The College Thread

[Hikyuu]

Ok, so tomorrow I set off to University of Maryland College Park.. As a freshman .. Everyone hates being a freshman at least Ill be in college now.. No more parental figures bossing me around (only over the phone).. Anywhoo .. Who else is shipping off and leaving their homes? Just think of all the good times (drinking) and the bad times (drinking) you have ahead of you..
Back to Topic
So where are you gonna go? I told you.. now you post?
Intended major? Mine is Japanese.. yeah go figure

If you are already in college like a plurality of you are..then TOo bad this topic is not for you ..j/k you can drop by and mention where you go and what horrible hazing rituals us n00bs have in store..

[Xollence]

I'm at my last year at Seton Hall as a history major. Oh University of Maryland? My friend just graduated from there, you'll like it.

[NM]

I'm also heading off to college this year. I'll be going to Rowan University as a pre-med/biochemistry major (as Mut said, "just like an Injun", lol). I'm looking forward to it, can't wait to get out on my own.

[XanBcoo]

I'll be going to the University of Texas in Austin. Starting the 31st.

I was there over the summer, so I've already got the feel for it. Being on my own is really cool, but I did start to miss home.

Major: Liberal Arts, Undeclared <--the most ambiguous and open ended (if not potentially useless) major

[GuardianShado]

it would be nice if you guys could give some advice to the high school seniors here (like myself) on how to fill out our college apps, personal statement, interviews, etc. well maybe not interviews. that's something we hav to pull out of our asses on our own i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif. but yeah, just thought it would be cool to get some advice from my seniors. right now, i'm looking at a writing major. what type of writing i can't really say yet as i haven't really focused my strengths very much. so, any schools in mind anyone? i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif

[Munsu]

I'm lazy, so all applications I filled where for the common application... hence I only filled one... And I didn't do an interview, seemed like a waste of time for me... But I do recommend doing one if you can...

Just make sure you make your essays original and well written... I think they like that kind of shit...

[Rek]

Originally posted by: GuardianShado
it would be nice if you guys could give some advice to the high school seniors here (like myself) on how to fill out our college apps, personal statement, interviews, etc. well maybe not interviews. that's something we hav to pull out of our asses on our own . but yeah, just thought it would be cool to get some advice from my seniors. right now, i'm looking at a writing major. what type of writing i can't really say yet as i haven't really focused my strengths very much. so, any schools in mind anyone?



I'm starting college this year and I never applied to any colleges, or any scholorships... I was planning on going to the military until july...

then I enrolled at the nearby college and had a 75% scholorship... and qualified for pell grant....

but apparently that really uncommon (not the pell grant) so I wouldn't bank on it. But its happened before.

[The Heretic Azazel]

I'm starting my second year at Arkansas State University, I'll be a senior this time, my major is English.

[Deblas]

I'm in my senior year so I'll be going to the university next year. I'll go to the UPR (Universidad the Puerto Rico) in Rio Piedras. And then I'm planning to get a transfer in my second or third year.

[Paulyboy]

Originally posted by: xanbcoo
I'll be going to the University of Texas in Austin. Starting the 31st.

I was there over the summer, so I've already got the feel for it. Being on my own is really cool, but I did start to miss home.

Major: Liberal Arts, Undeclared <--the most ambiguous and open ended (if not potentially useless) major

Dude UTA all the way, im a junior in high school, Eastern Hills, its cool you live in Texas. Ill be going to A&M, what high school did you attend to?

[GuardianShado]

@konoha rek:

how did you get a 75% scholarship?? O__=... my guess would be it had something to do with your previous idea of joining the military. but anyway, i heard about the pell grant and did a little research on it (more like glazed my eyes along the words), as well as FAFSA. i don't really know how to get a pell grant. what made you qualified to get one?

[XanBcoo]

Originally posted by: Paulyboy
Dude UTA all the way, im a junior in high school, Eastern Hills, its cool you live in Texas. Ill be going to A&M, what high school did you attend to?

I went to St. Thomas High School in Houston.
I've got a few good friends going to A&M. Good luck

[The Heretic Azazel]

Originally posted by: GuardianShado
@konoha rek:

how did you get a 75% scholarship?? O__=... my guess would be it had something to do with your previous idea of joining the military. but anyway, i heard about the pell grant and did a little research on it (more like glazed my eyes along the words), as well as FAFSA. i don't really know how to get a pell grant. what made you qualified to get one?


Anyone who applies who doesn't make an outtrageous amount of money will be accepted for the Pell grant, the FAFSA is the form to get it. The grant is $2,025 every semester and it's free money. I check the loan box to get an extra 2,500 a semester which I do have to pay back 6 months after I'm out of school.

Which I've been in FOR FUCKING EVER UGH.

[Xollence]

Hehe I should've gone for a scholarship. My tuition just rose again to 32k a year. What a waste of money.

[ChaosK]

columbia university this year.
i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif

[2:25]

Originally posted by: GuardianShado
it would be nice if you guys could give some advice to the high school seniors here (like myself) on how to fill out our college apps, personal statement, interviews, etc. well maybe not interviews. that's something we hav to pull out of our asses on our own . but yeah, just thought it would be cool to get some advice from my seniors. right now, i'm looking at a writing major. what type of writing i can't really say yet as i haven't really focused my strengths very much. so, any schools in mind anyone?

Just go to the counsellors and they'll give you every single form you need. As for going into writing, there are a lot of different programs (e.g.: journalism, creative writing) in which you'll have to fill out a seperate application form for, accompanied by an interview and a portfolio. But you actually declare your major in second/ third year. Or at least, that's what it's like where I'm from....

[Cal_kashi]

I'm starting my fifth year of EECS at Berkeley Monday, All i can tell you all is that you have a great deal of drinking ahead of you. ALOT

[ChiaCheese]

i just graduated from cal state fullerton last year with a BFA in entertainment art. college was a blast, all of you about to start are going to have a great time. my only suggestian for those about to graduate from high school is to start at a junior college. you'll save a ton of money while getting rid of those bullshit gen. ed. classes they make you take the first 2 years. then transfer to the college of your choice and concentrate on your major classes while you're spending the big bucks.

[JessiA]

I'm taking the primary courses for an Accounting major at a local community college, then transferring to University of Central Florida when I'm finished with those courses to take the upper division courses.

[Wilik]

I currently go to University of Texas at San Antonio, this is my second year and it is a blast, I love the CS program here, its pretty easy. I dont drink that much but I guess thats because im 24 and I can just go buy my own beer and shit so there is no need to goto house parties. My only words of caution are this: if you goto alot of parties be carefull otherwise you might end up with a MIP or something which you dont want. If the party gets to wild you may want to leave before the cops come break it up i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif

[Hikyuu]

Hmm well Im in college now..and my roommate doesnt mind my JROCK so Im cool... if you need help with college applications .. this is not the place to put it. I dont mean to seem cruel ( only a bit ;/) but that is a bit off topic.. Anywhoo..yay college i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif

[XanBcoo]

Originally posted by: Wilik
I currently go to University of Texas at San Antonio, this is my second year and it is a blast, I love the CS program here, its pretty easy. I dont drink that much but I guess thats because im 24 and I can just go buy my own beer and shit so there is no need to goto house parties. My only words of caution are this: if you goto alot of parties be carefull otherwise you might end up with a MIP or something which you dont want. If the party gets to wild you may want to leave before the cops come break it up

I've got about 15 friends from high school going to UTSA (most of them because they couldn't get into UTA and are doing that program where you can transfer after a year or whatever). Sounds cool - though I'm not much of a partier anyway.

[complich8]

I'm in somewhere in the vicinity of my 7th year at Purdue University. I started in Mechanical Engineering, made a brief foray at Electrical Engineering before realizing that I hate Laplace and all things involved with it, and Fourier is pretty close to Laplace, so equally hated. Then I changed to CS, added Psychology for a double major, and tossed in a Philosophy minor for kicks. Then I switched to a part-time student, because I'm working to pay for myself, and couldn't carry a full time job and a full time CS courseload.

Yep. It's been a long road. And it's still stretched out before me a bit.

