I haven't posted in a while. :\
I'm taking a just for fun quarter at UC, but I intend to maintain a 3.6+ GPA (4.0 scale). I'm just wondering... am I sane or not?
Schedule:
Japanese 101 MWF 10-11
German 101 MWF 11-12
Russian 101 MWF 12-1
Latin 211 MWF 1-2
Linear Algebra MWF 2-3
Drawing I W 6-9
I am still intent on joining UC's college of engineering, and languages is just a hobby of mine. To make it seem a bit more reasonable: I have already covered the course material for Japanese 101 and Latin 211, so those 2 are more review.
Oh, but I am also working the 4 days a week I'm not in school. Hrmmm :S
Is this a stupid schedule?
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XMEN Gambit
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TimberWolf
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Linear Algebra will be hard, at least from all the people I have talked to that have taken it. You maybe able to handle everything but the math which you will probably need help with.
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XMEN Ashaman DTM
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If this is your first stab at college-level courses, do some math:
for every credit you take, plan on 4 hours of outside work to learn the material. This would include time for homework, studying, and reading.
If you've done college-level classes before, then I'd still recommend against all of that.
The reason? If you are going into engineering, you have a LOT of math to catch up on. By the time you are entering your junior year, you should be very familiar with partial differential equations and multivariable calculus. Linear algebra is easy once you get into it, those others will be very hard. (FYI, some of the hardest math over the last 400 years has been in PDEs and multivariable calculus.)
I'd also recommend that you find and take a class on calculus of variations to take sometime before you start your senior year.
Even if you are very good at languages (AKA the linguistic GOD), you will likely not have enough time to devote to mastering the material. And if you aren't trying to master the material, then why take the class? The other thing is that engineering departments across the country look heavily upon what kinds of classes you take along with your GPA.
BUT, if you have the time and money to spend an extra year or two in college, for your BA/BS, then take extra 100 and 200 level classes or ones that are particularly easy. The only reason to do that is to pad your GPA for when you get to the really hard stuff (senior year). I've seen too many people get kicked out of engineering departments because of a bad quarter or semester. Once you get bad grades, it's really hard to push your GPA up again.
for every credit you take, plan on 4 hours of outside work to learn the material. This would include time for homework, studying, and reading.
If you've done college-level classes before, then I'd still recommend against all of that.
The reason? If you are going into engineering, you have a LOT of math to catch up on. By the time you are entering your junior year, you should be very familiar with partial differential equations and multivariable calculus. Linear algebra is easy once you get into it, those others will be very hard. (FYI, some of the hardest math over the last 400 years has been in PDEs and multivariable calculus.)
I'd also recommend that you find and take a class on calculus of variations to take sometime before you start your senior year.
Even if you are very good at languages (AKA the linguistic GOD), you will likely not have enough time to devote to mastering the material. And if you aren't trying to master the material, then why take the class? The other thing is that engineering departments across the country look heavily upon what kinds of classes you take along with your GPA.
BUT, if you have the time and money to spend an extra year or two in college, for your BA/BS, then take extra 100 and 200 level classes or ones that are particularly easy. The only reason to do that is to pad your GPA for when you get to the really hard stuff (senior year). I've seen too many people get kicked out of engineering departments because of a bad quarter or semester. Once you get bad grades, it's really hard to push your GPA up again.
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XMEN Iceman
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Ambush Bug
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One language I can understand... but four? Not only four languages, but four languages that have very little in common. Two entirely new alphabets (kanji and cyrillic), plus German is one tough language. One of my old roomies had it, and just trying to read the book made my cerebellum want to fuse. About the only thing tougher you could have thrown in there is Mandarin.
Me, I'd cut it back to one language. Which one might you see yourself actually using in the future? What else in the classlist looks like 'fun' that you can ace?
Me, I'd cut it back to one language. Which one might you see yourself actually using in the future? What else in the classlist looks like 'fun' that you can ace?
I'm with Ambush Bug here - as a linguist, I know what it takes to become proficient in a language. Not just yer usual, "Hello, how are you?" stuff, but to actually be able to communicate.
