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  1. #41
    I think you've gotten plenty of advice on the transfer front, so I won't add anything there. I will comment about your major though. I'm seriously not trying to be a jerk, or tell you that you can't do engineering. But, if you aren't getting A's in Math 22 and Math 26...you really should reconsider your major, or refocus yourself on these classes. If you can't excel in these classes, you're going to struggle mightily with Math 140 and 141 (calc). And it only gets significantly harder from there. I stress the word significantly. In short, if you can't find a way to have math come easily to you, engineering is going to be a rough ride.

    If it's what you want to do and you're passionate about it, I don't want to deter you. But, you need some perspective. And yea, I know you weren't asking for this, and it isn't related to the topic, but I wanted add some insight.

    As you likely guessed, I went to PSU. I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. If you have any questions about the engineering programs or the field itself, I'm more than happy to answer.
    Last edited by Espo; 2015-10-24 at 11:51 PM.

  2. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by Espo View Post
    I think you've gotten plenty of advice on the transfer front, so I won't add anything there. I will comment about your major though. I'm seriously not trying to be a jerk, or tell you that you can't do engineering. But, if you aren't getting A's in Math 22 and Math 26...you really should reconsider your major, or refocus yourself on these classes. If you can't excel in these classes, you're going to struggle mightily with Math 140 and 141 (calc). And it only gets significantly harder from there. I stress the word significantly. In short, if you can't find a way to have math come easily to you, engineering is going to be a rough ride.

    If it's what you want to do and you're passionate about it, I don't want to deter you. But, you need some perspective. And yea, I know you weren't asking for this, and it isn't related to the topic, but I wanted add some insight.

    As you likely guessed, I went to PSU. I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. If you have any questions about the engineering programs or the field itself, I'm more than happy to answer.
    That would be phenomenal to ask. I do have quite a few questions but before I ask. I realize that my "weakness" in math is a challenge, before I decide whether engineering is right for me I want to get through Math 140 and hopefully Math 141 (At the very least, all of my prospective majors require this) and see where it goes from there. I'm currently confident I can apply myself to pass but I won't know until I get there. I'm also mulling over the options of other STEM majors including Computer Science since I'm fairly good with coding languages and skills. I do have a whole host of questions for you though, finding someone that graduates from PSU is amazing.

    1) Did you do the 2+2 program or start at University Park? How was it? What was your general experience there?

    2) How did you find yourself doing in Mechanical Engineering? Did you set out with that goal in mind or did you change your mind and switch majors later on?

    3) How is the job market for the Engineering fields out of Penn State? Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Comp. Science, etc.

    4) Did graduating from PSU have a larger impact on you than if you graduated from a different university of the same scale?

    5) When (For attending Penn State) should I KNOW what major I want to pursue?

    These are only a couple questions from many, however, I don't want to take up all of your time. Thank you so much for responding and I hope to hear from you.

  3. #43
    Quote Originally Posted by LokoKun View Post
    That would be phenomenal to ask. I do have quite a few questions but before I ask. I realize that my "weakness" in math is a challenge, before I decide whether engineering is right for me I want to get through Math 140 and hopefully Math 141 (At the very least, all of my prospective majors require this) and see where it goes from there. I'm currently confident I can apply myself to pass but I won't know until I get there. I'm also mulling over the options of other STEM majors including Computer Science since I'm fairly good with coding languages and skills. I do have a whole host of questions for you though, finding someone that graduates from PSU is amazing.

    1) Did you do the 2+2 program or start at University Park? How was it? What was your general experience there?

    2) How did you find yourself doing in Mechanical Engineering? Did you set out with that goal in mind or did you change your mind and switch majors later on?

    3) How is the job market for the Engineering fields out of Penn State? Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Comp. Science, etc.

    4) Did graduating from PSU have a larger impact on you than if you graduated from a different university of the same scale?

    5) When (For attending Penn State) should I KNOW what major I want to pursue?