Back to the question on the first page: The two biggest concerns I'd say for writing college application essays is this: Be interesting. High schoolers all write exactly the same damned essays, all full of boring minutae and self-aggrandizement, dull answers to dull questions. The way to make yourself stand out above the crowd in that field is to write an essay that's actually interesting to read. Something that, if you handed it to a stranger on the street, they might actually read to the end. But most schools (almost all publicly owned universities) are more concerned with your GPA, test scores, and how deep your high school education was than the entry essays.

And yeah ... alcohol loses the magical attraction a bit, after you realize that it's no big deal to just head out and pick up a fifth of something.

[Munsu]

Here's another alternative for your bright future:

http://travel.discovery.com/ne...cml_news_toiletcollege (http://travel.discovery.com/news/afp/20050829/toilet.html?source=msn_cml_news_toiletcollege)

[ChaosK]

it was 2nd on my application list i/expressions/rolleye.gif

[The Heretic Azazel]

Man, I really fucked up taking an ENTIRE class about John Milton.

[Terracosmo]

I'm going to the university at thursday, but I'll not leave home as it's located in the city next to my little village. I'll be educating myself towards the honorable career of a teacher...

*pause here so everybody can laugh for a while*

Yeah I know it's funny.

Kid: Who's that guy on your shirt?
Me: ...you don't know?
Kid: No.... his haircut is kinda gay and-
Me: IF YOU CALL YZAK GAY AGAIN I SWEAR TO MY HAIR THAT I WILL RAPE YOUR FAMILY AND SAW YOU OPEN WITH A PAIR OF RAZORBLADED MITTENS THAT I FOUND IN THE SAME SWIMMING POOL WHERE I DROWNED YOUR DOG
Kid: ........................

Anyway, I figure "why not". Since I just graduated I'm just gonna try some random education, so chances are I'll quit this uni after a semester or two. Or whenever I find a job or something.

And yes, I'm going to die young and broke.

[Kagemane_no_Jutsu]

Poor terra, do what you love is what I believe. Luckily my parents agree because I'll be going to a graphics college and my brother is going to a wrestling school XD

[XanBcoo]

that would be so awesome if Terra was my teacher. Go for it! Teach a modern film class and show anime all the time.

[masamuneehs]

I'm going into my Junior year at Cornell University. I'm a member of the Kappa Sigma chapter up there. It snows and rains alot here, but that makes us drink all the more harder. Our women are considerably heftier than most other college girls because the bitter (and long, about 5 solid freezing months) winters affront the will to exercise and stokes the coals of food intake, plus when everyone's wearing parkas, who can tell who is hot?

Next semester, if all goes well, I'll be studying in Italy, hopefully at the University of Bologna.



Originally posted by: The Heretic Azazel
Man, I really fucked up taking an ENTIRE class about John Milton.

I happen to love Milton...

I'm a Government and Italian studies major, but I English and literature are dear to my heart. But writing, along with film, are things I am not very adept at, despite being things I love to death.

@Terracosmo: They'll let YOU become a teacher? I thought Sweden had good schools...

[Terracosmo]

Silence, bitch!

Also, you were wrong. i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif

[Assertn]

TERRA SWEARED TO HIS HAIR!!!

[Terracosmo]

That's the queue

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/AssertnFailure/Ankoku-Raikouken.jpg

[soldier]

After I finish my Master's in Physics from SUNY Buffalo, I'm going to get a Bachelor's in Robotics Engineering from RPI and go on to study Nanotechnology at SUNY Albany.

When I'm equipped with all that knowledge, I'm going to build an army of aerodynamically designed nanomolecular robots that live inside my body. Among other things, these robots will serve medicinal purposes such as killing any diseases or malevolent cells in my body, including the stabilization of any poisons I may consume when I fuck up Sasori.

Then I'm going to go Aburame Shino on the rest of Akatsuki.

[masamuneehs]

soldier, seek mental help, thats an order!

[GuardianShado]

i think soldier means he's gonna join the army in the intelligence department or something =P

anyway, anyone know a good search engine for colleges? i'm gettin a little anxious about what i should do in the future considering i'm basically failing high school and the majors i'm looking at aren't what you'd really call profitable, or specific =\ (writing). i can get the other forms from the counselors as was suggested earlier. i just want to know what to use to look for a good college for my major.

[2:25]

An old high school acquaintance of mine took a 2-year Journalism program at a college and now she writes for a newspaper full time.
You never know what is profitable or not. Maybe you have a knack for it. i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif

[soldier]

Who says writing isn't profitable? Stephen King and J.K. Rowling say otherwise.

There's a lot of profitable career paths for a writer. With a journalism degree from NYU, Columbia, ASU, or especially the University of Maryland (UMD is highly renowned in the fields of Law and Journalism), you could get investment money and other means of funding to start up your own magazine and be on your way to your very own media empire. You could intern at NBC for their news division or late night comedy shows such as Conan O'Brien's. You could write for the Associated Press and get to do fun shit like visit Baghdad. You get paid as good as the President for the really groundbreaking stories, like how you finally found the WMDs and how they're linked to a worldwide conspiracy to install the Antichrist in Israel.

I mean, really, use your imagination as a writer and you could be a regular Hunter S. Thompson, especially with the help of bountiful amounts of the ganja that you'll find in college. Maybe write your own movie scripts, comic strips, erotic literature on the days you're lonely, love poems on the days you're not, etc. If writing is what you're interested in, you've been lied to if you think it's not profitable. Publications actively recruit Journalism graduates and you build up some enviable credibility in the process.

I could be a writer, but I'd rather build nanorobots and go Aburame Shino meets The Punisher.

Edit: It looks like 2:25 beat me to the punch. But I also forgot to address your request for a college search engine. My obvious choice was to check out CollegeBoard.com, and I found their college search page (http://apps.collegeboard.com/search/index.jsp). It lets you search by major, cost and financial aid, or in your case by admission because if your grades sucked like mine, then you'll want to find one that accepts slackers, which usually means public, state-sponsored universities. Also, I may have made it sound like a journalism degree is the holy grail of writers. In all actuality, you could do as well with an English major, but that shit is boring because they make you read faggoty Shakespeare bullshit.

[Munsu]

Damnit... going back to college in 3 hours

[To Young]

Ahhh the undergraduate college days. I miss them. Now I have to show up 6 in the morning at the hospital, Talk to fat diabetic patients, give them rectal exams, and get pimped by the attending physician. And here is the best part, I have to pay to do that. all in the name of education.

Enjoy the undergrad while it lasts.

[Assertn]

haha, terra remembered i/expressions/heart.gif

man.....you guys have no idea how nice it is to never have to worry about school ever again. The campus life experience rocks, but the classes can be horrid.

Worst experience ever: Photojournalism. I had to go out every week and hunt down random people I don't know (that also don't go to college or look the age of a college student) and ask to take pictures of them. Like....30+ pics. Needless to say, my weekends were the most stressful days of the week because of that shit.

[Deblas]

I'm really lost in what the hell I'm going to study once I get to college. I'm a big nature guy but also I've been taking an interest in technology. Is there anything that deals with both aspects?

[Phoenix20578]

Theres always architecture, building that go with nature beauty, or you could do agricultural technology.

Me i'm a business major, because i like to boss people around i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif

[Deblas]

Whoa. Architecture?i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif That's a lot of geometry isn't it? And geometry is math. Nooooo way. Me and math really don't get along too well.

[ChaosK]

medical major, sure i'd like to help people i/expressions/rolleye.gif

[KitKat]

Well, I'm going into my last year of university, and I can't wait to be done. I'm majoring in Engineering Physics and minoring in Linguistics. My advice for the highschoolers is: don't go into engineering unless you're prepared to give up your life for 4-5 years. It's a LOT of work, and failing out is a huge waste of money. Although, engineers tend to make up for the reduced frequency of partying by increasing the intensity of partying.

One of the things we do to our frosh in the engineering faculty is we make them take a math test in frosh week, before classes start. The frosh are told that this test will be used to place them in tutorials for the year. However, all the questions on this test are fourth year calculus and physics questions that none of the frosh have a hope of being able to solve. We let them sweat it out for a while, and we also plant upper years in the testing rooms to pose as frosh who either really annoy the crap out of frosh sitting beside them or get some poor frosh to be accused of cheating. The accused is then given a lecture about academic dishonesty by the prof in the room and hauled out. Of course this is all a joke, but sometimes people start crying and we have to reassure them when the get out of the class that it's not serious. After a certain period of time, a huge group of upper year engineers rushes the classrooms and rips up the tests.

