New Quick Questions Thread

chuy · 06-28-2009, 02:08 PM

I was about to bump the old one before noticing that it is nearly two years old. There is still a lot of good info in it but I figure a new thread is probably warranted. If you've got any quick questions about VT, Blacksburg, or anything related to either (although preferably not 'Chances' posts) go ahead and post, there are plenty of VT students, parents and alumni here that can help you out.

college332 · 06-28-2009, 10:57 PM

Hey thanks for all your help chuy,
I remember you saying something like you don't really even use the tablets for engineering after freshman year. Am I right?

As of now I'm thinking about getting the HP touchsmart for ~$800 instead of the ones offered at the bookstore. I remember you saying to get the bookstores warranty, but I think that if you don't really need a tablet all 4 years to get the 4 (or even 3) year plan would be a bit of a waste when you could really get the HP and an then just get a destop computer with the money saved (or even another laptop) and still have money left over.
Thanks.

college332 · 06-28-2009, 11:14 PM

One more thing- What laptop (more specifically tablet) accessories are a must have? For example a portable hard drive, ethernet cable etc.

chuy · 06-29-2009, 07:56 AM

The problem with getting a tablet with the plan to replace it with a desktop is that in some classes you will need a laptop. For example, in my Mech Behaviors class every test was open book, open notes, open computer. Not having a laptop would have been a huge handicap and would have made some problems all but impossible. So I still think your best bet is to spend a little bit more now on the tablet with the 4 year warranty and not have to worry about it, but its your call. I did end up buying a desktop for use at my apartment but my tablet is still in (marginal) working order.

You will need an ethernet cable. I'd buy a mouse since you can get one dirt cheap and using the track pad is annoying. A desk hutch for your printer and stuff in your dorm room is pretty necessary. You probably don't need a portable harddrive unless you have an awful lot of movies, and you could probably pick up a couple cheap thumbdrives for storage if its just music and pictures.

college332 · 06-29-2009, 11:22 AM

Thanks, on the CoE's requirements website (College of Engineering) it says a external hard drive is mandatory. Also, for the processor speed it lists Intel Core 2 Duo (2.2 Ghz and up), but that HP has an AMD processor (above 2.2 Ghz). That wouldn't be an issue, right? I see they also "require" 3 years onsite w/ accidental damage coverage warranty so I get the sense these aren't 100% requirements.

chuy · 06-29-2009, 12:32 PM

Yeah, it says that, but they want you to have that as a backup drive. While that is a good idea (backing up stuff) if money is tight I don't think you need to buy the external hard drive. Almost all of the software you have to use is through the CoE and can be redownloaded whenever you need to, so you just need to backup your documents which can be done online or on a thumb drive. Yes, an AMD processor would be fine.

college332 · 06-29-2009, 12:56 PM

Ok great thanks a lot chuy

corgonin · 06-30-2009, 12:37 AM

Is it good or bad to bring a car to campus freshman year?

chuy · 06-30-2009, 06:45 AM

If you have a car already and a little money to blow on gas I'd bring it. It's good for trips to Christiansburg, the Cascades or Roanoke. You'll have to park in the middle of nowhere (The Cage) but since you probably won't be driving that often it isn't a big deal. When I had my car on campus I probably drove it about once a week, but it was worth it for that once a week.

college332 · 06-30-2009, 11:49 AM

I'm coming in with a lot of AP credit and was wondering what you thought a good freshman schedule for engineering would be. I got a 5 on Calc AB and BC, a 4 on Eng Lit (that gets me out of both semesters of freshman english, right?).

What do you think would be best to take in place of the freshman english? I'll probably just replace Calc 1 and 2 with higher level math classes (whatever's next). Thanks

chuy · 06-30-2009, 12:39 PM

About the English class, looking at the AP list that should get you out of both semesters, but I'd check with someone at VT to be sure because you can't transfer into your engineering department until you've had both.

Assuming that you don't have to take either english or Calc class you'll still be taking Chemistry/Chem Lab, Engineering Exploration, Linear Algebra and a (probably three credit) elective, putting you at about 11 credits of 'normal' freshman classes first semester. Assuming you don't take any classes that would normally be taken second semester, your second semester would be Engineering Exploration, Vector Geometry, Physics I/Lab and another elective, putting you at 11 credits again.

You could take Multivariable calculus first semester, but it is a very difficult class. If you're absolutely sure that you have an extremely solid understanding of calculus go for it, but if you're feeling shaky about it at all I'd take Calc II in college. Up to you though. If you take Multivariable then you can also take a second elective (to fill the hole that English leaves open) and then take Differential equations with another extra elective second semester. This would in all likelyhood cover all the math classes that you'll be needing in engineering and put you ahead two electives, allowing you to take fewer credits your sophomore year (which is the hardest in Engineering in my opinion; I still think that the jump from freshman to sophomore year was bigger than the jump from highschool to freshman year.)

If nobody has told you, the way electives work is that they are broken up into 7 "cores", or "CLES," or whatever they call them now. You have to take a certain number of credits in each core, though through regular coursework you'll knock out a couple. You'll probably need one credit in core 6 (art stuff), 3 in core 7, and 6 in cores 2 and 3. Freshman are regularly schedule to take two electives freshman year, so if you take four then you could end up only needing four credits of electives after freshman year. Also, core classes tend not to be nearly as difficult as regular engineering classes since the professors usually know that the only reason most of the students are there is to knock out the core requirement.

college332 · 06-30-2009, 02:38 PM

That helps a ton. One question, I've been looking at this for chemE majors (Undergraduate Catalog-- COE Chemical Eng Course Descriptions) which is effective for c/o 2006 so very dated, but it says you take 2 semesters of chem/chemlab, is that right? I guess it'd be different for the different types of engineering majors.

I really would rather try to get multivariable calculus out of the way early to ease up sophomore year, but it sounds hard so i don't know. If i got a 5 on the ap test for BC, had a high A average, but might have trouble with the layoff since the end of HS do you think it can still be done fall of freshman year? I'd really just rather switch that with extra electives to even out the freshman/sophomore difference in difficulty.

chuy · 06-30-2009, 02:51 PM

A lot of engineers take two semesters of Chemistry, but not everyone has to take the second lab. Most people take the first semester of chemistry first semester freshman year, then the second first semester sophomore year, but it looks like they want you to take both freshman year. I'd say that the 2006 listings are relatively accurate for at least freshman year, but emailing the chemical engineering adviser can't hurt.

I hated multivariable. Some people didn't have that much of a problem with it though, but it is a pretty hard class. On the flip side of that, I thought that differential equations was the easiest class I had in college (I spent more time studying for a one credit pass/fail art appreciation class than for diffeq), while some struggled with it, so I guess everyone is different. If you're not going to take CalcII in college I'd certainly take Multivariable first semester freshman year.

Your second year looks about as hard as mine was. O-chem, p-chem, physics II (electromagnetic physics mostly,) and whatever Mass and Energy Balance is a pretty daunting gauntlet, and getting Multivariable out of that year is going to help a lot.

college332 · 06-30-2009, 03:00 PM

Yeah sophomore year looks crazy. Is there any way i could move one of those classes up to freshman year and put an elective from freshman sophomore year?

chuy · 06-30-2009, 03:04 PM

I doubt it. I'd guess that Chem I and II are prereqs for each of them. And yes, it does look crazy, but remember that plenty of people have survived and you'll be around a lot of people who'll help you survive it. I think the ChemE department is small like mine (MSE) and that helps a lot.