That much grammar, mixed with that many differing sounds, could limit your ability to focus on a particular language enough where you would actually feel more natural with it.
What you don't want to do, is sound like a Texan speaking Spanish, or something similar. "Kay pah-sah, me ameegoh." Or like a Californian with the same idea. Sounding like an American when you speak a foreign language has rarely ever been widely accepted by the world, though people would 'put up with you'.
So, my recommendation is to find a language you REALLY want to sink your teeth into. Something where you will want to enjoy not only the language itself, but you like the culture enough where you can immerse yourself in it. Culture and Language is HUGE! Slang, imagery, and specifics within the definition of the words and even the way ye olde language became the modern variation.
This stuff you will be missing out on, if you simply go for [Language] 101 and never dive any deeper. And let me tell you, if you actually want to talk to someone in their own tongue, and you want to show them a proper respect in it, your scattering of 101 languages will fault you. It seems great to be able to catch a few words and a few choice sentences, but in the end, if that is all you are going to have to put on the table when talking to these differing peoples - it won't be enough.
Best thing for you to do, is to pick at MOST two languages, and find the one that you truly enjoy digging around in. There are so many other things you can learn on a basic level that would do more work for you.
For instance, if you take basic mechanics - or you grab onto some general computing courses - or perhaps you can take a business management course. These kinds of level 101 course electives can be a boost in the job-market, or - like with your MR2 training, would be right up your alley.
Being able to say that you took Microsoft [insert program here] - or Linux [insert OS here] in college could be a real boon depending on your over-all skills strategy.
Just ask Ambush Bug, who recently needed to return to school to grab some technical 'skills' he could put on his paperwork.
The idea in college is not simple personal exploration, although that is a part of it. What college can do for you is to set you up with a resume that can edge out some of your competition.
Plan well, and a company will see you are completely motivated and dedicated to its field of expertise. This would be a better plan for you in the long run, than to simply place on your application that you enjoy speaking foreign languages on a basic level.
A company would rather see you dedicate your language interests for some use in your career field. THEN your language would not only be a benefit to you in the workplace, it could land you a very rare and specific job where someone with your technical skills could pick up technical language terms and you could actually find yourself speaking your language and getting paid more money for it.
Again, it depends on your over-all skills strategy, but focus on your future and where you want to be and what you really truly want to do once you have left the blissful confines of the university.
That much grammar, mixed with that many differing sounds, could limit your ability to focus on a particular language enough where you would actually feel more natural with it.
What you don't want to do, is sound like a Texan speaking Spanish, or something similar. "Kay pah-sah, me ameegoh." Or like a Californian with the same idea. Sounding like an American when you speak a foreign language has rarely ever been widely accepted by the world, though people would 'put up with you'.
So, my recommendation is to find a language you REALLY want to sink your teeth into. Something where you will want to enjoy not only the language itself, but you like the culture enough where you can immerse yourself in it. Culture and Language is HUGE! Slang, imagery, and specifics within the definition of the words and even the way ye olde language became the modern variation.
This stuff you will be missing out on, if you simply go for [Language] 101 and never dive any deeper. And let me tell you, if you actually want to talk to someone in their own tongue, and you want to show them a proper respect in it, your scattering of 101 languages will fault you. It seems great to be able to catch a few words and a few choice sentences, but in the end, if that is all you are going to have to put on the table when talking to these differing peoples - it won't be enough.
Best thing for you to do, is to pick at MOST two languages, and find the one that you truly enjoy digging around in. There are so many other things you can learn on a basic level that would do more work for you.
For instance, if you take basic mechanics - or you grab onto some general computing courses - or perhaps you can take a business management course. These kinds of level 101 course electives can be a boost in the job-market, or - like with your MR2 training, would be right up your alley.
Being able to say that you took Microsoft [insert program here] - or Linux [insert OS here] in college could be a real boon depending on your over-all skills strategy.
