DS is a Math/Science enthusiast- planning on a double science major & if he can swing it a Math minor 
DS16 is a CS major, so lots of math on his horizon.
@Booajo, did she talk to an advisor yet? Last year they met with advisors and scheduled classes at Pittstart. I read somewhere that they are doing class registration earlier this year. Wasnât sure how that worked.
D took math placement test today. She placed the highest she could given the test. AP results could then place her in a higher course.
@carolinamom2boys My S took his math placement test on Friday. It is required for everyone, but his AB Calc already places him higher and his BC might place him higher still if he does well. I guess his score confirms he hasnât forgotten algebra and trig â though he rushed and missed a couple. For his current major, Psych, heâll probably only need to add Statistics. If he adds CS as another major or minor heâll need more math, but thatâs fine.
@mommdc There is an online orientation course that describes how to register for classes, how to set up a schedule, and what percent of classes should be in major, general ed, electives, etc. At the end of the course they can start picking courses and putting them in a shopping cart. After three days, you can actually register for them. D and I put together a schedule ourselves looking at what she needs first for both her likely majors, and then throwing in a couple general ed courses. She will meet with an advisor at Pittstart but Iâm thinking they wonât change anything unless there is a real problem.
Not sure all of you rememberâŠbut my S16 is attending a teeny college that has a freshman class of 84. I doubt he will have issues registering for classesâŠthe first semester is the same for all freshman, with only one elective (and I believe that is limited to perhaps 3 choices?).
He will live in the one dorm building that is for all freshman/sophomores, so no choices to make there. I do believe they try to match folks with appropriate roommatesâŠbut with only approx. 40 freshman boysâŠwonât be rocket science to match roommates. Also, all students live on campus all 4 yearsâŠso that eliminates any optional living choices later on.
S is taking 4 AP tests last week and this coming week, but no APs count at his college. No placement tests either.
Some students would probably hate this situation with very few options and choicesâŠbut my S loves that it will be so simple!
@4kids2graduate My college isnât as small as your Sâs (120ish in each class) but all first years live in the same hall. Itâs sorta funny listening to all my friends choosing which residence hall and which style of room because I donât have too. And for class registration, they register you for 1st semester and then you can tweak it based on any transfer credits in July
My son will stay in the Honors Dorm and will be part of the Entrepreneurial Living Learning Program , so no choices of dorms for him either.
@4kids2graduate my kids are looking forward to the simplicity too. My D decided to skip her APs since her
school doesnât accept them. That took a lot of pressure off. Both kids were discussing all the cool things they canât wait to do. I reminded them that they are engineering majors and wonât have nearly as much free time as they think. D was wondering about pre - orientation. Lots of schools have kids go camping or hiking. Being the evil mom I am, I simply laughed at her.
Nothing simple here: from 3 options on academic advising methods to two math path to choose from. Each with multiple layers of classes based on placement test results.
D will be doing her math placement and course scheduling at summer orientation. Unfortunately UDâs portal is having some issues with registering for orientation at the moment. She is going to try scheduling her orientation day with her future room mate so they can do some room planning that day and just get to know each other better.
Itâs been fairly simple for D-at Scholarsâ Weekend, she registered for classes-nothing before 9 a.m.-and was able to get a 200-level class in her majorr that first semester. Itâs only 1 credit, but will have some âfield workâ. She took placement tests prior to registration. The kids all take âcoreâ courses in several subjects, depending on STEM or non-STEM majors. Placement tests allow some choice within the options. She placed out of the required technology class, and also will start Spanish, since she only took Japanese in HS and feels Spanish will be necessary if she will be teaching in a diverse school.
The freshmen all live in the same buildings-girls in one, boys in the other. Nearly all the kids live on campus all four years, though some do move off in the later years. She met her roommate through the school group chat and theyâre already planning their decor, but will not get a room assignment until June. The parting ceremony for parents and students is exactly 3 months from today.
@Ballerina016 I got both S16 and D18 passport cards when I renewed their passportsâŠmostly because S16 has no interest in driving and I wanted him to have a government issued ID.