@Deblas: If you want something to do with technology, you're going to have a hard time avoiding math. The two usually go hand-in-hand. Maybe try international development. I work with an organization called Engineers Without Borders and we do a lot of work in developing communities that's technology centred, but the technology used is simple enough that a technical background is not a prerequisite for using it. In fact, we have quite a few people with arts backgrounds in the organization. Frequently the projects we work on have an environmental focus i.e. water filtration and sanitation. It's too bad you don't get along with math because Environmental Engineering (sometimes this is a stream of Civil) combines both nature and technology.

[Cal_kashi]

Im gonna chime in here and pretty much agree with what's been said already about engineering. ITS AN OBSCENE amount of work. Especially project classes. To quote one of my TA's " When you take cs152 its gonna be like having to bend down and get an unlubed keyboard shoved up your ass every day, 7 days a week, for 8 hours. Thats right a keyboard up the ass for 8 hours, because thats how long ur gonna spend on the project all semester everyday. Also, if you dare to use the xilinx built in divide operator on our FPGA's, John will beat you and xilinx will run over your dog."

[masamuneehs]

Any other political science people out here? Just throwing it out.

Oh, and I recently heard from a friend of mine who was at Tulane when the hurricane hit. He finally got evacuated and is no taking classes for the entire semester at another school. now THAT sounds like a sucky college expirience.

[Ryllharu]

My university is picking up any students that went to colleges down there if they used to live locally. No tuition for them and they can sign up for classes at any of the campuses.

Yeah Engineering is really hard and a lot of work (I'm entrenched in the cirruculum now) but it's a whole lot more rewarding than having a degree in business.

Here's to hoping I graduate...

[Paulyboy]

College night for me is like on the 12th and 13th of school. What about you guys?

[Phoenix20578]

My college night is being kept secret until that day. WTF!?

I just finished my first week of class. It was ....... interesting. My english teacher is an insane feminist. She got up randomly and threw a shoe out the window at some guy playing music.

[Tofu #2]

Originally posted by: Phoenix20578
She got up randomly and threw a shoe out the window at some guy playing music.

QFT

[XanBcoo]

What's college night?

oh, and also, does anyone else here have a facebook account?

[Eurasian]

college night? isn't that something in high school? like people from different colleges will come and explain the different types of colleges to you (like public or private).

haha facebook. don't get addicted.

move-in day is next saturday!! i'm so excited!!

[badass]

Facebook is pointless to me. It's better to meet new people at your college by actually going out and being social. As far as keeping in touch goes, if you didn't have a way to communicate before Facebook (email address, phone number, AIM, MSN, etc.), you probably weren't friends anyway.

[masamuneehs]

Facebook is like Starbucks is like LiveStrong bracelets is like Tiffany bags is like popped collars is like the pet rock is like Kira Yamato in GSD

They are all acts or institutions of "pop" conformity which lack individuality, dominate social settings and are often used as gauges of how "cool" people are (except for Kira, he's just a hopelessly self-righteous model-kit-selling whore)

And I hate them all

[XanBcoo]

The only cool thing about facebook is the search function. You can find anybody w/an account, which is really cool when it comes to looking up old classmates. That's really what I've been using it for.

[Freki]

Haha reading this thread has made me even happier about dropping mechanical engineering as my major. I never would have made it through 4 years, hell I was sick of all the work halfay through the first project in my intro to engineering course.

[SK]

I'm a senior in high school and thinking of becoming a lawyer so I have something to do. I'm going to either University of Massachusetts or Worcester State College here in Mass, and I'm going to major in history or philosophy.

~1~

[Cal_kashi]

I was admitted into Berkeley's EECS program and spent 2 whole years trying to transfer to Mechanical engineering but my GPA was too low =(

[Assertn]

Originally posted by: SK
I'm a senior in high school and thinking of becoming a lawyer so I have something to do. I'm going to either University of Massachusetts or Worcester State College here in Mass, and I'm going to major in history or philosophy.

~1~

SK, you're gonna be the type of lawyer that ALWAYS factors in the race card

[masamuneehs]

Assertn, any lawyer who DOESN'T pull the race card is a crappy lawyer. It is obviously one of the great remaining sociological divides that can exploited to cast various lights on people based on something that almost always has little to nothing to do with the crime.

[Assertn]

thats why people hate lawyers

[ChaosK]

haha i second that opinion.

[SK]

Originally posted by: AssertnFailure


Originally posted by: SK
I'm a senior in high school and thinking of becoming a lawyer so I have something to do. I'm going to either University of Massachusetts or Worcester State College here in Mass, and I'm going to major in history or philosophy.

~1~

SK, you're gonna be the type of lawyer that ALWAYS factors in the race card

Ofcourse I will.

~1~

[Phoenix20578]

Well people, finals are upon us. They are really pissing me off. I just took two, and I still have 3 this week....

[XanBcoo]

I've only got 2 left, Philosophy and Government. I'm ditching my last one (chemistry) 'cause I can escape the class with a B if I don't take it.

Good luck everyone else.

[Xollence]

I still have 6 left. 3 tomorrow on New Nation, Biology, and Economic History, then World History and Wilson-FDR on wednesday, and then Germany on thursday.

[Phoenix20578]

I finished my Intro to Business exam and my Comp. Sci. exam. I still have English, Business/Internet Politics,
and PreCalc. The thing that sucks is I need to take PreCalc for Business next semester i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif

[masamuneehs]

Today, yesterday and tomorrow are the three worst days I've ever encounterd in college thus far.... mostly due to my own damn procrastinations...

Yesterday: Take home prelim due at 6PM (12 pages long, single spaced, regarding US Social Policy)

Today: 9AM: Philosophy Final: Knowledge and Reality. Epistemology, Plato, Bertrand Russell, Liar Paradoxes, Ayer, Inductive reasoning, Grue, A priori knowledge, existence of external things, among other subjects making an appearance on that final

Today: 6PM (but just handed in i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif ) Social Policy project. Projecting the effect on equity that the proposed change to Social Security might have (for, well, not much discussion of, but good information for anyone who actually cares, see http://forums.gotwoot.net/mess...amp;keyword1=security) (http://forums.gotwoot.net/messageview.cfm?catid=11&threadid=16733&highlight_ key=y&keyword1=security))

Tomorrow: 6PM 2 things.
First is a 8 page short story written entirely in Italian. Si parlo la lingua, ma non sono bravo.
Second is a 12 page paper about the effects of food on Italian culture. I haven't started this one at all yet...

Tuesday night and wednesday: BOOZE FINAL!

[Xollence]

Hehe I feel your pain. I've been doing nothing but papers for all my classes. I probably wrote 100 pages this semester on over 20 books.

[The Heretic Azazel]

I had an easy ass test in contemporarypoetry and my only final left is Fiction on wednesday, whoo

[XanBcoo]

Wow, I guess I've had it pretty easy as far as writing goes. 2 8-page papers (one over existentialism and the other over Japanese art) and 3 2-page papers (all for Philosophy 301). Not a lot compared to some other people...

Edit: @masamuneehs: I just went over the earlier posts in this topic, I have a cousin who studied in Bologna. Are you still planning to go there next year?

[ChaosK]

i've got 4.

[complich8]

mmm ... finals, eh?

I've only got one final, but it's in a class called compilers. In this class, we had to write a compiler. The process of writing a compiler was 40% of the grade. The final is another 30%, with the midterm being 20%, and a single homework being 10%. Looks like I can pull a C, with a B on the final... so lots of studying, the whole second half of the week.

But more importantly, I've got a paper that's due wednesday in my other class. And that's not gonna be pretty, 'cause I've barely even started constructing an outline of it, and it's not going to be an easy topic to turn into a decent paper.

[KitKat]

Hah, suckers!

After four years of the most brutal exams ever (usually 5-7 exams per semester) I finally have the most awesomely wonderful exam schedule (yay thesis courses)! I had one last week, and my only other exam is today. It's linguistic morphology, only worth 30%, and the only reason I'm still studying is to try for an A+ in the course. After today, I'm freeeeee for the holidays!

