traction in this course yet. I should have a better handle on where I stand after first quiz next week.</p>
<p>Circuit Analysis w/Lab (4): This course is a newly created combination of two previous courses into a 4 credit circuit theory class with a lab component. The teacher is a clever presenter with a great attitude for teaching, but he definitely demands a fast problem solving pace to fit all the material into the time we have. Most of my study time is going to be dedicated to this course.</p>
<p>Business & Professional Speech (3): Fulfilling a speech GenEd requirement, it was either this or Introduction to Human Communications (more papers to write = lose). There are no other STEM majors in the class, but this was to be expected. Workload is very light. Teacher is easy on the eyes.</p>
<p>Life: The rest of my time is spent as a stay at home dad during the day (above are evening and weekend classes) and working two part time jobs. I had the luxury of my wife being at home over the summer while I took two summer courses and worked. I already feel exhausted this week adjusting to the new schedule. While I am taking fewer credits, this will probably be my toughest semester so far.</p>
<p>I’m taking 13 credit hours right now, which I’m happy about. I don’t think I could’ve managed another class as a freshman.</p>
<p>Intro to Electrical Engineering w/ Lab: Professor lectures well and manages to cover everything important. Basically an extension of the electricity unit from AP Physics. Not too bad yet, but I’m sure it’s going to get more difficult. The homework is one problem set a week that takes 3-5 hours. We get an occasional additional project/hw. The labs aren’t too bad either and are all computer-based. Lab-related hw takes another 1-3 hours a week. </p>
<p>Intro to Computing: A weird class, but not too difficult if you read the textbook. I didn’t take AP CompSci in HS so I feel behind compared to others. We get one problem set a week that takes a couple hours.</p>
<p>Calculus (Diff Equations and Integrals): The professor is entertaining, but a horrible lecturer. There seems to be no organization in the lecturing. The TA in our discussion class is a bit better, but I still get lost. They have precise rules on what sort of strategies we can and cannot use, and they like to solve a bunch of examples without explaining the concepts behind it. Thankfully I took calc in high school so I’m not too worried. We have hw, but it’s optional. No quizzes, either. Just exams.</p>
<p>U.S Religion and Politics (an undergraduate studies course): My favorite class, but mostly because I enjoy the subject and it’s a break from all my technical-math work. We have a couple chapters a week, which is usually around 50-70 pages and an informal 2 page essay due each week. We will have one 10 page research essay later. Definitely manageable. I like that this is a discussion class (we only have 15ish people) and the intimacy we get with the professor. The professor is knowledgeable, fairly unbiased, and funny.</p>
<p>I only have three face to face classes. The other two are online.</p>
<p>Macroeconomics: My professor is a boss. We’re legit laughing as a whole, at least 1/3 of the class. I’m not so much of a critical thinker, I’ve had to actually think in order to understand what he was talking about. But the homework isn’t hard at all.</p>
<p>Psychology of Personal Awareness (Personal Health elective, recommended): My teacher always relates what we talk about in class to her kids at a young age, even at the age they’re at now. The stories are funny, the professor is relatively young, compared to the rest of my professors. She’s not bad looking at all haha.</p>
<p>English Composition II: The teacher has to be no older than 30. Not the best teacher I’ve had, but definitely better than my english/writing professor at my last school. He always has the class dying as well.</p>
<p>Intro to Business: Hasn’t started yet, it’s a modular online course. Starts in October.</p>
<p>Financial Accounting: It’s a self paced online course. I have the textbook. I have to teach myself, being as though it’ll be major when I transfer out of community, I’m taking notes on every single page. The course format seems simple though, the notes aren’t so bad. I’m looking forward to getting into the actual problems of financial accounting so I can determine if this is the major I want to pursue.</p>
<p>I lucked out picking three really cool professors, who actually know what they’re talking about. I’ll definitely look to take them again next semester.</p>
<p>Freshmen Seminar- prof seems good, seems to be manageable reading but the class hasn’t really started
Antiquity and the Enlightenment- prof is amazing lecturer, Recitations are ok, reading is manageable
Macro Econ- prof is great lecturer, *<strong><em>ty recitation section, reading is pretty light
Power and Politics- prof is okay lecturer, *</em></strong>ty recitation but hopefully the new one i signed up for is good, incredible amounts of reading</p>
<p>Well, I am also taking Astrophysics and Mathematics of Operations Research, but I haven’t experienced them yet (today was my first day of school). I’ll post about it tomorrow.</p>
<p>On-line it said that my Astronomy class would be about 40 students. There are 105! Holy crap. I sat in the back and my professor seemed very enthusiastic. He talked about how he came to the U.S. at 16 from Korea and transferred into UCLA and got his PhD there also in Astronomy. He told us he would always ask questions in class and everybody had a hard time understanding him, but he said to “be brave” like he was to ask our own. Some people in there are dumb as hell, but the professor is humorous. I still have to listen very attentively to get everything he is saying but at times I cannot make out a sentence or two. Fortunately, he uploads the lecture notes on blackboard and we have our own textbook to refer to. He said there’s no curve, so there’s no competition for grades and encourages everyone to work together (but not on tests). </p>
<p>My Applied Probability Theory class only has math majors in it like myself and he is a pretty decent teacher. He is kind of humorous, but he expects a lot out of us. There’s no curve, lots of homework worth nothing, and he strictly uses the power point. He gave us lecture notes to follow the slides and all we have to do is basically fill in the blanks during the lecture and not hurriedly copy everything down. My classroom mainly consists of asians, mexicans, two white guys, and four girls of asian, mexican, african american, and white descent. None hot. There’s a massive fat guy that can’t stop making noise or fumbling with something on his desk. The guy next to me has his phone on vibrate and texts every 2 seconds. Only bad thing about this class wasn’t about the class itself but it was the decision I made to rent a used textbook for $160. I did not know we used the same textbook next semester 'cause it is an entirely separate class, but we do. Now I have to make some phone calls to see if I can trade it in for my own copy instead of renting it.</p>
