<p>I’m not in engineering, but if you look at the Sample plans for engineering students you’ll see that they’re all basically expected to take 4 Science classes 1 or 2 quarters their freshman year.</p>
<p>The main reason you’re told not to take 4 classes in the fall is that most people need to time to settle in at the school (outside of just classes) and they basically need to learn how being a college student works. If you make the transition smoothly though, your 2nd quarter isn’t really much different from subsequent quarters. And you’ll have a much better idea by the end of the fall whether you’ve made the transition smoothly.</p>
<p>Personally I would suggest throwing in a North Campus class just so you have something that’s interesting to read and a little less dense (as compared to reading for Math courses). Balance is a desirable trait in a schedule. It’s just not necessary.</p>