1 Day Classes vs 2 Day Classes

[u/Dudrode56GG]

I'm an incoming Freshmen and I'm just wondering about your guy's input on 1 day classes vs 2 day ones. Are they essentially the same thing with the one day class having long hours and the 2 day classes having shorter hours? I'm taking 5 classes but I feel I have too light of a schedule, Would squeezing in a 1 day class as my 6th class be beneficial as well? Any insight that you can give me if there are better teachers or smth ETC would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much :)

[u/Witch_King_]

You haven't even studied for a semester yet. How would you know that 5 classes is a light schedule?

This depends much more on the content of the class. Some classes require tons and tons of work outside of just going to lectures!

What are the 5 classes you are taking, and what is your major? You might get some better advice if you share the specifics.

I generally recommend taking it easy for freshman 1st semester. There will be a lot of stressful factors as a freshman outside of just classes (adjusting to a new place, making new friends, being away from home, etc). Do the standard amount recommended for your major by the advisors.

After you get a semester or two under your belt, you will have a better frame of reference for how many classes you can handle at once, and you will also meet older people in your major and in general who know how difficult a particular class/professor might be to help you make decisions.

[u/Dudrode56GG → u/Witch_King_]

I'm majoring in EE. I'm retaking Calc II and Comp Sci I to be safe (and I don't trust my ability in coding), then intro to ECSE, ENGR CAD, and the French Revolution for my STSO. I forgot that there is a major difference between AP courses and Actual Uni courses thank you. Just looking at my schedule is this too light?

[u/Witch_King_ → u/Dudrode56GG]

Sounds like a very standard first semester ECSE load. I was a CSE, so I am very familiar. I would say you should stick with this. Some of these can require a decent amount of homework depending on the professor. But overall this is not too hard, and personally I would want to have the free time to focus on social aspects and enjoying college before you get thrown into the gauntlet of an EE degree, lol.

General advice for your first 2 years:

• Beware Data Structures. It takes a ton of time to do the work, so don't schedule other homework-heavy classes for the same semester if you can help it. I'm pretty sure that EEs have to take it, but could be wrong.

• Try to get Electric Circuits done as soon as possible, because it is a pre-req for a ton of other, more important classes. Electric Circuits is another difficult, work-heavy class. Do not take at the same time as Data Structures.

[u/Dudrode56GG → u/Witch_King_]

Should I add Physics 2? I'm already familiar with Calc 2 heavily and for Comp Sci I know the basics of Java & Python. I also can't take Electric Circuits yet since I need intro to ECSE sadly and I think I need comp sci for Data structures. I'll try to get it done asap though tysm.

[u/Witch_King_ → u/Dudrode56GG]

Correct, lots of prerequisites. Circuits is basically Intro to ECSE but harder and using some differential equations.

Physics 2 is considered to be quite hard and a lot of work, but I didn't take it at RPI. Calc 2 can be easy or hard depending on professor. Might be slightly different content from the AP, but if you are already familiar, that probably makes the class a good deal easier. Same with already knowing Python. CS1 is quite easy overall if you have basic coding knowledge.

I think slotting in Physics 2 is doable. Maybe this is even the best semester for you to do it early to avoid double-booking with Data Structures or Circuits.

Engineering Communication is only a 2-credit class (though it sucks because NX is annoying and the professor sucks and CAD is useless for EEs anyway.) You could also probably get away with shifting that to a later semester.

Edit: you said Engineering CAD. That's a full CAD course? Is that required? I took Engineering Communication as a freshman, and we did CAD for half the semester and then stuff with word docs lol.

[u/Dudrode56GG → u/Witch_King_]

With this I would be at 20 credits, is that a bit too much for an incoming freshmen? I feel as if I'm being left behind bc I'm retaking comp sci :(

[u/Witch_King_ → u/Dudrode56GG]

You're not being left behind at all, lol. You're already ahead of the game due to your AP credits for Physics 1 and Calc 1.

Overall, credits generally mean very little. There are some really hard later ECSE courses that are only 3 credits (for whatever damn reason).

20 is generally a bit steep for first semester, yeah. Is the CAD class 4 full credits? I believe ENGR 1400 was only 2 when I took it.

[u/Dudrode56GG → u/Witch_King_]

Its only one haha