[Phoenix20578]

Originally posted by: KitKat
Hah, suckers!

After four years of the most brutal exams ever (usually 5-7 exams per semester) I finally have the most awesomely wonderful exam schedule (yay thesis courses)! I had one last week, and my only other exam is today. It's linguistic morphology, only worth 30%, and the only reason I'm still studying is to try for an A+ in the course. After today, I'm freeeeee for the holidays!

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/3062/sadsmiley2sa.jpg

[Terracosmo]

I'm dropping my current course after this semester. Unfortunately I have to finish an exam first to reel in my "points of merit" i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif
After that I'm gonna work for a year. Bad pay, but hey, I'm so fucking tired of books.

[Cal_kashi]

ooh compilers, damn.
Databases and Graphics myself.

[Xollence]

Finally done with all my finals, I'm on break til January 7th! i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif

[NM]

1 more final for me which is Biology on Monday. Then freedommmmmmmmmmmm! i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif

[Assassin]

screw you all!

I have a 2 physics finals to go. Saturday i have Statics, then monday i have Mechanics. Then i get a 13 day break (not even 2 full fucking weeks....). After that, im back with anotehr 5 physics courses.....fucking engineering

[XanBcoo]

God...Studying for Philosophy is doing my head in. Thankfully it's my last final.

Good semester I'd say.

[Ero-Fan]

Oh, man, reading all this made my day. Am I soooooo glad I have co-op until March. No finals and getting paid to read and post on this forum pretty much all day is fun as hell. Although, not looking forward to going back to school in April.
Used to be a mech eng major, loved the math, hated the theoretical, unpractical bullshit, so I changed to IST.
Back to Drexel on April 3rd, yippe.....bah!

[Xollence]

Does anybody here use facebook?

[Phoenix20578]

I'm gonna start soon. Couple friends told me about it.

[XanBcoo]

Originally posted by: Xollence
Does anybody here use facebook?

Yeah, I do. I don't use it often though, it's just a crappy version of a blog w/out the essential blog-ness. PM me if you wanna add me.

[Xollence]

Well it's not really a blog since you need to go to college in order to get an account. It's to connect college people together and to find old highschool friends.

[XanBcoo]

And yet you still didn't add me i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif

[bagandscalpel]

For you conspiracy nuts out there, be sure to read the Facebook's privacy report in its entirety; that'll be sure to keep you up night upon night. Kukukuku...

I, myself, REFUSE to sign onto Facebook for it IS TEH DEVIL!!!111one111!!!

Ahh, finals... They have this uncanny knack of sneaking up on you. In fact, it feels like I was only unpacking my dorm things only yesterday...

[Cal_kashi]

had Grapjics (cs) and Crime control and deviance (soc) today, 6 hrs of finals is heinous
finally done w/ databases on tuesday.

[2:25]

I'm done!!!! I so deserve a shopping spree.

[Hikyuu]

wow.. wtf.. didnt I start this topic before I went to college >>.. and it hadnt died till this month .. oh well i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif... heheh .. I use Face book.. I should be the Only Yale at University of Maryland College park

[Yukimura]

What do people even use facebook for, it seems useless to me. Now I am completely socially impotent but still, what is the point of facebook, so you can see where people from your high school went to college, who cares.

And why are finals so god damn difficult, as has been said an infinite number of times before, if you think you can accurately judge someones knowledge of a subject that took 4 months to teach them in 3 hours you are an idiot. Does one night of playing DotA and talking to my friend instead of studying mean i'm bad at statistics? I think it means i'm bad at time management and have a DotA problem...

[Phoenix20578]

Well, I just started to use facebook and its a great concept. It helps me stay in touch with all my old friends all over the country. I just created mine. Send me a PM if anyone wants to add me to thier freinds.

Only a week and a half untill spring semester....woo hoo.... i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif

[Xollence]

Classes start 10 AM tomorrow for me. i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif Taking 19 credits but it's going to be my last semester.

[KitKat]

*High Five*

My last semester too. I'm going to be so glad to graduate. School is fun, but I'm ready to be done and start paying off my overwhelming student loans.

[Xollence]

Hehe yeah I know what you mean. What's your major btw?

[KitKat]

Engineering Physics and Society. If you're wondering about the society part, it's this add-on that you can have with any type of engineering at my university, and it extends your undergrad to 5 years, but you get to take other fun courses that break up the really tough technical ones (and also allows me to minor in Linguistics, which I love).

[complich8]

whee!

It's a new semester, and I've found a new vigor for the subject matter. It's surprising, I think I'm just riding a "high" wave from getting an unexpectedly good grade in compilers.

This semester: a class on database engines, and history of early modern philosophy! Oh, and working somewhere like 40ish hours a week at my job all semester, because my university's collections office lied to me. Whee! (And they wonder why I've been so negligent of the forums lately i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif)

[Knives122]

College is sooo boring, classes are going to be the easiest things ever to do.

[Hikyuu]

In japan.. wintermester still for another two days.. three.. ;.; I dun wanna go back!!! ><

[XanBcoo]

Spanish, Child Psych., Astronomy, and Linguistics.

I've got some pretty cool classes this semester.

[Xollence]

I took 8 years of Spanish and I still haven't found it useful except when ordering food and listening in on employees complain.

[XanBcoo]

Originally posted by: Xollence
I took 8 years of Spanish and I still haven't found it useful except when ordering food and listening in on employees complain.

That's pretty much what I'm learning it for (seriously, you need Spanish in Texas). That, and I think hispanic girls are really hot.

[Phoenix20578]

Well, the old one bit the dust with the forum change so here's the new one.

If you haven't guessed, its for all you College people out there on Gotwoot to discuss anything college related.

Now, my own major is business management. Right now, I attend NJCU, but I am seriously thinking about transfering out somewhere else. I really looking for something in state (damn out-of-state fees...) and right now, my most serious prospect is William Paterson University, with Rutgers New Brunswick as a close second.

If anyone has any opinions or advise, it will be greatly appritiated.

[ChaosK]

just a question, what state do you live in?

[Phoenix20578]

New Jersey, with a beautiful view of NYC from across the hudson :D

[XanBcoo]

I'm a Freshman at the University of Texas. I'm an undeclared Liberal Arts major, so I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing with my time there.

Kidding aside, I'm leaning heavily towards majoring in either Psychology or Linguistics. It's geekily unhealthy how much fun I think Linguistics is, but I'm concerned as to what kind of job a Linguistics major could get. Nothing comes to mind. I'm also planning to minor in Spanish.

If anyone out there has facebook, pm me if you wanna add me. Facebook is boring, and pretty lame all around, but I've still got one regardless.

[Munsu]

Wasn't this the old thread?

http://forums.gotwoot.net/showthread.php?t=11305

[Phoenix20578]

WTF?! Damn, when I went looking throught the search, it didn't turn up.

[Gotwoot Moderator]

Threads merged (that new function is awesome, as am I)

GotWoot Moderator

[gr3atfull]

I am sooo happy! Just got my letter that I got accepted in the CEGEP i wanted with the program that I desired. Now, I can sleep well at night.:)

[IFHTT]

Congratulations gr3atfull!

Man some of you guys go to some big name schools. I go to my local community college, but that alright as the Microsoft instructor they have is one of the best in the state.

[NM]

New Jersey, with a beautiful view of NYC from across the hudson :D

Hell yeah for New Jersey!! I go to Rowan University and the college life is fantastic (minus the classes). I have one friend who goes to William Paterson and a shitload of my graduating class from high school goes to Rutgers. Stop by sometime Phoenix. :cool:

And I'm a biochemistry/premed major right now. Don't know what kind of doctor I want to be yet since I've got alot of time to think about it. But I'm also considering switching into pharmacy but I don't know if that will happen just yet. Ugh...I really hope I survive, it just gets harder as you move on to each semester. I'm only a freshman right now in my second semester and I'm not doing so well in physics and biology. :(

[kAi]

I'm at University of Technology, Sydney.
Place is pretty cool, still getting adjusted with the chairs and how to fall asleep, all is going well at the moment.