    These are only a couple questions from many, however, I don't want to take up all of your time. Thank you so much for responding and I hope to hear from you.
    1) I started at UP. At first, I wasn't a fan of the very large classes and the fact that most classes were taught by TAs (for some classes, I barely saw the professor). As I progressed into engineering classes as well as higher level classes in general, I enjoyed it greatly. It became more intimate and you received significantly more face time with professors. The learning environment improved greatly. With respect to the social aspect of college--no complaints. A ton of stuff to do, lots of people (mostly friendly, not a clique-ish environment, in my opinion). It's what you'd expect thought--a small town in the middle of nowhere with a lot of college-aged kids crammed into it. And they all have a "PSU vs the world" mentality, which bodes well for all PSU students, but not so much outsiders. Some of the 2+2 kids were a little clique-ish though. You'd notice them hanging around their group of friends that transferred with them and not always interacting with the crowd--this usually goes away in time though.

    In brief--if you like a city atmosphere, and all the social upside (and some of the downside) that comes with it--you'll like UP.

    2) I was pushed toward engineering/computer science/physics/chem early on because I was a huge math nerd.

    Why not comp sci? I had already had 4 years of comp sci classes as well as a lot of self-learning and felt that 1. I can learn this all on my own and don't need to major in it and 2. It's not something I'm really passionate about.

    Why engineering? 1. Math 2. Physics. 3. I like robotics. I like automation. I like building things. I like tearing things apart. I like knowing how things work and trying to make them better. I was the kid growing up who built his own PC, worked on my dirt bike and car.

    I didn't declare until midway through my sophomore year. As I began taking more and more engineering classes, Mechanical seemed to fit with the things I'm passionate about. I also liked the fact that it is a highly employable major and can do a lot of different things that other disciplines cannot. I wish I could give you more of a guided approach to choosing your major, but for me it was more of a feeling really. Just finding that something that fit my natural talents and passions.

    3) I can't speak for every engineering discipline--but for mechanical the job market is good. I didn't have any issues finding a job (I graduated in 2008, which if you recall was the worst financial crisis many of us have ever seen--unless you lived during the depression). I regularly get headhunters coming after me to recruit me to different firms. This isn't me bragging--it just is what it is. I'm sure the majority of skilled professionals experience the exact same thing--I'm not a special snowflake. If you are skilled in a math-based discipline, I'd reckon you'll have no issue finding a job. The only engineering friends of mine who had a little more trouble getting jobs were 2 individuals who majored in petroleum and nuclear engineering, respectively. From what they told me at the time, those fields just had a bit less opportunity. This is not the case anymore, especially for petroleum engineering.

    4) PSU, overall, was a positive for my job prospects. Don't get me wrong--it's not MIT, Cornell or Standford. But, PSU actually has a very good engineering program overall (some majors better than others). Where PSU shines more than probably 99% (I made this stat up) of colleges in the US is the alumni network. PSU graduates are everywhere and they're generally always willing to help out a moderately talented individual. This is especially true if you stay on the east coast. There's an incredibly good chance that you'll run into someone in the job recruitment process who went to PSU. This will give you a great starting point for conversation with them and can be a tie-breaker down the line. People may not want to hear it, but like it or not, part of the recruitment process is hiring someone you get along with and can work well with--the smartest guy doesn't always win.

    If I have 2 really impressive, and seemingly equal candidates, I need to start breaking ties somehow. If someone has PSU on their resume, I know the type of education they received, and I also have a lot of people back at the college of engineering, who I trust, that I can reach out to for feedback on that individual if necessary.

    In brief, PSU will definitely help you on the front-end of the job application process. You'll get your foot in the door more. It can help you on the back-end as well, but this isn't the norm as candidates usually separate themselves through the interview process quite nicely.