Just ask Ambush Bug, who recently needed to return to school to grab some technical 'skills' he could put on his paperwork.
The idea in college is not simple personal exploration, although that is a part of it. What college can do for you is to set you up with a resume that can edge out some of your competition.
Plan well, and a company will see you are completely motivated and dedicated to its field of expertise. This would be a better plan for you in the long run, than to simply place on your application that you enjoy speaking foreign languages on a basic level.
A company would rather see you dedicate your language interests for some use in your career field. THEN your language would not only be a benefit to you in the workplace, it could land you a very rare and specific job where someone with your technical skills could pick up technical language terms and you could actually find yourself speaking your language and getting paid more money for it.
Again, it depends on your over-all skills strategy, but focus on your future and where you want to be and what you really truly want to do once you have left the blissful confines of the university.
"Your link to missing links."
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BlackRider
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many many good points there...
1st thing a bit of background; I am technically a sophomore. I already have Calc I-IV under my belt along with Phys I-III, Chem I&II, Mechanics I, Diff Eq, Spanish 101, Accounting, and a few Business Admin type classes.
2nd, the math does not bother me. I did well in calc and only did poorly in Diff Eq because I put maybe 10-12 hours of study in for the ENTIRE quarter. (I was stupid then... hopefully not so dumb now.)
Finally with the languages... It is more of a hobby and 3 101 level classes should not be difficult. What I was thinking, though, was to get a bit of exposure to each language and see which I want to pursue. The Latin cource is a refresher. I had 4 years of it in high school. The only reason I'm taking that is because I had so much difficulty with a Caesar's Commentaries class. I had forgotten too much to keep up with the class.
That is my biggest concern with taking multiple languages. I forget my language skills MUCH faster than I forget anything else. When I was studying Japanese before, I'd get distracted from my studies for almost a month and would have to start from square one when I finally had the chance to get back to it.
As far as alphabets, I learned my hiragana and katakana in under four hours. That was learning both how to draw them and how to sound them out. I really enjoyed it... but it took about 20 sheets of paper and really wore out my wrist.
My main problem is that I want a BS in mechanical engineering and I will not settle for anything less. I can see that my schedule this comming quarter will not help me in that regard in any meaningful way. Except, maybe, to prove that my mind can absorb diverse and sometimes contradictory information and still function properly. Also, I only need to carry 12 credit hours and I have enough padding to drop two classes.
It may be too late to modify my schedule for this quarter. I will keep business classes in mind for next quarter or if one opens up before class starts. But UC starts in a week and a half, so most classes are already filled up. So unless I get lucky, at this point I can only DROP classes, not add them.
Oh, and for the linguists... any tips for learning several completely different languages simultaneously?
and Gambit........ lunch is at FOUR, like its alwas been
1st thing a bit of background; I am technically a sophomore. I already have Calc I-IV under my belt along with Phys I-III, Chem I&II, Mechanics I, Diff Eq, Spanish 101, Accounting, and a few Business Admin type classes.
2nd, the math does not bother me. I did well in calc and only did poorly in Diff Eq because I put maybe 10-12 hours of study in for the ENTIRE quarter. (I was stupid then... hopefully not so dumb now.)
Finally with the languages... It is more of a hobby and 3 101 level classes should not be difficult. What I was thinking, though, was to get a bit of exposure to each language and see which I want to pursue. The Latin cource is a refresher. I had 4 years of it in high school. The only reason I'm taking that is because I had so much difficulty with a Caesar's Commentaries class. I had forgotten too much to keep up with the class.
That is my biggest concern with taking multiple languages. I forget my language skills MUCH faster than I forget anything else. When I was studying Japanese before, I'd get distracted from my studies for almost a month and would have to start from square one when I finally had the chance to get back to it.
As far as alphabets, I learned my hiragana and katakana in under four hours. That was learning both how to draw them and how to sound them out. I really enjoyed it... but it took about 20 sheets of paper and really wore out my wrist.