My course is Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Diploma in Information Technology Professional Practice.

[KitKat]

I have less than a month until I'm done university forever!!! Well, maybe not forever, in case I decide to go to grad school one day, but soon I'm going to be graduated and have a degree. And I get my iron ring! For those of you that don't know, everyone who graduates from an engineering program in Canada receives an iron ring to be worn on the pinky finger of their working hand.

@Xan: You should totally do linguistics! Seriously, linguistics is the only thing that's kept me sane through university. I love it so much. There are few things more fun than reconstructing the Proto-Indo-European language or identifying morphemes and drawing sentence trees. Not to mention psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics, two of the best courses ever. Every time I take a linguistic course, I'm always like, "This is my favourite course ever in the history of the world!!!!"

But anyways, in terms of career opportunities, there's always speech pathology, or translation, or computational linguistics. There's actually quite a bit of opportunity for linguists in the field of AI and artificial speech generation. I know a guy right now who graduated from linguistics and is working for Corel, on Help files and documentation. He basically has to translate the jargon from the engineers into something that regular people can understand and follow.

[drims]

Ahhhhh . Senior here and im scared of what to do in college next year.


Can I have some advice, some tips, what to do, how hard is it, is it fun, does it bring home sickness, how do you choose classes, should I strive to do hard classes or only care about recieving the Civil Enginnering degree, are financial problems abundant or does the univeristy usually help you alot?????????????????????????

Please, an anwser to any of these questions is helpful.

[Assassin]

Depends, where are you, canada or states?

No matter where you do it, engineering is a tough program. expect to have a shitload of courses, and not nearly enough time to do all the work. dont freak out if you can't finish all the homework, or do bad on a test. Just as long as you keep progressing to the next year, its all good.

My advice to you is, work hard and keep on top of things. Also, if a class seems too hard, and you think you wont pass it, DROP IT (make sure you can make it up in the summer though). I made the mistake of being too proud to drop courses, and paid for it in my first year.

Other then that, just try to have fun. Remember, engineering can be the worst 4 years of your life, or the best 7 ;)

[XanBcoo]

@Drims: Good luck next year. Don't worry about adjusting to college life too much, it'll just happen. And if you're going to a good school, you'll probably have ample help with choosing classes, setting up a good schedule, etc. Once piece of advice I have is to make good use of your time. I'm not just talking about high school-like time management. I seriously did not realize how much time in college was spent not in class until I got here. You'll have so much free time, but a large percent of it will probably (or at least should) consist of assignments/studying/bullshit. So stay on top of stuff, and the rest is a blast.


...or computational linguistics. There's actually quite a bit of opportunity for linguists in the field of AI and artificial speech generation. I know a guy right now who graduated from linguistics and is working for Corel, on Help files and documentation. He basically has to translate the jargon from the engineers into something that regular people can understand and follow.
Computational Linguistics has sparked my attention more than anything as of yet. I actually have a project on the subject due in a few weeks, but I haven't started - so I knew absolutely nothing about it until now (other than that it somehow combined computers and linguistics...lol). Thanks for the advice.

Edit: What's funny is that I actually do find identifing morphemes to be fun work. Don't know about sentence trees though, we've only just started syntax :p

[masamuneehs]

Congrats to gr3atfull.

[drims]

@Xanbcoo and Assasin

Thanks for the help. I am in the U.S and might either go to a university in Cali. to be near family, or one in texas but its military

Pros and Cons

Military/texas- the first year the upperclassmen can you treat you like a dog. Or rat as it is called your rat year. Its 4 years of rigorous exercise. On the other hand instate tuition, better engineering program, and your certain to get a job when you leave.

California- I get to be 20 minutes away from family, I dont have to live on campus, and im not completely on lockdown like in the military one, Badside its out of state so it twice the $$.

Any suggestions?

[gr3atfull]

@masamuneehs:

Thanks!

@drims:

If I was you, I will go to the Texas one. For sure, you have a better futur since you said that you have a job when you will leave that place. Plus, you are only 4 years away your family, its nothing really. You can visit them for vacation, right?

[masamuneehs]

Drims- the military is a good way to get an education cheaply. but you also usually owe them at least 2 years of service after you graduate school (what kind of military school is it? and what kind of classes would you be taking aside from military training?)

my uncle spent his entire life in the US Air Force and has no regrets. Ive also been told i woudl make a good fit there, but i have moral opposition to the modern military (not the aims or actions, but the means employed).

but dont let being away from your parents be a factor. youre at the age were you SHOULD get away from them for awhile, get situated on your own two feet.

but most importantly is figuring out what you want to do. if theres something you want to study at the university near you, go for it. if you want to join the miltiary, go for it. if youre not sure what to do: DONT DO EITHER. Going through these major time and money commitments halfassed and without direction is a waste of your time and $.

[drims]

This military school is not mandatory for you to enter the military to join the university, but if you do its alot of free $$$. And my classes would be everything needed for civil engineering. Nothing extra since I wouldnt have time with hw and rigorous exercise, if i did go there. Im going to have to decide in the next month . thanks for all the help people.!

[Xollence]

Finally done with school forever! Anyone else graduating?

[AlterEgox5]

Finally done with school forever! Anyone else graduating?
Me me me me me me me!!

Friday the 12th I'll be strolling across the stage! WHOOHOO!

(the only sad part is I'll be moving to a place without a fast internet connection - hence downloads are going to be, in a word, depressing. Heh.)

[gr3atfull]

Finally done with school forever! Anyone else graduating?
Does finishing high school count? If so, June 23th for me. Cant wait. Finally going to leave that place where I spent 12 years of my life.

[Phoenix20578]

Well, I just got accepted to William Paterson University for the Fall semester. Still got 3 years left, but at least it will be a little better.

[ChaosK]

Does finishing high school count? If so, June 23th for me. Cant wait. Finally going to leave that place where I spent 12 years of my life.


*looks at thread* well...It IS the college thread...unless your not planning on going to college I don't think it counts. And you spent all 12 years in one building?

[gr3atfull]

^^ Well, here in Québec, high school = college but not in the USA.
and the school I am going to is a kindergarden, primary and high school at the same time.

Oh yeah, I am going to John Abbott CEGEP in Science.

[RyougaZell]

Finishing college is weird...

I graduated december 2004. Then I spent 8 months looking for a job. They went in a flash.

Then I finally found one. 8 more months have passed since. Once more, in a flash.

I look back and think: "WTF? Its been a year and almost a half of another one since I left school?"

Im actually not looking forward to it... but I should think of studying a mastery soon... (dunno how you call them at the states, here its "maestria" so I hope mastery is the correct term)

[Honoko]

Finally done with school forever! Anyone else graduating?
I am! After I present my thesis tomorrow I have to start looking for a job =P But woohoo! No more school!

@RZ: the term in the US is "masters"

[Xollence]

Well Congratz to honoko and alter! You too Mala!

[gr3atfull]

Thank you.

[AlterEgox5]

*throws confetti into the air*

I have no idea what I'm going to do with my life!

Actually I guess I do. Freelance write, be at home (which I don't mind because I think I'm one of the few people out there who doesn't go too insane dealing with their parents), and then get a job somewhere when fall rolls around because I'll be traveling all summer. I will be published! Watch me!

[Paulyboy]

Hey guys of gotwoot, I know theres already a college thread out there but I searched and its gone lol. Im a senior and im searching colleges, my major is something that deals with gaming which is computer science. So far I have found Digipen as "one" of the best gaming schools out there http://www.digipen.edu/main/Main_Page

Sources of searching

http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2002-12-03-video_x.htm
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9907/23/t_t/video.games/index.html

Those are old articles, but I still don't know. Oh and please don't go into Full Sail college, it blows I have researched, and talked to people (it's not great)

[masamuneehs]

kudos on reviving this topic.

Warn (10%, two weeks) for making a repeat one. You've been around long enough to know the rules. Conducting a search is not that hard.

Afraid I can't help you with collegs of that kind. Heck, was lucky enough myself to find one to take me! Finishing up my last year in Ithaca. Then... real world...

[Winged Dancer]

Time to help me out, people.

You know my plight with my country. You know how much I want out.