    5) When I went to PSU, you had to declare by the end of your 3rd semester (you should check what this is at PSU now--the student advisors there can help you out with the timing of all of this to ensure you're on the right track and do not miss an opportunity to declare or go to UP). The start of all of the engineering programs is very similar. If you know you want to be an engineer of some type, you can afford to wait it out a little bit and feel things out. The classes you're taking will count for practically any engineering major and you won't get far behind in any specific one (this is by design, of course--a lot of students do not know what engineering major to choose immediately). The sooner you know, the faster you can graduate (if that's a concern).

    If you really have no idea what you want to major in at all, then it becomes really tricky. You need to try to take classes that count toward as many majors as possible (so you don't get behind), all while trying to get exposure to different majors to learn more. This is tough. Every major at PSU is going to have different entry requirements and you can put yourself in a position where it's difficult to meet the requirements of certain majors if you spend too much time figuring things out. You'll want to check for what the various requirements for the engineering majors are at PSU (I have no idea what they are now), but when I was there they all were pretty much "Math 140, 141, easy chem, easy physics, generic engi classes, C or better in all, and 3.XX GPA and above."


    I hope this helps. Sorry for the wall of text everyone
    Last edited by Espo; 2015-10-25 at 03:33 PM.

  4. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by Espo View Post
    1) I started at UP. At first, I wasn't a fan of the very large classes and the fact that most classes were taught by TAs (for some classes, I barely saw the professor). As I progressed into engineering classes as well as higher level classes in general, I enjoyed it greatly. It became more intimate and you received significantly more face time with professors. The learning environment improved greatly. With respect to the social aspect of college--no complaints. A ton of stuff to do, lots of people (mostly friendly, not a clique-ish environment, in my opinion). It's what you'd expect thought--a small town in the middle of nowhere with a lot of college-aged kids crammed into it. And they all have a "PSU vs the world" mentality, which bodes well for all PSU students, but not so much outsiders. Some of the 2+2 kids were a little clique-ish though. You'd notice them hanging around their group of friends that transferred with them and not always interacting with the crowd--this usually goes away in time though.

    In brief--if you like a city atmosphere, and all the social upside (and some of the downside) that comes with it--you'll like UP.

    2) I was pushed toward engineering/computer science/physics/chem early on because I was a huge math nerd.

    Why not comp sci? I had already had 4 years of comp sci classes as well as a lot of self-learning and felt that 1. I can learn this all on my own and don't need to major in it and 2. It's not something I'm really passionate about.

    Why engineering? 1. Math 2. Physics. 3. I like robotics. I like automation. I like building things. I like tearing things apart. I like knowing how things work and trying to make them better. I was the kid growing up who built his own PC, worked on my dirt bike and car.

    I didn't declare until midway through my sophomore year. As I began taking more and more engineering classes, Mechanical seemed to fit with the things I'm passionate about. I also liked the fact that it is a highly employable major and can do a lot of different things that other disciplines cannot. I wish I could give you more of a guided approach to choosing your major, but for me it was more of a feeling really. Just finding that something that fit my natural talents and passions.

    3) I can't speak for every engineering discipline--but for mechanical the job market is good. I didn't have any issues finding a job (I graduated in 2008, which if you recall was the worst financial crisis many of us have ever seen--unless you lived during the depression). I regularly get headhunters coming after me to recruit me to different firms. This isn't me bragging--it just is what it is. I'm sure the majority of skilled professionals experience the exact same thing--I'm not a special snowflake. If you are skilled in a math-based discipline, I'd reckon you'll have no issue finding a job. The only engineering friends of mine who had a little more trouble getting jobs were 2 individuals who majored in petroleum and nuclear engineering, respectively. From what they told me at the time, those fields just had a bit less opportunity. This is not the case anymore, especially for petroleum engineering.

