<p>I’m taking 16 credit hours, with the following schedule:</p>
<p>Communication as Critical Inquiry---- 11:00-11:50 MWF---- 3.0<br>
Calculus I---- 1:00- 1:50 MWRF---- 4.0<br>
Frontiers in Physics---- 3:00- 3:50pm MW---- 2.0
Physics for Science and Engineering I---- 10:00-10:50am TWRF---- 4.0
Lab---- 1:00- 3:50 T<br>
United States Government and Civic Practices---- 800- 850 MWF---- 3.0</p>
<p>I didn’t do well in highschool, and my work ethic admittedly needs to be worked on, so do you guys think I’ll be able to handle this course-load along with being a research assistant?
I’m not sure if it makes any difference as far as difficulty level of the courses, but I will be attending a not-so-prestigious university that you’ve probably never heard of (Illinois State University).</p>
<p>Some things I have to keep in mind with my schedule is that I want to transfer to UIUC for engineering (probably electrical engineering), and I am listed as a physics major right now, since the school I’ll be going to doesn’t offer engineering as a major. The program I’m in is actually a 3/2 program with UIUC, where you do 3 years of physics at ISU and 2 years of engineering at UIUC and get both degrees… however, I don’t really want to do that anymore, and I’d like to transfer over to UIUC (or maybe UC Berkley or something in my fantasy world) after 2 years (or even 1 year if that is possible) and just focus on engineering, graduating in 4 years. </p>
<p>If it helps for transfer info, my weighted highschool GPA was a 2.7/2.8 out of 4 (5 for AP/Honors courses) and my ACT was a 31, but I’m definitely getting serious and going through a work ethic overhaul, and hopefully will get good enough grades at Illinois State to transfer over to somewhere with a prestigious engineering school.</p>
<p>So, given my situation, schedule, and so forth… your thoughts, opinions, advice, and info is all greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>b@r!um:
Well, for one thing our physics department is very small, and there is no graduate program for physics, so they have the undergraduates as research assistants for a select few professors… all in all I believe there about 30-40 positions available, and maybe 100-115 students in the physics department, and during orientation/preview the physics advisor said that pretty much anyone that actually wants a position gets one. Most students at Illinois State would probably rather go out and research how much beer they can consume in the shortest amount of time rather than try to get a position like this.</p>
<p>^What free time do you have to do research? It seems like most every day you have morning and afternoon classes. Lots of my friends who do research either have free fridays, no morning classes, only one early class on TR, or some other combination that allows them to have at least 10 hours a week to do research.</p>
<p>I don’t really know how the timings work out for those positions. The only class I can really drop as of now is the 8am class, and maybe switch a few other classes around.</p>
<p>Calc II is a pre req for my calc based physics haha. Anyways, i don’t think your schedule looks like the end of the world because you have two relatively easy classes, and calc I really isn’t that bad. I think you can definitely handle it if you are studious person and intend to put effort into university.</p>
<p>You say you did bad in high school, and you don’t quite have study habits yet… In my opinon… I’d go a little lighter on the schedule and work out your study habits, because they don’t come overnight, trust me… I was in the same exact boat as you. Wait till your second semester and start stacking up after that, but do yourself a favor and go light semester 1.</p>