Now, I've finally gotten the green light from my college to go study somewhere else for a semester - well, they mostly said something like "Sure, you just do everything, pay for everything and once the other party has accepted you, we'll sign."

Which is good enough. Now I just need to find a college that will accept me. So here's your chance to help me out... just tell me a bit about your own college, or any college in your area that

1.- Is within an English-speaking country (Great Britain, USA; Canada, Australia).

2.- Has a course on English/English Lit

3.- Is open to receiving foreign students.

If you know any place that fulfills those three points, then please please let me know and, if possible, post a link. I will then start sending mails and flaunting my GPA, and perhaps next spring I'll see what living outside of my country feels like...

Thanks in advance, people!

[Ryllharu]

A little clarification on number 2:

Do you mean an English Lit course or a BRITISH Lit course? All Universities and Colleges in the United States have an English department, and a great percentage of them have a British Lit course (or several) as a requirement to graduate (I even need at least one British Lit course for my English Minor, and that's only 5 classes total).

[Assassin]

Well, being an engineering student, i've never really cared much about humanities or social sciences so im not sure what english lit actually constitutes. But here are a few links that mite be of help.

http://www.mcmaster.ca/ - Main page for McMaster University.

List of faculties (http://www.mcmaster.ca/academic/faculties.cfm)

Overview of the English program (http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/programmes/english.html) - You can also check out the "Level 1 english courses" link at the bottom to see if those courses are what you're looking for.

Main page for international students (http://www.mcmaster.ca/student/international.cfm)

Some useful info for international students (http://www.mcmaster.ca/oia/intappl.htm) - This is a pretty useful page. It has an overview of the university, the surrounding area, the departments and an estimate of cost breakdown and stuff (you can get to it by clicking "office of international affairs > international applicants" in the above link)

List of international universities with which mac has student exchange programs set up for 2007 (http://www.mcmaster.ca/oia/programs.htm)

Hope some of this helps. If theres anything else you need, or something in particular you wanna find, let me know. I'll be glad to help you look.

[Winged Dancer]

Just English, as my career covers everything ever written in that language - from Sheakespeare to chicano literature and nigerian literature, as long as it was originally written in English.

[Ryllharu]

Most Universities in the United States love exchange students. It's part of their unreasonable obsession with Diversity (*waves hands for effect*) If you're an international transfer student, you pretty much can get seeded.

It got so bad a couple years ago that the University of Michigan was sued because their application process gave African-American students an automatic 50 points on their application (the essay was worth 2 to 10 points I believe).

Anyhow, the first step I'd recommend for looking at a college in the US is to go to US News and World Report. They are largely an unrivaled ranking system. We'll skip some steps and go with this, the best Liberal Arts Colleges:

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1libartco_brief.php

Compare some of these on the list with two really important things, student to faculty ratio, so you don't get enormous class sizes (something you really don't want in a Lit class) and secondly, tuition. There's a lot of really good Private Universities in the States, but they'll kill you on cost. Most universities in the States have gotten pretty expensive.

Once you've found a couple you like, make absolutely sure that transfer students (or international transfer students) get guaranteed housing. If they don't offer it, the college had better be in a large city like Boston or Philadelphia.

After you've really narrowed it down, take a look at what their English Department offers as classes. If they're just the basic offerings of "British Lit after 1880", "American Lit up to 1870", and "Chaucer", don't bother. All of them have those. Granted some won't always show the really interesting special topics classes, but my college recently had a specially offered Literature Course solely on Hell in Literature. My RA last year told me she was taking it this coming semester, and was really enthused about it. I took a class on Third World Literature focussed on India, and it was an amazing class. That one does seem to be offered regularly.

Well, that's my quick guide to picking a college in the United States by major. Student to Faculty Ratio is probably more important that anything. If the class is too big ( > 40) , the professor won't bother starting up a discussion in class.

[Board of Command]

University of Waterloo (www.uwaterloo.ca)

We have a huge foreign population.

[masamuneehs]

Everything that Ryl said. ESPECIALLY the student/faculty ratio for YOUR MAJOR / FOCUS. And remember, teaching assistants are almost always poor substitutes for actual professors, so take that in mind and ensure that you'll be in a place where you'll have access to helpful professors who will want to help you. That's the one thing I disliked about my major at Cornell, too many students, too many inept TAs, too many professors busy with their own stuff.

Also, seeing what kind of Lit you want to focus on is pivotal. Some places might have an excellent 'English' program, but that might be because of an Olde English department or one where the best professors are focused only on Contemporary Literature, others on Poetry. Make sure it's the kind of English Lit you're looking for.

Finally, when applying, choose from a broad range. Even if you don't think you can get in to a set of schools, apply to one or two of your favorite 'reach' schools anyway. On the other hand, ensure there's at least one school that you're applying to that you'll be able to get into and will enjoy going to.

[Zati]

"McGill is an international university whose main language of instruction is English. McGill has 21 faculties and professional schools offering over 300 programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels."

One of the top ones in Canada.

McGill (http://www.mcgill.ca/)
Faculties (http://www.mcgill.ca/faculties/)
Department of English (http://www.arts.mcgill.ca/programs/english/english.html)

[complich8]

After 8 years at Purdue (Indiana), I'm comfortable saying it's a great place for engineers, scientists, cloistered academics and alcoholics, and not a good place at all for people looking for "the American experience" as it were.

If you're considering the US and want a vibrant night life, I'd aim for the Chicago area or NYC. Chicago has like 5 major universities that are worth checking out and close enough to the city to have good city-experience life (University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago, Loyola, Northwestern, Depaul -- ymmv on several of them depending on stated religious preference and their policies). California's also a good place to go, with the UC system and all.

[Stoopider]

I reckon UK should be the best for english lit.

But for culture and just living experience, Melbourne's nice. :)

www.unimelb.edu.au

[SorC]

Another Australian based University is Monash (http://www.monash.edu.au). It's main campus is Clayton. Monash also has quite a large number of international students. It's a great University, but then I'm biased I went there. The website probably isn't the most informative around but I hope it helps.

[DB_Hunter]

University College London (http://www.ucl.ac.uk)

Pros: Solid Reputation, in the heart of London, right next to Oxford Street and Old Bond Street. The former is a shopping haven for what is called high street fashion in the UK, with the latter being a haven for designer clothes.

Cons: A bit too studious for my liking. Atmosphere is a bit dry. But then again, maybe I chose the wrong degree...

Kings College London (http://www.kcl.ac.uk)

Pros: A very good rep for humanities subjects like Languages, history etc. Quite a chilled out place. Like UCL in the heart of London.

Cons: Rep not as good as UCL. On the same road as this (http://forums.gotwoot.net/showthread.php?p=333245&postcount=30) joint.

Brunel University (http://www.brunel.ac.uk)

Pros: Erm... next to Heathrow Airport?

Cons: Not part of the University of London organisation like UCL and KCL, so doesn't carry the same kudos. On the outskirts of London.

These are what I have come up with off the top of my head. Come to these and you will be learning the language in the country it originated from.

Plus you get to be in London, which is probably the Capital of Capitals in the world. Really cosmopolitan, closest city I can think of like it is probably New York.

[Winged Dancer]

Thanks for the links!

I like London, or I least I liked it when I was there... and since I'm a little too studious, I may fit in there =P

So far, things seem to be going well with the ones I've already e-mailed, especially Kent and Glasgow - those two basically told me I was welcome for an entire year as long as I filled my papers. Now I'll start with the Canadians...

[SK]

UMass (www.umass.edu)
Amherst (www.amherst.edu)
Hampshire (www.hampshire.edu, this is where I go, its VERY unconventional)
Boston College (www.bc.edu)
Smith College (www.smith.edu)
Boston U (www.bu.edu)
Northeastern (www.northeastern.edu)
Holy Cross (www.holycross.edu my cousin did a semester here she said they were great)

Going to school in Mass is the way to go, best schools in the nation.

[kooshi]

University of Victoria (www.uvic.ca)
University of British Columbia (www.ubc.ca)

Both universities are in British Columbia, Canada. UVic is a smaller university than UBC, so if you prefer smaller crowds and a town-like and very quiet city, UVic is your choice. Otherwise, UBC for the big-city type.
Vancouver is one of the most diverse cities in Canada (and possibly the world) while Victoria is just a ferry ride from Vancouver. Both universities are HUGE in diversity.