<p>Slavic Science Fiction: Interesting professor and he’s so passionate, but the class is full of annoying and condescending overachievers. It’s really annoying too because a select few just want to stay on a discussion topic and shoot down when others attempt to expand ideas. The topic itself is just a “meh” for me. I’m not into literature at all and this was the only class that worked with my schedule, so I stuck with it. Readings are dense, but interesting once we discuss them. Overall, it’s a class I wouldn’t bother taking again. Sometimes the professor just keeps going on and on without a break and it gets pretty old and boring. </p>
<p>Introduction to Film: I love movies, so this class is cool, but the professor is just over the top…actually, he’s over the edge. He puts on a show and calls people out. A lot of us just don’t like his approach of teaching film/critical studies because he can get irksome. We’ve been watching really, really phenomenal films, so it makes up for it.</p>
<p>Pop Music and American Culture: By far the most interesting class of the semester! I love going to lecture because the topic is touchy and juicy. The professor is a little egotistical, but he’s brilliant. I’ve learned so much in this class about music and the entertainment industry, specifically the birth of hip/hop tracing back to African slavery in the beginning of the 19th century. The professor manages to tie the material with contemporary music, making it easier for us to grasp certain concepts. The essays have been really fun to write too.</p>
<p>Multidisciplinary Activity (Internship): It’s an internship class, so there’s not much other than reading materials about what we should be aware of internships, jobs, life, etc.</p>
<p>Parent here. It’s very interesting to see the wide range of courses that students are taking this semester. Last year my daughter was a freshman. Overall I think she was pleased with all of her courses with the exception of one. It was taught by an older professor who ended up retiring at the end of the semester. All of her freshman classes were small even though she goes to a medium-size State University. I think her largest class may have had 45 students and the smallest one had 10 students. This semester she’s taking 17 credits. For the first time, she has a large class of about 100 students.</p>
<p>Surprisingly she found that the courses that she took during her freshman year at college were easier than the courses that she took in high school. She went to a very competitive high school and many of her peers are now attending top-notch colleges. I believe that her high school did an excellent job of preparing her for college. We’re very very proud of her because she finished her freshman year with a 4.0 GPA.</p>
<p>Wishing all of you reading this forum a great semester and a great year.</p>
<p>Well, my Astrophysics and Mathematics of Operations Research classes ended two hours ago.</p>
<p>Astrophysics: I stood outside of the room looking at the physics displays and was surprised at how many girls made up the class. There were more girls than boys in the beginning until a few latecomers started to show. There were about 8 spots left open the last time I checked and we ended up with a full house. The guy launched into the lecture right away and I had to hold onto my hat because he was going so fast. It’s going to be a very in-depth class. He proposed that the class start 15 minutes early and we all voted to start class early. So, instead of class beginning at 9:15, it is now 9:00. There is just so much to cover.</p>
<p>Mathematics of Operations Research: A good balance of male and female. Lots of asians, though (well, I’m half). She came in on the dot and took us through one Operation Research problem that involved Linear Programming. It took the ENTIRE class period to explain and do. There were no questions either, so she was just doing the work, explaining, and solving. This is definitely going to take up a large chunk of my time. </p>
<p>I think that besides working out at the gym and joining the physics club I won’t have anything else other than homework and tests to do for the next 9 weeks. It’s going to be intense.</p>
<p>Chem I: It’s chem I for chemical/biomedical engineers. definitely tougher than what most people expected. we blew by everything in AP chem within the first few weeks. got owned by the first test and the first labs hurt my grade as well…The prof is really funny. Just the material is kinda difficult. I like the class a lot tho</p>
<p>Calc I: really easy so far. doing stuff that was in ap calc. just the prof has such a thick thick accent and i never go to lecture anymore because I just end up sleeping anyway. and my TA is freakin amazing. she says her section usually gets 10-20% higher than the entire lecture average. On the first test the entire class avg was an 84% and our recitation section’s was a 96%</p>
<p>English I: It’s so dumb. It’s mainly about Steve Jobs and Apple. We had to write a 4 page essay analyzing literally a 30 second commercial…</p>
<p>GT1000: Sort of a freshman seminar thing except it’s major specific. Since I’m ChemE, we have people talk to us from a bunch of big companies about what it is they do and learn how to write resumes and stuff like that</p>
<p>International Affairs: really boring lecture. the prof’s avg gpa is a 3.67 so the tests are really easy. sometimes he slips in a question or two about something you’d only know if you went to lecture so I try to go and pay close attention to what he says</p>
<p>Only taking 15 credits this semester which isn’t feeling like all too much right now. I have quite a bit of free time on my hands but I always wait until the last day to do my homework and study. “due tomorrow means do tomorrow”</p>
<p>Early Japanese Literature - except for the essay assignments (which I suck at in general because I have trouble organizing my thoughts and coming up with a decent topic to write about), it’s too ****ing easy. I practically breezed through my midterm</p>
<p>Music Literature - kind of boring, but the professor’s cool</p>
<p>Languages of the World - interesting class, but it’s kind of hard for me to follow along with my professor since he um’s and uh’s a lot.</p>