To E School, or Not to E School--That's a Good Question

The University has 4 schools one can apply into directly: the College of Arts and Sciences (CLAS), The School of Engineering (E School), School of Architecture (A School), and the School of Nursing. Later, students may apply into specialty schools like Education, Commerce, and Public Policy.

*Note: for UVa, apply the initial school of which you want to be part. For example, nurses do not apply to UVa and then to the nursing program. Some schools do that; we don't.

If you look closely, there are some areas of overlap in between the College and E School, particularly in computer science. Since CS is often the biggest area of debate for E School versus the College, that is where I want to focus.

Thornton Hall, the main Engineering School Building
Photo Credit: http://www.student.virginia.edu/estud/ (another good source if you have questions)

The Requirements:
In the College (assuming the student is not an Echols Scholar), they have several area requirements to fill, including 4 semesters of a foreign language. The complete list may be found at http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/college/requirements/area/index.html.

The Engineering School does not require a foreign language but has far more math and science requirements, including accompanying labs. To learn more on the exact requirements and electives, please see: http://www.seas.virginia.edu/advising/undergradhandbook.php#requirements

Picking a Major and Double Majoring:
In the E school, students choose their majors in early April of their first year. They have the chance to attend open houses and ask questions. Students can double major in the E school; however, my understanding is that with E school requirements, picking a second major that is unrelated (such as English) is harder in the E school. Thus, it has less flexibility.

In the College, students have until the end of their 2nd year to choose a major. A typical college major is 30 credits. Students will take 120 credits in their time. Double majoring is not unusual, but students have the option for a broader experience with course topics because the College has so many more courses to offer.

Scheduling and Planning
For students in the College, planning can be a nightmare because there are so many options. That said, it can also be exciting because there are so many options available. The E school has a more structured expectation of course progression than the College. This makes planning easier for E schoolers, but it can be frustrating if E schoolers want to take things in a different order or if they want an elective in the College that does not mesh well with E school class times.

Students in the E school can (and will) take College classes, and College students are welcome to take engineering courses. In that way, there are very few restrictions on either set of students.

The Major Itself
The E school offers the B.S. in Computer Science whereas the College only has a B.A. available. E schoolers are required to take more computing classes, while College students have integration electives (college classes that reveal the applications of computing). Also, if you want Computer Engineering, then you have to go to the E school because the College does not offer that program.

Thesis
All Engineering school students must write a thesis in their fourth year. College students are not required to do that across the board, but some majors (like Human Biology) do require it.

(Photo credit: http://writelikecrazy.wordpress.com/category/organizing/)

Please also consider visiting http://www.seas.virginia.edu/admin/ricehall/renderings.php to learn more about what one of the University's newest buildings has to offer, especially for computer science majors from either school.

The AP Conundrum

Well, here it is--the last few days before I start the last semester of my undergraduate career. I've really enjoyed my time here and the classes I've taken. To date, I've only not enjoyed one. That's it; however, there are many classes I wished I had had time to take. That got me thinking: Is there anything I wish I had done so that I had fewer required courses?

As an Echols Scholar, I had fewer requirements than most students, but Echols status does not remove prerequisites. For example, needing a 200 level lab before taking a 300 level lab. For students who do have to have course requirements fulfilled, a common piece of advice is to take AP or IB. I don't know many IB students, but I took several AP tests in high school and know lots of UVa students who took them, too.

Pros to AP courses and tests
Advanced Placement classes are a great opportunity to get an idea for the rigor of entry level classes at four year universities. Depending on your college and test grade, you could even qualify to skip certain classes like Intro English Writing or Calculus I. Who doesn't want more free time in their schedule?

After all, it means less time here.

Cons to AP courses and tests
For the course, I can think of no downside. Students get great experiences from being challenged, and as long as you're not drowning in the material, there's no reason not to pursue these kinds of classes. The problem is in the tests. In my experience, they are not an accurate judge of how well students understand the material. I received a high grade on my Calculus test, but I decided to take UVa's Calc I course as a refresher. It was not a refresher. We covered more in that class than the AP class, and we went far deeper into topics. In other words, I would have been totally unprepared for Calc II if I had trusted my AP score, and in the Spring when I took Calc II, I saw a lot of people who decided to skip UVa's Calc I, and they were hurting. Similarly, a friend of mine passed his Physics AP and yet felt completely out of his depth with Intro Physics at UVa.