    4) PSU, overall, was a positive for my job prospects. Don't get me wrong--it's not MIT, Cornell or Standford. But, PSU actually has a very good engineering program overall (some majors better than others). Where PSU shines more than probably 99% (I made this stat up) of colleges in the US is the alumni network. PSU graduates are everywhere and they're generally always willing to help out a moderately talented individual. This is especially true if you stay on the east coast. There's an incredibly good chance that you'll run into someone in the job recruitment process who went to PSU. This will give you a great starting point for conversation with them and can be a tie-breaker down the line. People may not want to hear it, but like it or not, part of the recruitment process is hiring someone you get along with and can work well with--the smartest guy doesn't always win.

    If I have 2 really impressive, and seemingly equal candidates, I need to start breaking ties somehow. If someone has PSU on their resume, I know the type of education they received, and I also have a lot of people back at the college of engineering, who I trust, that I can reach out to for feedback on that individual if necessary.

    In brief, PSU will definitely help you on the front-end of the job application process. You'll get your foot in the door more. It can help you on the back-end as well, but this isn't the norm as candidates usually separate themselves through the interview process quite nicely.

    5) When I went to PSU, you had to declare by the end of your 3rd semester (you should check what this is at PSU now--the student advisors there can help you out with the timing of all of this to ensure you're on the right track and do not miss an opportunity to declare or go to UP). The start of all of the engineering programs is very similar. If you know you want to be an engineer of some type, you can afford to wait it out a little bit and feel things out. The classes you're taking will count for practically any engineering major and you won't get far behind in any specific one (this is by design, of course--a lot of students do not know what engineering major to choose immediately). The sooner you know, the faster you can graduate (if that's a concern).

    If you really have no idea what you want to major in at all, then it becomes really tricky. You need to try to take classes that count toward as many majors as possible (so you don't get behind), all while trying to get exposure to different majors to learn more. This is tough. Every major at PSU is going to have different entry requirements and you can put yourself in a position where it's difficult to meet the requirements of certain majors if you spend too much time figuring things out. You'll want to check for what the various requirements for the engineering majors are at PSU (I have no idea what they are now), but when I was there they all were pretty much "Math 140, 141, easy chem, easy physics, generic engi classes, C or better in all, and 3.XX GPA and above."


    I hope this helps. Sorry for the wall of text everyone
    Thank you for all the information, you have certainly given me a lot to think about. Again, I'm still not going to make the decision of transferring or not until later into the 1st semester, there are about 6-7 weeks left in this semester and I'll be making that decision after I find out my grades from this semester. Obviously I'll want them to be as high as possible no matter what my choice is.

    What would you say to someone who is currently, I wouldn't say struggling, but finds it currently a challenge doing Math 022 (College Algebra 2) and Math 026 (Plane Trigonometry) when it comes to prospecting future classes; IE, Math 140, 141, Physics 210, 211, Chem 110, etc. I'm wondering that now if my difficulty in math is going to hugely impact my decision. If I don't have the math for engineering then my current backup major is Computer Science (While still an engineering major) it revolved around programming which I'm already decently proficient in.

    Thanks again for the great reply!

  5. #45
    Quote Originally Posted by LokoKun View Post
    Thank you for all the information, you have certainly given me a lot to think about. Again, I'm still not going to make the decision of transferring or not until later into the 1st semester, there are about 6-7 weeks left in this semester and I'll be making that decision after I find out my grades from this semester. Obviously I'll want them to be as high as possible no matter what my choice is.

    What would you say to someone who is currently, I wouldn't say struggling, but finds it currently a challenge doing Math 022 (College Algebra 2) and Math 026 (Plane Trigonometry) when it comes to prospecting future classes; IE, Math 140, 141, Physics 210, 211, Chem 110, etc. I'm wondering that now if my difficulty in math is going to hugely impact my decision. If I don't have the math for engineering then my current backup major is Computer Science (While still an engineering major) it revolved around programming which I'm already decently proficient in.

