Current Princeton Students: Post Freshman Schedule Here

ptonkatz10
Fri, 03 Aug 2007 19:57:07 +0000

Fall '06:
MAT203 Adv Multivariable Calc (NOT a good idea-- see below)
PHY103 Mechanics
COS126 Intro to Computer Sci
MUS105 Music Theory I

Spring '07
MAT202 Linear Algebra
PHY104 Electricity and Magnetism
WRI101 The Animal Mind
FRS136 Wildlife, Wilderness, and Development in the American West
MAE222 Mechanics of Fluids

as you can probably tell, I’m an engineer (MAE baby!). i’d already taken college-level multi and could have passed out but opted to take the advanced version instead-- biiiiiiiig mistake. this class kicked my butt, and i could easily have passed MAT201 with flying colors and met the requirement for BSE. I really liked PHY103-104 (also required) but then I had a great preceptor. I didn’t find COS126 difficult (it was basically an intro java course), even though I had zero programming experience, but a lot of people thought it was really hard. I took MUS105 as a requirement for the music certificate-- if you take it, be prepared to write and transcribe a TON of bach chorales.

My writing sem was great but the prof is on sabbatical this year, sorry. My freshman sem was cool-- it was kind of a wildlife conservation class, which was interesting, and we got an amazing (free) trip to Yellowstone out of it. MAT202 is easily the most boring and useless class I’ve ever taken. Fluid mechanics (aka “Pipes”) was fun and easy, and the prof is absolutely incredible. It requires no previous engineering experience and is easy, but beware-- the curve is nonexistent. Messing up one homework + missing one question on the final took me from an A+ to an A-.

some thoughts-- there will be a lot of pressure to take a freshman seminar, but don’t take one if you’re not interested in the topic. Also, take courses outside your major instead of just trying to fill prereqs and certificate requirements. my writing sem and freshman sem (the only courses i took freshman year that weren’t required for my major or certificates) were probably my favorite classes the whole year.