<ol>
<li>The special ones are called USEMs. You can search for USEM to see them. There’s also COLAs (special advising) and LASEs (open to all years) but the main ones are USEMs.</li>
<li>The special listing are just 1. a list of everything offered 2. a list of everything offered in CLAS and 3. a list of topics which you would just look at the first letter (go for a 1 or 2) and any prereqs otherwise you’re free to take any of those classes.</li>
<li>Your schedule sounds great, well rounded. Some easy science classes are intro astronomy, how things work, nutrition, and the 100 level finance math class is popular as well.</li>
<li>[Area</a> Requirements — Undergraduate, College of Arts & Sciences, U.Va.](<a href=“http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/college/requirements/area/index.html#a6]Area”>http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/college/requirements/area/index.html#a6)</li>
</ol>
<p>THis should be the link to the USEM listing from Lou’s list: [UVa</a> Class Schedule - Complete Schedule of University Seminars - Fall 2011 (Unofficial, Lou’s List)](<a href=“http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/mySIS/CS2/page.php?Semester=1118&Type=Group&Group=USEM]UVa”>http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/mySIS/CS2/page.php?Semester=1118&Type=Group&Group=USEM)</p>
<p>If it doesn’t open correctly, you can find it under the "Other Schools . . . " link on Lou’s home page. Note that a couple seats open for each seminar for each orientation session.</p>
<p>Thanks! Are USEMS suggested for first years? Would you take 4 classes and then a seminar for an easier schedule?</p>
<p>Yeah. I did 4 classes, a LASE (the same as USEM but with all years instead of just 1st/2nd?), and also a little Brown College seminar (each of those 1 credit so 14 total – USEMs are 2 credits anyways right so it adds up the same). It was a fabulous 1st semester and I would recommend that kind of thing to anyone who has a few AP credits to cover it. You can do all the social things you want with that extra time which is really useful your first semester!!!</p>
<p>ah gotcha thank you!</p>
<p>oh and are the COLA classes similar to the Brown seminars?</p>
<p>Yep, one-credit discussion-focused classes without too much associated work.</p>
<p>COLA seminars are tied to your advising so they are a little different???</p>
<p>hey guys i’m gonna be a freshman this fall! my orientation is coming up soon and i’m getting kind of nervous about course scheduling…</p>
<p>can any of you give any insight about chem 1410? which professors are the best?
i’m also coming in with 6 credits for biology which means i get to skip biol 2010 and 2020. so which bio class am i supposed to take next?
do you guys have any recommendations for what class i should take to fulfill my second writing requirement? perhaps an easy A class?</p>
<p>thank you so much for any help!</p>
<p>If you join thecourseforum.com, you will find that 2 of the intro chem profs are rated highly, and one is not.</p>
<p>Be aware that if you get AP credit for a science class, in many cases you still need to take the lab before you can move onto a higher level. I don’t know if that applies to bio.</p>
<p>I took Calc AB as a senior, and though I haven’t gotten my score mailed to me I looked it up on SIS, and got a 5 on the exam. There seem to be contradicting instructions for first year SEAS students in regards to signing up for calculus. The most recent I could find says that if you score a 5 in AB sign up for APMA 1110 w/o taking the diagnostics test, but the page I was originally directed to said everyone that doesn’t have a 5 on BC must take the diagnostics test. Should I take the test or just go to orientation with my 5 and see what happens?</p>
<p>I’ve found a few cases where there is conflicting information on UVa webpages. If in doubt, send an email to a couple people in the department with your question.</p>
<p>thanks for all the tips- gonna forward this to the bro who got in EA</p>
<p>We have not released any EA decisions.</p>
<p>he committed last year
poor word choice for me i guess :/</p>
<p>:) No worries. We didn’t have EA last year, though. This is the first year we’ve had early action applicants.</p>
<p>This thread is so incredibly helpful! Thanks, UVA kids. 
(As a potential Class of 2016 Wahoo, this is an absolute godsend!)</p>
<p>Hello Dean J,</p>
<p>My S was chosen to be a Echols Scholar, what does it mean? Does it mean that he does not have to take the area requirements? Could you please explain what classes he does not have to take. How does it work? I am a little confused!!!
Thanks,</p>
<p>No competency requirements (at least so says [Competency</a> & Area Requirements | The Undergraduate College of Arts & Sciences, U.Va.](<a href=“http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/competency-requirements]Competency”>http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/competency-requirements) )
No area requirements (so says [Echols</a> | The Undergraduate College of Arts & Sciences, U.Va.](<a href=“http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/echols/]Echols”>http://college.artsandsciences.virginia.edu/echols/) and the link to benefits are broken… hrm Dean J??)
Ability to declare an echols major (no required typical major)
Priority registration within students the same year (1st yr, 2nd yr, etc). Used to be over all years but they changed this while I was attending.</p>
<p>Check out the FAQ on that site and hopefully Dean J can provide a better, more updated link (that one was the same text as 2005/06 I remember it haha).</p>
<p>Go to thecourseforum.com and search for classes to see past grades and reviews. Search using 3 numbers (Comm201) (intro to financial accounting).</p>