Those of you taking Chemistry in college, how much do you study?

[raiden031]

Originally Posted by sureshs

But usually the higher level courses start after you are done with the general intro ones in the earlier semesters?

Well not really...my major required like 90 computer science/engineering credits (out of 120 to graduate). There were alot of layers of prerequisites so I was hitting the 100 and 200 level computer science/engineering courses from my first semester on. I was still working on the Core science/social science/math/language requirements pretty much through my junior year.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by raiden031

Well not really...my major required like 90 computer science/engineering credits (out of 120 to graduate). There were alot of layers of prerequisites so I was hitting the 100 and 200 level computer science/engineering courses from my first semester on. I was still working on the Core science/social science/math/language requirements pretty much through my junior year.

I see. I can understand the 100 level in the freshman year but not the 200.

[raiden031]

Originally Posted by sureshs

I see. I can understand the 100 level in the freshman year but not the 200.

I took Computer Science 201 my first semester, and Computer Science 202 my 2nd semester. This was because I had prior computer experience so I could bypass like 1 or 2 100 level courses. Some of the required engineering courses don't even start until 200s, like I had to take Electrical Engineering 206 as my first circuits course.

I started Physics at the 200 level as well.

Chemistry was an elective to fulfill my required science requirements, so I took Chem 101 either my sophomore or Junior year.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by raiden031

I took Computer Science 201 my first semester, and Computer Science 202 my 2nd semester. This was because I had prior computer experience so I could bypass like 1 or 2 100 level courses. Some of the required engineering courses don't even start until 200s, like I had to take Electrical Engineering 206 as my first circuits course.

I started Physics at the 200 level as well.

Chemistry was an elective to fulfill my required science requirements, so I took Chem 101 either my sophomore or Junior year.

I see. These days many students come into college with programming experience. There is even an AP Computer Science now!

[raiden031]

Originally Posted by sureshs

I see. These days many students come into college with programming experience. There is even an AP Computer Science now!

I took the AP Comp Sci exam back in HS in 1998, but I failed so I didn't actually get credit for it. Its not my fault though, the class was not taught properly to us because the teacher didn't know how to write code!

Surprisingly alot of the CompSci majors when I started had no computer experience, and at least 50% of them dropped out of the major by the 2nd programming course. In my later years I worked at a tutoring center for C and C++ programming projects for these classes, and you wouldn't believe some of the people who came in asking for help. They would literally get the tutoring team to collectively do their entire projects when all is said and done. It worked for the first couple projects, but as the projects get harder, they would end up dropping the course (and changing their major).

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by raiden031

I took the AP Comp Sci exam back in HS in 1998, but I failed so I didn't actually get credit for it. Its not my fault though, the class was not taught properly to us because the teacher didn't know how to write code!

Surprisingly alot of the CompSci majors when I started had no computer experience, and at least 50% of them dropped out of the major by the 2nd programming course. In my later years I worked at a tutoring center for C and C++ programming projects for these classes, and you wouldn't believe some of the people who came in asking for help. They would literally get the tutoring team to collectively do their entire projects when all is said and done. It worked for the first couple projects, but as the projects get harder, they would end up dropping the course (and changing their major).

I tutored 8 semesters of CS juniors back in the day and in those days very few had any knowledge of computers outside the classroom.

I just took a look at the APCS syllabus, and boy do they have a lot of stuff covered. They could easily skip the freshman year intro courses.

[ogruskie]

Thanks a lot for the advice guys. Very insightful info.