    Thanks again for the great reply!
    I would ask yourself this: "How hard am I really trying to be good at this?" If the answer is "as hard as possible" and you're still struggling with Math 22 and Math 26, you will find it incredibly difficult in Math 140, 141 as well as Physics 211. Physics 210 isn't very stressful with respect to the type of math required, nor is Chem 110. The math requirements for engineering as well as comp. sci. will get significantly more difficult beyond 140/141.

    Also, you will find Computer Science to be challenging as well. While not everything in comp. sci. is going to be obviously math-based, the two disciplines go hand-in-hand. The best way I can describe it is that both math and comp. sci. each require a very similar way of thinking in order to be successful. This is why you'll rarely find any comp. sci. majors/software engineers/etc. who are weak in math. Does this mean you absolutely must be great at math to be a great programmer? No. You're fighting against the percentages though.

    If the answer to the above question isn't "as hard as possible" then you need to figure out what "as hard as possible" is, and how you perform when you are. You need to find out what your ceiling is, how much effort it is going to take to be proficient in math, and if that effort is worth it to you.

    For what it's worth, my roommate was in a similar position as you (aerospace engineer major, not great at math). I had to tutor him constantly on Math 22/26 up through Math 251 (differential equations). He got through it. It wasn't pretty at times (he definitely escaped with a few C's here and there) and I know it wasn't easy (he busted his ass). But, he did it. More importantly, he's employed in the field at Lockheed Martin.

    You just need to figure out if the juice is worth the squeeze, so-to-speak. Is all of the effort you're going to need to handle those classes worth it for you?

    Note: All my comments about these classes are circa 2004-2008, so take that for what it is.

  6. #46
    Quote Originally Posted by Espo View Post
    I would ask yourself this: "How hard am I really trying to be good at this?" If the answer is "as hard as possible" and you're still struggling with Math 22 and Math 26, you will find it incredibly difficult in Math 140, 141 as well as Physics 211. Physics 210 isn't very stressful with respect to the type of math required, nor is Chem 110. The math requirements for engineering as well as comp. sci. will get significantly more difficult beyond 140/141.

    Also, you will find Computer Science to be challenging as well. While not everything in comp. sci. is going to be obviously math-based, the two disciplines go hand-in-hand. The best way I can describe it is that both math and comp. sci. each require a very similar way of thinking in order to be successful. This is why you'll rarely find any comp. sci. majors/software engineers/etc. who are weak in math. Does this mean you absolutely must be great at math to be a great programmer? No. You're fighting against the percentages though.

    If the answer to the above question isn't "as hard as possible" then you need to figure out what "as hard as possible" is, and how you perform when you are. You need to find out what your ceiling is, how much effort it is going to take to be proficient in math, and if that effort is worth it to you.

    For what it's worth, my roommate was in a similar position as you (aerospace engineer major, not great at math). I had to tutor him constantly on Math 22/26 up through Math 251 (differential equations). He got through it. It wasn't pretty at times (he definitely escaped with a few C's here and there) and I know it wasn't easy (he busted his ass). But, he did it. More importantly, he's employed in the field at Lockheed Martin.

    You just need to figure out if the juice is worth the squeeze, so-to-speak. Is all of the effort you're going to need to handle those classes worth it for you?

    Note: All my comments about these classes are circa 2004-2008, so take that for what it is.
    Thank you for the input and sorry for the late reply. Right now I don't believe I'm working anywhere near to as hard as possible. While I do all my homework I spend very little time studying right now which is probably why I find it slightly challenging. I imagine if I apply myself to studying in the harder math course, they will still be difficult but doable. I do believe that in the higher level math courses, at least for myself, having someone I know "tutor" me in a different method than the professor teaches will help a considerable amount. I've always had small issues understanding what a professor is teaching but when a friend or tutor tells it to me, it clicks a lot easier to me.