[SK]

Seeing as almost all the members at GW seem to be late teens/early twenties, I figured we should have a college discussion thread. Basically we can discuss how college is going for us, what classes you're taking, where you go, roommate stories etc.

Hopefully this thread can run from now until the end of the academic year or beyond. Also, if you're starting this year post in this thread, people in their 2nd year and on might be able to give you advice concerning anything from courses to roommate problems. If you're a junior or senior and need help with the whole process, maybe someone on the forum can give you useful links and information.

Anyway I go to Hampshire College, I transferred here after doing a year at Temple University which I hated. My main reason for transferring was the undergraduate philosophy program, which I thought sucked, as well as the overall liberal arts core curriculum at the school. Another big factor was dorms not being guaranteed after freshman year. So basically I'm on my 2nd year but its like I'm a freshman, I gotta move in earlier, do some orientation activities, meet with my adviser and all the other bullshit.

I got my room assignment which thank God is a single, I had 2 horrible roommates last year (talking at 5AM to girlfriend and basically just being assholes) so I'm really happy about that. I also got my schedule which is really nice, got into everything I wanted but one class that I'm waitlisted for. Have no early classes and no classes on Friday so its not bad at all. May as well post it, I'm a Philosophy/History major BTW:

Civil Society & the State 9/06/2007-12/13/2007 Seminar Tuesday, Thursday 12:30PM - 01:50PM
Philosophy of Wittgenstein 09/06/2007-12/13/2007 Seminar Tuesday, Thursday 02:00PM - 03:20PM
The Microbial Majority 09/05/2007-12/12/2007 Course Monday, Wednesday 02:30PM - 05:00PM
Between Husserl and Heidegger 09/05/2007-12/12/2007 Seminar Monday, Wednesday 10:30AM - 11:50AM

Next time try running a search before posting a brand new thread, eh?
Merged
No warning, as it would result in a ban, and this is just too minor a slipup.

Of course I did a search, I've been here since 2004

[infidel]

I'm starting my senior year in high school, so I really can't post anything about my classes. But -- I am applying to colleges soon. Those colleges are: Miami University, Ryerson University, Saint Joseph's University, Shippensburg University, and West Chester University. I'm still not sure if I am going to apply to Ryerson yet, but guess we will see.

[Splash!]

Could bump this thread. It already exists.
The College Thread (http://forums.gotwoot.net/showthread.php?t=13675&highlight=College+Thread)

[Board of Command]

I go to University of Waterloo in Ontario. I just finished my first year of Systems Design Engineering this month. It's supposed to be one of the more challenging programs offered at this school but I haven't found it to be too difficult. There are some courses that were pretty gay, like Linear Algebra. Work load was much higher in my first term compared to my second term, although second term was probably tougher in terms of actual material. The one unique thing about my program is that I'm always with the same classmates every class. We just stay in one room and different instructors/profs come in to teach. This way, you get to know your classmates really well.

My home is in Waterloo, so I just live at home while I'm at school. I say "while I'm at school" because I go off on a work term every other term. The job can be different each time. Last term, I worked at the Ministry of Transportation. It was a pretty dull desk job and wasn't very relevant to my interests. My next work term starts in 2 weeks and I'll be working at the ATI headquarters doing video card benchmarking. That'll probably be lots of fun.

I never get a summer off.

[SK]

I actually have something to be happy about today, I got approved for a $6000 loan for school this year and have no bills or aunt mad she has to pay my bill to worry about. I officially owe nobody but the government!

[Hikyuu]

LOL someone rez'd a thread I made from when I was posting the first time around ...
Anywhoo my current college standing is.. After having withdrawn from UMD for two semesters
I turned in my College transfer Into UMBC (http://umbc.edu/) where everyone is AZN and commutes..at least half isn't bad

[SK]

Yeah I was confused at first, I obviously searched for the thread before making a new one, and didn't see it. How long before you graduate Hikyuu?

[eat_toast]

Well, It seems the graduation thread isn't good enough for me anymore :p

I move in tomorrow at Virginia Wesleyan College and I am pretty psyched. Not only did I get a sweet deal on a room (read: HUGE) but somehow scored a free leather recliner to put in it :D

[Hikyuu]

That is awesome.. I have a friend at Wesleyan he .. no wait he should have graduated this year ><
EDIT:
@ SK -- Welll Normally I would have been a Junior this year. But, because I did horribly my first year and then did not acutally attend this year, I still have less then 30 cred xD making me a freshman.. 6 yr+ plan ftw

[complich8]

6 isn't so bad. I did mine in 8, but I got two degrees and a minor out of it.

A friend of mine did hers in ... well ... she just graduated, and her first semester was in 1995 or so, so I guess 12 years. My cousin started in 1992, failed out once, got kicked out for drugs once, got married, got divorced, changed majors 4 times, and gave up and moved away in 2002, two semesters away from completing her degree.

So yeah, 6 year plan? That's fine, just stick to it.

[saman]

i'm currently doing my master's at memorial university of newfoundland. i've also been accepted into a pretty good med school in the caribbean, but it costs an arm and a leg for tuition and travel, so i'm not sure if i'll be going yet...

[Ryllharu]

I'm starting my 9th semester, and I only really needed one more class to get my Engineering degree. With any luck, I'll get a completely mismatching minor (English). All my classmates who already graduated laugh when I tell them.

If anyone is starting college and reading this thread:
1. Do your homework. Even if you're smart, you can get away with it for a while, but the exams can and will kick your ass. Professors and TAs write tests that you can't handle without having a firm grasp on the material. (except introductory/elective Poli Sci courses, if you go to the class, you can pull an essay right out of your ass)

2. If you're a big drinker, find a designated driver. If you're not really into it, BE the designated driver. Trips to Walmart and McDonalds at 2am as they're sobering up will make every one of your friends love you for life.

3. Don't just streamline into one major. Take full advantage of the facilities. Pick an unrelated minor, take random classes that sound interesting if you've got the space. Especially try to get into classes that are rarely offered, or a special topics course.

[SK]

I dunno 8 years for an undergrad seems to long for me. I'm trying to get to grad school as fast as possible.

[complich8]

Eh, I was also part-time for 5 of it, while working to pay tuition and living expenses, and it was two degrees in completely different curricula. Granted, failing my compilers class twice in a row didn't help much either :p

But yeah, the fun part is, when I interviewed for the job (that I'm starting next week assuming the clearance all finishes like it should), we talked about my 4 years of experience sysadminning, and my two years on the helpdesk before that, and they didn't so much as bring up school once. Shame too, I've got tons of stories about it.

Anyway, you're right that you should get out quickly, as a general rule. For me, I managed to be a good exception, because I had a good job that paid the bills entirely, left me with a little spending money, looks great on a resume and really put a good sharp edge on my technical skills, opening a lot of doors into the real world. If I were flipping burgers or stocking shelves or some shit like that, it would have been a definite loss.

My roommate went to school full-time, didn't have a job, pulled an impressive 3.9 gpa in a grueling double-major in aerospace engineering and computer science, and graduated in 6 years with a six-figure college debt burden, and is now making about 10k/yr less than me due to being entry-level, where I got hired for a "mid-level" position. He's got a higher grade security clearance than I do though :p.

[SK]

Oh well part time is different, but you're in one of those "practical" fields, while I'm a philosophy major. Easy for me to get to grad school pretty quickly, where I plan to live as long as I can without any responsibilities.

[Animeniax]

Go into college knowing that it doesn't really matter how well you do as long as you get the 4 year degree. Companies could care less what your GPA was or how long it took. Getting the degree shows commitment and dedication, and companies want to hire committed and dedicated people. In a lot of traditional companies, you hit a ceiling pretty fast if you don't have a degree. Most management positions at these companies require a degree, regardless of competence or skills.

When I was in college, we'd learn material for 3 months, take the mid-term, then forget everything and move on to the second 3 months of material, then the final, then forget everything in time for the next semester. This used to concern me back then, leaving me to wonder how I would apply anything I "learned" in these courses to my future job. The trick is, pretty much nothing you learn in college will apply in your future job, so don't worry too much about it, just learn the material long enough to pass the course.

