Choosing courses for freshmen

[illinoismom93]

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In te engineering school, you go meet with an advisor during orientation who pretty much lays out the classes you need to take and gets you registered. The advising is generally awful, though, so be prepared to fight a bit. My first semester, the guy wanted me to take 12 credits. I was like, “dude, I want to graduate eventually!” lol

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<p>Time for another long and rambling post -
During summer orientation/registration for my son eight years ago at our flagship where we spent two days walking around in the scorching heat on that sprawling flat as a pancake campus located in the middle of a vast expanse of cornfields (<a href=“http://illinoisaxiom.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2011/08/aeriel-view-cornfield-uiuc.jpg[/url]”>http://illinoisaxiom.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2011/08/aeriel-view-cornfield-uiuc.jpg&lt;/a&gt;) parents and students were told repeatedly NOT to schedule a full load first semester freshman year. The admins talked about all the distractions during those first few months of college - being away from home and juggling making new friends, joining new clubs, struggling with decisions you never had to in high school. Establishing priorities in the face of temptation- should you stay in your room and study for that test the next morning when all your new friends are heading out for a party and trying to convince you to come along? Doing laundry, learning to live in one tiny room with a stranger, soooo many new things to manage at once. </p>

<p>The dean of A&S at our flagship just kept repeating different iterations of “we just don’t want you to flunk out” and apparently first semester is the critical period to make it through. He advised the incoming students in A&S (who make up half the undergraduate student body there) to take a light load during their first semester to ensure they weren’t overwhelmed with work and a newly transformed social life with all its temptations. </p>

<p>Not sure how that translates to UMiami and engineering but with FF status and AP credits will you still have to take a heavy load for all eight semesters? I’ve heard the engineering curriculum is not very flexible but as a FF, without university gen ed requirements, are there no electives taken in the fall of freshman year?</p>

<p>I don’t expect advisors at the <em> are quite as worried about engineering students flunking out as they are at our flagship where I’ve always heard waaaay more on-campus partying goes on - on-campus keggers especially in a cluster of six dorms appropriately referred to as the “Six Pack” - along with off campus revelry since 19 year olds being allowed in all the bars. but perhaps maintaining a high GPA during the first semester was his concern? I’ve just always heard that the </em> is excellent at getting students through in four years, not holding them back…</p>

<p>Another thing about advising is that IllD93 has several advisors - one for FF, one for her major, in addition to Dr. Green (who advises Stamps students). I believe she is adding a second major this week and that will add another advisor : ) She’s been thrilled with the advising she’s gotten so far!</p>