My main problem is that I want a BS in mechanical engineering and I will not settle for anything less. I can see that my schedule this comming quarter will not help me in that regard in any meaningful way. Except, maybe, to prove that my mind can absorb diverse and sometimes contradictory information and still function properly. Also, I only need to carry 12 credit hours and I have enough padding to drop two classes.
It may be too late to modify my schedule for this quarter. I will keep business classes in mind for next quarter or if one opens up before class starts. But UC starts in a week and a half, so most classes are already filled up. So unless I get lucky, at this point I can only DROP classes, not add them.
Oh, and for the linguists... any tips for learning several completely different languages simultaneously?
and Gambit........ lunch is at FOUR, like its alwas been
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XMEN Iceman
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The current business environment will pay you VERY well if you can utilize a language proficiency with your Engineering and Business degrees. I estimate a 25% higher pay than without a couple of languages. I recommend Chinese/Japanese, even Russian if you like it. All of those are pretty hot right now.
Generic Linguistic tips:
Root: Latin
These languages are pretty well known, and learning one of these languages can set you up for one of the others. Your Latin can be a boon here, and support one of these.
Portuguese
Spanish
Italian
French
German
Root: Chinese
Mandarin vs Cantonese
Mandarin is more of a government "northern" language, and Cantonese is more of a common folk "southern" language. Of the two, I find Mandarin can be tricky to pronounce, where as my Cantonese actually has a chance for something.
Japanese
You know enough about this one to do the job. Since China exported a lot of linguistics into Japan, I consider this languages to have roots in Chinese, even though technically it is also its own animal.
Those are the few languages I know something about. Basically, if you want to use your linguistics as a career skill, you will want something where you will be attractive. This would mean countries that have up and coming projects that would need your skills. Since what you are going to school for is very advanced in technical knowledge, my recommendation would be:
Spanish - Panama Canal Zone would be something to consider as a long term engineering project
French - A more obscure choice than the mainstream, and with our diplomatic ties to the country somewhat strained over the last few years, there is still no doubt that French loves being independent and enjoys its own brand of engineering
German - Germany is and always has been a forefront of engineering tech
Russian - Russia needs folks like you to help keep the country going
Chinese - China is an up and coming global powerhouse. With its recent economic infrastructure changes and high morale for the future, its a country that is looking to join the ranks of the top countries in the world
Japanese - Always a technical powerhouse.
Of all the language you can choose, these languages hold the most promise for your skillset.
Root: Latin
These languages are pretty well known, and learning one of these languages can set you up for one of the others. Your Latin can be a boon here, and support one of these.
Portuguese
Spanish
Italian
French
German
Root: Chinese
Mandarin vs Cantonese
Mandarin is more of a government "northern" language, and Cantonese is more of a common folk "southern" language. Of the two, I find Mandarin can be tricky to pronounce, where as my Cantonese actually has a chance for something.
Japanese
You know enough about this one to do the job. Since China exported a lot of linguistics into Japan, I consider this languages to have roots in Chinese, even though technically it is also its own animal.
Those are the few languages I know something about. Basically, if you want to use your linguistics as a career skill, you will want something where you will be attractive. This would mean countries that have up and coming projects that would need your skills. Since what you are going to school for is very advanced in technical knowledge, my recommendation would be:
Spanish - Panama Canal Zone would be something to consider as a long term engineering project
French - A more obscure choice than the mainstream, and with our diplomatic ties to the country somewhat strained over the last few years, there is still no doubt that French loves being independent and enjoys its own brand of engineering
German - Germany is and always has been a forefront of engineering tech
Russian - Russia needs folks like you to help keep the country going
Chinese - China is an up and coming global powerhouse. With its recent economic infrastructure changes and high morale for the future, its a country that is looking to join the ranks of the top countries in the world
Japanese - Always a technical powerhouse.
Of all the language you can choose, these languages hold the most promise for your skillset.
"Your link to missing links."
Contextual Linguistic Info:
Russian - Considered to be a very difficult language to learn. My own linguistic test scores were too low for me to attempt to study this language as a military operative.