    As for transferring, I've pretty much made up my mind that I wish to transfer, I've talked to my father as well. While he is not completely on board with this, he has said that it will be easier for me to stay at Penn State, and he said that he doesn't think I should transfer just because I feel like I'm missing out on half my college experience. However, he also said that I need to make my own choices and he would be on board with whatever I decide, to an extent (In terms of financial aid).

    This has made my decision almost clear, I would say I'm 90% positive I wish to transfer, though I'm not making the decision until halfway into my second semester. The hardest thing I'm having right now is trying to decide on what schools to look at. There is the obvious transfer to Penn State Altoona, a different, larger Penn State campus closer to main in which I would be able to live on campus or in apartments just off of campus. I also wish to look at other universities but I do not even know where to begin or how to decide what college might be right for me. Any input on this part is appreciated.

    Thanks!

  7. #47
    I don't have a ton of advice to share on the transferring part. If I were looking at schools now, I'd really only care about how good their X department is. X being whatever I am going there to study. Every university is going to offer a similar social experience, assuming similar sizes (in my opinion, anyway). Someone else here may have more input to share on that one.

    Regarding Altoona...I've visited the campus (back in 2007). It was nice. Not too big. You can probably walk across the entire campus in 20 minutes. The dorms were kind of old, except for one new one at that time. The facilities were definitely a bit dated. It had what seemed to be a good social scene....not big enough that you lose the intimacy of a smaller campus. When I was at UP, I'd notice a lot of people from Altoona come up there to hang out on weekends since it's so close (maybe an hour away). So, you kind of get the best of both worlds--a local smaller satellite campus and the option to visit UP pretty easily.

  8. #48
    Herald of the Titans Drsolders's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by I Push Buttons View Post
    It is still entry level math... I wasn't an engineering major, mind you, but I would assume it is all math all the time... Advanced math. If you can't fly through high school math then what hope have you of conquering any engineering degree, let alone aerospace engineering...? Just being realistic since wasting time and money seems to be your principle concern.
    Actually at my college intro math was the hardest course there. I mean I aced math in high school, and it was rough. Still got a B but my class size went from 120 to 25ish by the time the semester was over. I mean I then went on to ace Trig/Calc. I don't know if it was just the staff doing those classes or what but don't discount the early classes. Every now and again they can surprise you.
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    Being older isn't an excuse for being wrong or obtuse. Grats on being the guy that makes me side with Didactic.

  9. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by Drsolders View Post
    Actually at my college intro math was the hardest course there. I mean I aced math in high school, and it was rough. Still got a B but my class size went from 120 to 25ish by the time the semester was over. I mean I then went on to ace Trig/Calc. I don't know if it was just the staff doing those classes or what but don't discount the early classes. Every now and again they can surprise you.
    I did worse in my intro math class (C) than I did in Calc1-3 (As in all 3) as well as Linear Algebra. The teacher simply made it harder than it needed to be.
    And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

  10. #50
    Quote Originally Posted by NoRest4Wicked View Post
    I did worse in my intro math class (C) than I did in Calc1-3 (As in all 3) as well as Linear Algebra. The teacher simply made it harder than it needed to be.
    Not exactly the same but I had similar problems. I got a C in trig and pre-calc and slept through the single/multi-variable calculus sequence and introductory linear algebra with ease. As an engineer, the only thing ME's have to take that come close to trig/precalc in difficulty is differential equations.

  11. #51
    Quote Originally Posted by Espo View Post
    I don't have a ton of advice to share on the transferring part. If I were looking at schools now, I'd really only care about how good their X department is. X being whatever I am going there to study. Every university is going to offer a similar social experience, assuming similar sizes (in my opinion, anyway). Someone else here may have more input to share on that one.

