What to know before orientation about making a schedule

<p>im going to orientation the 18th-20th, but i’m unsure of what exactly i’m going to need to know when making my schedule. so i was hoping somebody who has been to orientation this year can talk about what’s required. also do you think i’ll have my ap scores by then? i specifically picked this session so i could have my scores in and have an understanding of what classes i would be exempt from.</p>

<p>you can get your AP scores by phone now but you have to pay $8… all the info is on collegeboard.com</p>

<p>you should look through the course book they sent us and fill out the workbook also (bring both with you to orientation)</p>

<p>the workbook basically tells you what you should know about classes before orientation.</p>

<p>you will also meet with an advisor the day before you register for classes and you can ask the orienation leaders to help you pick classes the night before also.</p>

<p>yea i knew it would come down to this. the amount of time i’ve spent with the work book/ course catalog has been minimal to say the least. guess i’ll get on that now…</p>

<p>Basically what you want to know is what core requirements you need to fill and what major courses you want to try out. I would not recommend taking more than one class for your major first semester of freshman year, it’s better to experiment with one or two options. I tried history and econ, and while I was glad to have learned economics I went with history as a major. You also are going to need to know if you have to take a language and if you need to fill writing/literature core, because those are best taken care of freshman year. Your orientation leaders will be very helpful though, probably a better resource than advisors since they know what it’s like to take those classes. I would also advise trying to get some sort of mix between quantitative classes (like science, math, econ) and more reading/writing based courses, but you know better than anyone else how much of each type you can handle and enjoy. </p>

<p>Also, don’t stress out too much about your registration at orientation. Yes, it’s important and you want to take it seriously, but you have the entire first week of classes to change your schedule, and things that are closed now might be open later. I only stuck with three of the five courses I registered with at freshman orientation and changing was very easy. </p>

<p>I also would advise getting into a freshman topic seminar. It barely requires any work and gets you an adviser that you will know pretty well for freshman year which is nice, and it also introduces you to more students.</p>

<p>A LOT depends on your major. </p>

<p>If science is your intended, take a look at the Bio/Chem/Physics webpages and see what they recommend for first years. Ditto if in the biz-school. Schedules for such majors are somewhat limited bcos there are certain courses that they suggest Frosh to take. Definitely take Frosh writing if you don’t AP out of it. </p>

<p>OTOH, if humanities/lit is your interest, they you have lotsa options. Take Core courses and get them out of the way. Take a Frosh seminar as noted above. Consider Perspectives.</p>

<p>i dont understand how i figure out what language course to take. i’ve taken italian 4 years in high school, but there was not AP test for italian and i didnt take the SAT II. will i be able to start at intermediate italian? </p>

<p>and what does it mean to be able to skip “core classes” because i got 4s and 5s on APs? i’ll still have to take a harder version of the same class right?</p>

<p>If you earn a 4/5 on AP, you will fulfill that core requirement. You do not have to take the higher level class, (unless its in your major). For example, if you received a 4/5 on AP Art History, your agora record will show that you have fulfilled the Fine Arts (core) requirement. Of course, if you are an Art History major…</p>

<p>from the orientation guide:</p>

<p>“If you have studied Italian for three to four years in high school or for one year at the college level, take RL 113 Intermediate Italian I.”</p>

<p>Of course, you could always start a new language.</p>

<p>Are you a CSOM student? If so, you are exempt from taking a language sicne you have taken 4 years in high school. If not, then you’re out of luck and will have to pass an intermediate level language course.</p>

<p>so if i get a 4 on AP Physics that means i never have to take physics or bio or chem or geophysics at BC??? i thought i read that AP credits dont let you get out of classes like that</p>

<p>All that means is that you are out of half of the science core. You can’t get major credit for AP classes. So if you are majoring in Physics, you still have to take 10 classes. If you are pre-med you want to talk to an adviser. If you are not a science major, you just have to take one more science core class. There are a lot of good options for science core for non-science majors.</p>

<p>I got a 5 on my AP Bio test and didnt have to take a science course. I’m not too sure about physics, but I feel like it should be similar. If there was a lab portion to your physics class, consider yourself safe from any science courses, granted you are not a science major.</p>

<p>My daughter attended Orientation last week and was very pleased with the quality of help she got in filling out her schedule. The Orientation Leaders were also a great resource.</p>

<p>A 4+ in Bio/Chem/Physics B or C will fulfill the two courses required for the science core. A 4+ in AP Enviro only fulfills one course of the science core.</p>

<p>[Advanced</a> Placement - Boston College](<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/admission/undergrad/transfer/advancedstanding.html]Advanced”>http://www.bc.edu/admission/undergrad/transfer/advancedstanding.html)</p>

<p>Caution: A 4 or 5 in Physics C will fulfill the science core only if you take both AP Physics exams: E&M and Mechanics. If you take just one of the physics exams, you will get credit for 1/2 of the science core and will still have to take one science core class.</p>

<p>for physics b it says a score of 4 gets you out of 2 science core… so that means i wouldn’t have to ever take a science class, right? i’m not a science major btw</p>

<p>thenatural, if you got a 4 on the AP Physics B exam, you’ve fulfilled the science core requirement.</p>

<p>i know that, but what exactly does that mean? i’m not going to get any credits, so doesn’t that mean i’ll just have to take other classes in place of the science classes?? i don’t see what the big deal is of getting out of core classes.</p>

<p>^ It gives you more freedom in making your schedule, basically adds electives. It becomes easier to double major or add minors.</p>

<p>^^ exactly! AP credit frees up spots in your schedule, giving you more flexibility so you can take subjects that you are interested in rather than what is required.</p>

<p>so it means i’ll never have to take certain subjects? no calculus? no physics EVER?!?!?!?</p>