Japanese - Also considered to be a very difficult language to learn, it is considered easier to pick up than Russian.
German - With a lot of English words originating from the Germanic language, and other linguistic ties - German would be considered an easy language to adopt.
Of your three choices, by far German would be the easiest one to study. It also has a lot of advantages to your over-all career choice. The U.S. has a strong interest in Germany, and Germany has a desire to remain on friendly terms with the United States. Most people consider Germany to be the new heart of the European Union [or whatever the new Europe calls itself], both due to its location and its people and other political factors.
If I was to pick a language that I would like to learn and that would support my aims best, I would choose German, and let that be my language focus. With your Latin background, and other linguistic interests, it would support you the easiest.
If you have trouble remembering words and phrases over time, it also will be the best choice. As many words and phrases and such used in English originate from the Germanic. This means that over a long period of time, you could still have a good chance of recalling the language.
Whatever you decide to do, I wish you all the best.
Russian - Considered to be a very difficult language to learn. My own linguistic test scores were too low for me to attempt to study this language as a military operative.
Japanese - Also considered to be a very difficult language to learn, it is considered easier to pick up than Russian.
German - With a lot of English words originating from the Germanic language, and other linguistic ties - German would be considered an easy language to adopt.
Of your three choices, by far German would be the easiest one to study. It also has a lot of advantages to your over-all career choice. The U.S. has a strong interest in Germany, and Germany has a desire to remain on friendly terms with the United States. Most people consider Germany to be the new heart of the European Union [or whatever the new Europe calls itself], both due to its location and its people and other political factors.
If I was to pick a language that I would like to learn and that would support my aims best, I would choose German, and let that be my language focus. With your Latin background, and other linguistic interests, it would support you the easiest.
If you have trouble remembering words and phrases over time, it also will be the best choice. As many words and phrases and such used in English originate from the Germanic. This means that over a long period of time, you could still have a good chance of recalling the language.
Whatever you decide to do, I wish you all the best.
"Your link to missing links."
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XMEN Ashaman DTM
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I am assuming when you say "UC" that you are not referring to the UC system in California, and are in fact referring to the University of Cincinnati.
Okay, for math for an ME degree this is where you should be prior to entering into the department:
systems of differential equations (First order systems of linear differential equations, Fourier series and partial differential equations, the phase plane and/or Laplace transforms.)
multivariable calculus 1 (Topics include the chain rule, Lagrange multipliers, double and triple integrals, vector fields, line and surface integrals. Culminates in the theorems of Green and Stokes, along with the Divergence Theorem.) mutlivariable calc 2 could be useful... (Elementary topology, general theorems on partial differentiation, maxima and minima, differentials, Lagrange multipliers, implicit function theorem, inverse function theorem and transformations, change of variables formula.)
partial differential equations (Integral curves and surfaces of vector fields, initial value problems for first-order linear and quasi-linear equations, Cauchy-Kovalevsky theorem, general Cauchy problem characteristics, special equations. Continuation of 438. Laplace's equation and general elliptic equations, wave equation and general hyperbolic equations, heat equation and general parabolic equations. Initial value problems and Dirichlet problems. Green's functions. Maximum principle.)
calculus of variations (Usually only can get this with a physics class in continuum mechanics. EXTREMELY helpful for any classes that have a basis in mechanics, like structures)
probability geared towards sci & eng (Concepts of probability and statistics. Conditional probability, independence, random variables, distribution functions. Descriptive statistics, transformations, sampling errors, confidence intervals, least squares and maximum likelihood. Exploratory data analysis and interactive computing.) This will REALLY help for your lab classes, if you have any.
real analysis (Limits and continuity of functions, sequences, series tests, absolute convergence, uniform convergence. Power series, improper integrals, uniform continuity, fundamental theorems on continuous functions, theory of the Riemann integral.)
complex analysis (Elementary functions of a complex variable; Cauchy integral formula. Taylor and Laurent series; conformal mapping. Fourier series; orthogonal functions; boundary value problems; applications.)