    Regarding Altoona...I've visited the campus (back in 2007). It was nice. Not too big. You can probably walk across the entire campus in 20 minutes. The dorms were kind of old, except for one new one at that time. The facilities were definitely a bit dated. It had what seemed to be a good social scene....not big enough that you lose the intimacy of a smaller campus. When I was at UP, I'd notice a lot of people from Altoona come up there to hang out on weekends since it's so close (maybe an hour away). So, you kind of get the best of both worlds--a local smaller satellite campus and the option to visit UP pretty easily.
    Thanks, one of my friends recently went to Altoona for Halloween weekend so I'll be questioning him thoroughly.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Drsolders View Post
    Actually at my college intro math was the hardest course there. I mean I aced math in high school, and it was rough. Still got a B but my class size went from 120 to 25ish by the time the semester was over. I mean I then went on to ace Trig/Calc. I don't know if it was just the staff doing those classes or what but don't discount the early classes. Every now and again they can surprise you.
    I assume that's because it's meant to be a weed out course.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by NoRest4Wicked View Post
    I did worse in my intro math class (C) than I did in Calc1-3 (As in all 3) as well as Linear Algebra. The teacher simply made it harder than it needed to be.
    Most likely because it's a weed out class, a lot of larger public and private universities do that for their entrance to harder class courses. Like earlier math and chemistry.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by anntheman View Post
    Not exactly the same but I had similar problems. I got a C in trig and pre-calc and slept through the single/multi-variable calculus sequence and introductory linear algebra with ease. As an engineer, the only thing ME's have to take that come close to trig/precalc in difficulty is differential equations.
    I'm hoping that when I get to Calculus, I shoot off with it. I really am interested in learning Calculus, the whole concept seems interesting to me.

  12. #52
    I Don't Work Here Endus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LokoKun View Post
    I'm slightly behind right now when it comes to Coursework, I slacked off a little in High School which made it so I needed to take 2 math classes this year. I should have been in Calculus this year but I didn't do extremely well on the placement tests. I may also be slightly generous in my grade assumptions. It's quite possible I'll end up getting C's in both math classes, though I'm working extremely hard to prevent that. My other general education courses should be an easy B+ at the VERY least, I should be getting an A in all of them.
    This is where I started to get worried, so a few points to go over (that have been touched on a bit by others);

    1> You need to be pulling Bs in important courses to your major, particularly in your first few years. If you're not there yet, fine, but my point is you need to be trying to pull those grades up; C's are scraping by, and shouldn't be considered an acceptable grade, if you want to make something of yourself. I'm not gonna say you need to be a straight-A student; you don't. But Cs often mean you're either not suited to the program (in which case, find what suits you), or you're not making enough of an effort. Combined with your pursuit of a social life, that latter one has me worried. Speaking as someone who totally fucked his first year in college over very similar grounds.

    2> Dorm life is really not all that. It's going to be a chaotic mess of a social experience, and it's going to be hard to keep focused on your studies, most likely. It can be a lot of fun, but are you paying tuition to "have fun"?

    3> That's not to say you should keep living at home. Getting an apartment, particularly sharing a place with friends, can be a really reasonable option. Don't know what the situation's like there, but most of the colleges I've gone to have a lot of homes that are rented out on a per-room basis to college students, working out to 4-6 bedrooms per house, for pretty competitive rates. A good group in a house like that will get you a bunch of friends, but also a bit more privacy than living in the dorms. Regardless, living out of home will cost you a bunch. So make sure your budget can handle it. If not, a tamer social life might be better than going into thousands of extra dollars of debt.

    4> Really, just be very clear about why you're paying tuition. You're paying thousands of dollars to get an education, not to make friends. If you just want an active social life, you can do that while working a job, and making money rather than spending it. If you're in school for the education, then that education has to be your priority, not having fun. Which doesn't mean don't have fun, but if you have a test coming up, spend the evening studying your math, not barhopping with friends. It also helps to be proactive about this stuff; it's a lot easier to take off and have some fun if you've already gotten ahead on the workload. Hard lesson to learn, since you're self-directed at University, but it's a great lesson to try and get your head around.


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