Thatâs 12 weekends. I live my life with D16 measured in weekends.
Happy Motherâs Day to all the moms here! Hope you all had a great day, with or without your kids, whatever the case may be⊠I have not spent this holiday with my own mother for many years now, but try to go visit on July 2, her birthday, and the 4th.
D made us pancakes this morning, and helped me clean up my flower beds and plant some new plants. Feeling ambitious, we decided to trim the hedge and clean up the sidewalk along the hedge. Well, that was it! We were both completely exhausted by mid-day. It was a beautiful warm day, though, and so good to be outside.
I taught D how to dig a small hole with the shovel (Me: âSee the point in the middle? Stick that in the ground first.â ) I guess some tasks are not so obvious if youâve never done them before! smh. I also taught her how to trim the edges of the flower beds with the trimming shears. Very zen, meditative stuff once you get started, which is why I had her do it, :).
Hope everyone had some zen, calming moments today - we deserve them!
For our S, he had to complete a pre-orientation questionnaire about a week ago that asked him to rank his interest in different science, humanities, and other areas of classes. I think he was surprised he wouldnât just be taking CS and business courses :). He goes to an orientation on June 14 to meet with his advisor and review a draft course schedule that they develop for him based on his survey responses, his major, and his dual-enrollment courses that heâs already completed. They will review it with him, and it says he has an opportunity to make changes. Iâm strongly urging him to retake calculus, because he struggled through AP Calc AB this year and I remember when I took calculus I a second time in college (after HS) I did much better. The orientation is a full day long - not quite sure what else he does while there but heâs hoping his requested roommate can come the same day since they havenât met in person yet.
It is really interesting to hear how different schools handle registration for fall classes with incoming freshmen - I hadnât thought about it, but I still remember many years ago standing in a long line with other new freshman, waiting for our chance to go up for our turn. The school had walls full of poster paper with each available course, and when you gave the registration person your (hopeful) schedule, they would walk along the walls to see if there was space in each class, and if there was, theyâd erase the current class count and increase it by 1 to show that you were enrolled in it. And this was not that long ago :). I think they computerized it a year or two after that.
My Dâs school has several ongoing two-day registration sessions throughout June and July; but I cannot get her to decide on one!
I may have to insist we sit down this week and choose one.
She has signed up for housing and a dining plan, though, and sheâs requested to live in International House. Itâs a LLC that focuses on studying languages, preparing for studying abroad, and the possibility of rooming with a foreign student.
Donât know yet if that request will be honored, I hope so, I think sheâll really love the experience.
I have not been on CC for a few days. Have spent every spare moment doing spring cleaning and planting in the yard; talking to siding contractors - yes, amidst all this mayhem, Iâm trying to get the siding replaced; and trying to plan for two vacations, one in June with D (the surprise trip!) and one for me and husband in the fall. And getting the house ready for my Mom and Dad to come visit for Dâs graduation.
Hope everyoneâs plans are going smoothly thus far!
We will begin working on passports in a few weeks. I have never had one nor have any of the kids. D will be 18 then and so she, my DW and myself will be good for ten years when we get ours, while S21 will have just turned 13 and his will be good for five years, taking him right up to age 18 or so. Their birthdays are exactly one week (and five years) apart, and this year they bookend Dâs graduation date. (-:
Now that the graduation celebrations have begun, I think this is all becoming more real. DS did express that he is a little sorry that he did not like the bigger engineering schools better. He is not worried about the prestige of VU but is a little tired of having to explain why he picked it. If he had chosen one of the bigger, more well known schools he was admitted to the conversation would not be necessary and he is a âthe answer is obviousâ kind of a guy. I just wish people could be more congratulatory and less judgemental in their comments. This has been especially a problem with lower classmen that are in the search but not past the âwhere should I apply?â stage yet. I have encouraged him to have his canned response ready but usually there is more than one question from each person that asks. Theses are folks he cares about so it is not as easy as walking away.