These are probably not hard requirements for your department. But you will not be prepared for the math that you have to do in some of your classes if you don't do this. Especially if you had problems with differential equations.
I guarantee that you will have problems with any fluids and second level thermodynamics classes if you don't do some of the above. Your controls classes will be difficult without some of those, but not impossible. And you definitely will be having a hard time if you do not do calculus of variations when you get to any classes on mechanics/energy transfer.
Once you get into the department, it will be a shock to your system. And when you do your design classes, you won't have any time for anything else. Fluid mechanics will likely be impossible to understand without knowledge of partial differential equations and multivariable calculus.
Now, the department that I went through is one of the harder ones at the school I went to (chemical engineering is harder, unless you talk to ChemEs: they say A&A is harder). The only reason that I did so well in some of my classes was that I took more math than necessary prior to getting into the department, and even during my engineering classes. The people that lacked a more extensive math background did absolutely horrible. We're talking about students that had 4.0 GPAs going in, and were getting 2.0s and below in their first quarter. You can't stay in the department with anything less than a 2.5, and you receive a LOT of counseling from the advisors if you fall below a 2.7. Half of the class dropped out of the department during the first year: we started with 63 students total, and after the first quarter were down to 50, by the end of the year, we had 35, and only 32 graduated).
You should likely re-take differential equations. PDEs are not like ODEs, and multivariable calc and systems of diffeqs is NOT like calc 1-4. Though I noticed (if it is the UC I named above) that they lump analysis into calc 4 I think. Real and complex analysis will both help because they go back to basics: set theory, limits, some background on why higher math works.
Basically, if you do just the minimum math requirements prior to getting into your department, you will be severely lacking. The reason why departments don't ask for more math is because they are limited in the number of credits they can require of students coming in. I know this because I was on a commitee that was going through the ABET accreditation process for the department I attended. ABET has to accredit a department every 5 or 6 years, if my memory serves correctly. I, being the student rep, said that I saw that other students were having a hard time because they lacked math skills needed. I didn't have such a hard time because I took so much math prior to getting in. I had enough credits for a math minor when I graduated, and the only reaosn I don't have one is because I forgot to get the paperwork in on time.
Even with my preparation, classes were still hard. But I didn't have problems understanding the concepts because I had the math. The hard part about the a&a classes that I took was understanding what is going on physically. I was getting 4.0s and 3.5s in the hardest classes the department had to offer because I was prepared. The other people that took extra math have similar stories.
I'm just saying that having gone through one of the tougher programs in the country for aeronautical & astronautical engineering (on par with MIT's department), that the easy way to succeed is to prepare yourself. Once you get into your classes, some might be easy, some might be hard, but the workload will be a shock so you might as well make it as easy as possible for yourself...
Okay, for math for an ME degree this is where you should be prior to entering into the department:
systems of differential equations (First order systems of linear differential equations, Fourier series and partial differential equations, the phase plane and/or Laplace transforms.)
multivariable calculus 1 (Topics include the chain rule, Lagrange multipliers, double and triple integrals, vector fields, line and surface integrals. Culminates in the theorems of Green and Stokes, along with the Divergence Theorem.) mutlivariable calc 2 could be useful... (Elementary topology, general theorems on partial differentiation, maxima and minima, differentials, Lagrange multipliers, implicit function theorem, inverse function theorem and transformations, change of variables formula.)
partial differential equations (Integral curves and surfaces of vector fields, initial value problems for first-order linear and quasi-linear equations, Cauchy-Kovalevsky theorem, general Cauchy problem characteristics, special equations. Continuation of 438. Laplace's equation and general elliptic equations, wave equation and general hyperbolic equations, heat equation and general parabolic equations. Initial value problems and Dirichlet problems. Green's functions. Maximum principle.)
calculus of variations (Usually only can get this with a physics class in continuum mechanics. EXTREMELY helpful for any classes that have a basis in mechanics, like structures)
probability geared towards sci & eng (Concepts of probability and statistics. Conditional probability, independence, random variables, distribution functions. Descriptive statistics, transformations, sampling errors, confidence intervals, least squares and maximum likelihood. Exploratory data analysis and interactive computing.) This will REALLY help for your lab classes, if you have any.
real analysis (Limits and continuity of functions, sequences, series tests, absolute convergence, uniform convergence. Power series, improper integrals, uniform continuity, fundamental theorems on continuous functions, theory of the Riemann integral.)
complex analysis (Elementary functions of a complex variable; Cauchy integral formula. Taylor and Laurent series; conformal mapping. Fourier series; orthogonal functions; boundary value problems; applications.)