[Hikyuu]

Animaniax did you just have another Bday? you were acutally 42 :O I thought that was a Hitchikers reference XD

[Animeniax]

No, I'm just overseas so I'm closer to the international dateline, so I'm ahead of most of you time and date wise.

Reference to the Hitchhiker's Guide? I hadn't thought of it, but it is a pretty cool coincidence.

[Ryllharu]

Companies could care less what your GPA was or how long it took. Getting the degree shows commitment and dedication, and companies want to hire committed and dedicated people.

You will not pass Human Resources screening at most companies if you have less than a 3.0 GPA. If you don't have an "in" some other way to get a recommendation that you deserve an interview, you'll have hard time.

Having additional skills like a minor in Business, a foreign language, or something else not common (not math for Engineering, english for Education, etc.) can counter the low GPA sometimes.

/personal experience

[complich8]

You will not pass Human Resources screening at most companies if you have less than a 3.0 GPA. If you don't have an "in" some other way to get a recommendation that you deserve an interview, you'll have hard time.
That only really applies to your first job. As you get further from college, HR and recruiters and such care much less about your GPA and much more about your work experience.

In fact, the same can be said of entry-level employees. My roommate did a double-major in computer science and aerospace engineering (in 6 years), maintained an impressive 3.9/4.0 in aerospace and a 3.8/4.0 in computer science, but he didn't do any internships or co-ops or anything like that. He couldn't find an aero job to save his life -- nobody hires an aerospace engineer who hasn't at least had two or three relevant internships or a couple co-op sessions. He's working as a software engineer for lockheed, for about 10 grand a year less than my 2.6/4.0 and my 6 years of relevant part-time experience got me.

Another former roommate of mine graduated in 4 years, with no relevant experience but a 3.7 in computer science, and it took him a full year to find a job. The pay for that job isn't as good as either me or my aero-cs roommate's, even after a his being in it for more than two years and having been promoted once.

Other people I know have had similar situations. If you're in a technical major and want to do it as a career, either having a relevant job or doing relevant internships gets your foot in the door a lot better than never working but holding a 4.0.

[KitKat]

I just wanted to completely agree with Ryllharu about taking different classes. College is a great time to find out what you love, and learn things you've never had an opportunity to learn before. I completed my degree in 5 years, with a major in Engineering Physics and a minor in Linguistics. I found that often engineers get trapped into a certain way of thinking, and having different courses helped give a little more perspective. Likewise the training I received in tackling problems logically from my engineering classes definitely gave me an advantage in linguistics. Don't be afraid to try different things. I know too many people who are completing Masters degrees, finding that they've pigeonholed themselves into one specific area and are discovering that it's not the area they want a job in.

As for me, after my year of working, I'm starting my Masters in Linguistics very soon. I'm actually really looking forward to it. I might go back and do an Engineering masters later, but at the moment the thought of it makes me feel a bit ill. I can't wait to register for my linguistics courses and start classes! Between now and then though I still have to move to BC, which hopefully is uneventful.... (And all irc jokes aside, I'm not ragequitting Ontario because of Assassin :P )

[SK]

I don't know about this whole taking more than 4 years just to get a bachelor's. In the colleges around here (Amherst College, Smith College, Hampshire College) you have to finish your degree in 4 years or less, you're not allowed to stay at the school beyond that time period.

[Hikyuu]

Well I know at MD, you are encouraged greatly to graduate in 4 years. They set benchmarks every year for what you have to take.. Then they will put locks on your registration so you have to see an adviser, but there are ways around it once you meet them.

[Iridani]

Darn college... I wanna go take a few courses but it's too expensive. Grrr.

[Board of Command]

School is pretty much free for me. I'll be graduating with profit.

Suckers.

[Hikyuu]

I just drove down to UMD today with my dad to get my official transcript then to UMBC to hand it to them.. so now I have orientation on monday cause they for some reason let me in

[SK]

School is pretty much free for me. I'll be graduating with profit.

Suckers.

Same, I have a few loans but they're all small amounts.

[Mut]

Hahaha, loans are going to bury you in debt hell. Have fun paying them off for the next 15 years.

[Board of Command]

I only have a $2000 loan that I can pay off right now if needed. All of my other expenses are paid for by my work terms.

[SK]

Hahaha, loans are going to bury you in debt hell. Have fun paying them off for the next 15 years.

I don't think it will take me 15 years to pay a $5000 loan. Or are you just trolling?

[itadakimasu]

i'm paying as i go *cough* or rather i was... and now luckily i've landed financial aid this year.

for this fall, they've given me $600 to "buy books" and my 3 classes i'm taking have already been paid for and then im going to recieve the difference in total financial aid award and tuition cost. the same will happen in the spring.

then again, i'm only attending a '2-year' college and not a really expensive 4 year university

[Spiegel]

Well, I guess an update could be in order, I am in college, waiting for an 8 a.m. class right now, the professor just walked in and I am tired as hell. I need to plan better and sleep earlier, but I don't want to. Classes are not bad and I am actually keeping on top of my math for once. Roommate is fine, we get along. Lifes fine in general....

University of Alabama... Roll Tide!

[Hikyuu]

I signed up for a 7:00 to 9:45 pm english class that meets once a week.. Yay night class -.-.. At least my Mondays and Fridays are still free~

[Danad_corps]

Hey, just screwed myself royally. I have an intro to psych class that meets every Tuesday and Friday at 10:55am. I've been going to classes regularly (except when I had to repair my car earlier this week) and I've always been in class way ahead of time. My second exam was scheduled for this Friday so I studied for the past few days and stuff, rescheduled anything that was supposed to happen on Friday to a later time to accommodate my exam scheduling. However, my timing was off. I thought the exam was at 12:55, but it was at 10:55. For the past two weeks, in my head, i've been thinking that class meets at 12:55 everyday and the exam was at 12:55. This wasn't a "ohh he changed our class schedule" thing, it was an I go to class everyday on time and the numbers got switched in my head on the fuckin day of the exam of all days.

So, I just wanted to know, what do you guys think is the best way to go about handling the situation so that I can take the makeup. I was thinking of just telling my professor the truth and explaining everything, but I don't know if this will work. Some of my friends told me to either get a doctors note, or say that my grandfather died. Have any of you guys ever used any of these excuses, or any others for that matter, before? If so, did it work and what did you use to document your excuse?

The professor seems really nice which is why i'd feel helluva guilty if I lied to him. I'm also a horrible liar so I'm really afraid i'd get caught in a lie somewhere. Need advice!

[Ryllharu]

Don't go the relatives' death route, it never works. If you can get a 'legitimate' doctor's note, that's about the only thing that will save you. You will need a signed, written note that you were too ill to make it to the exam. It is standard policy for most colleges.

Then again, I've taken a few exams of mine with a high fever. There was no other option at the time.

However, if you don't think you can commit the lie, and furthermore you feel guilty about lying (which means you will fail at lying), there are no other options. Fail the class, and take it over.

[KitKat]

Hmm, it gets harder, the longer you leave it. Ideally, if you realized you missed your exam, and went to your professor right away, I find a lot of profs are pretty understanding (unless they're that mean kind of prof that likes failing students). You didn't skip the exam on purpose, it was an honest mistake. If you're generally a good student and show up to all your classes, and your prof recognizes that, he might give you the exam as soon as you come to him, and let you write it in his office or somesuch. I've had friends that slept through their exams and that's what happened with them. If your prof doesn't trust you, and thinks that you've been using your time to figure out the questions on the exam so that you can cheat... then yeah, you're pretty screwed.

[Danad_corps]

I was going to tell him right away, but when I looked in my binder I realized that I didn't have the syllabus. The course is offered on a campus in which I only know 1 building so I wandered around for about 45 minutes looking for a building that would have a computer in it. Once I found the library, I looked at his website to see where his office was; it was on another campus altogether. As i stated previously, I scheduled events around the exam so I didn't have any time to see him today (Friday). I think I will e-mail him tomorrow asking him for an appointment ASAP. He doesn't like e-mails at all, but its the only way I can get in touch with him over the weekend. Once monday arrives, i'll visit him in his office.

thanks for your input guys.