These are probably not hard requirements for your department. But you will not be prepared for the math that you have to do in some of your classes if you don't do this. Especially if you had problems with differential equations.
I guarantee that you will have problems with any fluids and second level thermodynamics classes if you don't do some of the above. Your controls classes will be difficult without some of those, but not impossible. And you definitely will be having a hard time if you do not do calculus of variations when you get to any classes on mechanics/energy transfer.
Once you get into the department, it will be a shock to your system. And when you do your design classes, you won't have any time for anything else. Fluid mechanics will likely be impossible to understand without knowledge of partial differential equations and multivariable calculus.
Now, the department that I went through is one of the harder ones at the school I went to (chemical engineering is harder, unless you talk to ChemEs: they say A&A is harder). The only reason that I did so well in some of my classes was that I took more math than necessary prior to getting into the department, and even during my engineering classes. The people that lacked a more extensive math background did absolutely horrible. We're talking about students that had 4.0 GPAs going in, and were getting 2.0s and below in their first quarter. You can't stay in the department with anything less than a 2.5, and you receive a LOT of counseling from the advisors if you fall below a 2.7. Half of the class dropped out of the department during the first year: we started with 63 students total, and after the first quarter were down to 50, by the end of the year, we had 35, and only 32 graduated).
You should likely re-take differential equations. PDEs are not like ODEs, and multivariable calc and systems of diffeqs is NOT like calc 1-4. Though I noticed (if it is the UC I named above) that they lump analysis into calc 4 I think. Real and complex analysis will both help because they go back to basics: set theory, limits, some background on why higher math works.
Basically, if you do just the minimum math requirements prior to getting into your department, you will be severely lacking. The reason why departments don't ask for more math is because they are limited in the number of credits they can require of students coming in. I know this because I was on a commitee that was going through the ABET accreditation process for the department I attended. ABET has to accredit a department every 5 or 6 years, if my memory serves correctly. I, being the student rep, said that I saw that other students were having a hard time because they lacked math skills needed. I didn't have such a hard time because I took so much math prior to getting in. I had enough credits for a math minor when I graduated, and the only reaosn I don't have one is because I forgot to get the paperwork in on time.
Even with my preparation, classes were still hard. But I didn't have problems understanding the concepts because I had the math. The hard part about the a&a classes that I took was understanding what is going on physically. I was getting 4.0s and 3.5s in the hardest classes the department had to offer because I was prepared. The other people that took extra math have similar stories.
I'm just saying that having gone through one of the tougher programs in the country for aeronautical & astronautical engineering (on par with MIT's department), that the easy way to succeed is to prepare yourself. Once you get into your classes, some might be easy, some might be hard, but the workload will be a shock so you might as well make it as easy as possible for yourself...
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Ambush Bug
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Spinning Hat
- Inmate
- Posts: 2564
- Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2000 10:06 am
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Contact:
Yeah, and we've actually met in person! LOL
BR - I'd take everything said here very seriously, and I'd focus on preparing for where you really want to be, not a "fun" semester.. It's nice to be able to take some classes that are fun, and maybe easy to pad the GPA, but challenge yourself, not just try to see if you can take in conflicting information and still have your brain function properly. I've never been fully satisfied with my education dollars going to college credits where I "had" to take a class totally unrelated to my degree and it wasn't challenging. You will find that being challenged, and being forced to master the material to succeed will be MUCH more gratifying in the end than taking a "fun" semester. Getting a BA/BS in 5 years is hard enough to do going full time and still working a job. (And that's without taking any extracurriculars to improve your resume for after college) My advice here: Try to join a service oriented fraternity or the one associated with the college you're trying to get in to. Engineering? What's the greek for that? A degree without some kind of contribution to society through a service group of some kind will leave you lagging job-wise to someone who did stuff like that in college. And it's a great way to network for job leads after college.
In short - Drop a language or two, try to take some other classes that will advance your preparedness for you major. Make your education dollars count! College isn't getting any cheaper, and I don't know anyone where money is no object and can afford a "fun" semester. Don't waste your money.
BR - I'd take everything said here very seriously, and I'd focus on preparing for where you really want to be, not a "fun" semester.. It's nice to be able to take some classes that are fun, and maybe easy to pad the GPA, but challenge yourself, not just try to see if you can take in conflicting information and still have your brain function properly. I've never been fully satisfied with my education dollars going to college credits where I "had" to take a class totally unrelated to my degree and it wasn't challenging. You will find that being challenged, and being forced to master the material to succeed will be MUCH more gratifying in the end than taking a "fun" semester. Getting a BA/BS in 5 years is hard enough to do going full time and still working a job. (And that's without taking any extracurriculars to improve your resume for after college) My advice here: Try to join a service oriented fraternity or the one associated with the college you're trying to get in to. Engineering? What's the greek for that? A degree without some kind of contribution to society through a service group of some kind will leave you lagging job-wise to someone who did stuff like that in college. And it's a great way to network for job leads after college.
In short - Drop a language or two, try to take some other classes that will advance your preparedness for you major. Make your education dollars count! College isn't getting any cheaper, and I don't know anyone where money is no object and can afford a "fun" semester. Don't waste your money.
"Never, Never, Never quit." - Winston Churchill
"Men don't like to cuddle. They only cuddle if it leads to.. You know.. Lower cuddling." - Ray Romano
"Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck." - Ricky, age 10
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XMEN Ashaman DTM
- Inmate
- Posts: 2369
- Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2000 12:09 am
- Location: Silverdale, WA
Along with what SH is saying: as part of my degree requirements for my BS, I had to take some classes out of the liberal arts. At my school, it was english, history, economics, psychology, and so on. And you had to take two classes that were related; in other words, american history and american lit.
I ended up taking some hard classes out of that bunch that were actually really interesting. Ancient and Medieval Military Tactics was one of the best and most fun classes I've ever taken. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't hard, it was about right. I ended up with a 3.0 in the class, and I was happy with that. But it was definitely a fun class that still satisfied the requirements.
And take it from someone that has been paying off their student loans for a while now: get it done as fast as you can. I have more debt than the average college graduate because part of my graduate studies was funded with student loans. Otherwise, I would have had only 25,000 in student loans when I finished my BS. Tack on another 25,000 and that's where I am at after graduation. With my interest only payment plan for the first two years, it grew to a high of 65,000. Now that I'm making more money, I can afford the much higher payments of 600 a month. But not when I first got out of school.
I tell my brother the same stuff that I am telling you. He's going into civil engineering at WSU, and he didn't understand about the math or the student loans until just recently.
I ended up taking some hard classes out of that bunch that were actually really interesting. Ancient and Medieval Military Tactics was one of the best and most fun classes I've ever taken. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't hard, it was about right. I ended up with a 3.0 in the class, and I was happy with that. But it was definitely a fun class that still satisfied the requirements.
And take it from someone that has been paying off their student loans for a while now: get it done as fast as you can. I have more debt than the average college graduate because part of my graduate studies was funded with student loans. Otherwise, I would have had only 25,000 in student loans when I finished my BS. Tack on another 25,000 and that's where I am at after graduation. With my interest only payment plan for the first two years, it grew to a high of 65,000. Now that I'm making more money, I can afford the much higher payments of 600 a month. But not when I first got out of school.
I tell my brother the same stuff that I am telling you. He's going into civil engineering at WSU, and he didn't understand about the math or the student loans until just recently.