What does this mean for Dual Enrollment and other tests like it?
UVa is not a cake walk. Students can succeed here, but especially in math and science, you need to have a strong understanding of the material. I do not think that two years at a community college are on par with two years at a four year institution. I've seen too many people transfer in the Fall as 3rd years and leave after a year feeling overwhelmed. Some community colleges might have the same rigor; many do not, and it's not fair to people who think they are equivalent. AP tests, too, are less accurate than touted at predicting competency in an area. In classes that require a certain SAT II subject test, I have found that those are good markers, but I only have three classes on which to judge.

It's just something to be aware of when planning for college. Trust me, no one says their introductory classes were their favorites. They may have met great teachers, but people will still find a way to take fewer classes. My advice? Take AP classes if you can. If you get credit for something not in your major (for example, I got elective credit for history for my AP score), take it, but if it moves you out of something important (like math for a biology major), take time to think very hard about moving too fast.

It's Been Awhile

Hello, folks!

You may have noticed a slight break in the flow of posts lately, but they will be resuming very shortly.

Thanks for your patience, and remember--if you have any suggestions, please email me or leave a comment.

Dana

Welcome President Sullivan!

Last Friday was one of those idyllic spring days in Charlottesville where I looked around me and couldn’t help but feel immensely sorry for anyone who has never picnicked on the Lawn. The sun was shining, the grass was especially soft (perfect for napping), and the Corner was crawling with students eager to enjoy the beautiful weather. It was an ideal setting to celebrate the historic inauguration of the University’s eighth president, Teresa Sullivan.

On this day, I was honored to serve as a University Host. My job was to greet visiting academics who were marching in the procession down the Lawn prior to the ceremony. I loved seeing so many smiling faces and meeting delegates from schools and academic societies around the world. It was an amazing gathering of students, alumni, parents, and friends of the University. I certainly felt proud to be a Wahoo!

After greeting, I had time to dash to Bodo’s Bagels, a popular spot on the Corner, and make it back to the Lawn, lunch in hand, just in time for the start of the festivities. I really can’t think of anything happier than a picnic on the Lawn while participating in a historic milestone for UVA.

However, the ceremony was just one of the events to celebrate President Sullivan and our community. The week was built around honoring the school’s mission of teaching, research, public service, and health care. An Interfaith Observance, Academic Symposium, Research Exhibit, Day of Service, and Inaugural Walk were all scheduled to mark the occasion. Needless to say, it was a busy, exciting week for UVA!

Watch the ceremony here! Even if you don’t watch the entire video, make sure you at least click on the link to see how beautiful the Lawn and Rotunda look. Perfection!

"Don't forget about where you came from..."

"Gotta go, I have dance practice!" I told my dad over the phone as I rushed into one of the Multipurpose Rooms in the AFC (Aquatic Fitness Center).
I could sense the surprise in his tone, "For what?", he asked.
"I'm performing for India Day," I answered.

The University of Virginia has a wide array of student organizations as you probably are well aware of - and quite a handful have already been covered by my fellow bloggers from service, to sports, from Greek life to a capella. One of the organizations I am part of is the Indian Student Association, a very large cultural student group.Quite honestly, in high school, I wasn't really aware of how important the Indian culture is to some. I sort of brushed it off to the side and once in a while, I would be involved in performances. I was too busy with school, extracurriculars, volunteering, and other activities. My parents didn't really force me into anything although they encouraged it.

One of the student meetings I attended my first year was the ISA meeting (which included a free dinner). I instantly clicked with a few people and from then on have been involved in the organization. Yearlong, ISA holds various events - some are for service like Gandhi Day where members engage in many service projects around the Charlottesville community and more social ones such as Curry Cook-Off(where different organizations have a cooking competition) and themed parties. All of these events are open to the University student body and many many attendees participate!

However, hands down one of the biggest events held by ISA is their annual India Day. India Day takes place on a Saturday evening, usually in the Martin Luther King Performing Arts Center in the Charlottesville high school which accommadates over 1,500 people! This event is followed by a catered reception by a very popular restaurant called Milan. All of this free and shuttles are provided from Grounds to the event! As a result, this drives not only the UVA student body but also those in the Charlottesville community! The evening is full of performances ranging from dances performed by each year to Ektaal (the first and only co-ed South Asian acapella group) to various competitive dance teams such as Sharaara and UVA Di Shaan to a cultural fashion show! Although I was involved more last year, I performed with my fellow second-years this year. We had practices almost every day - which was pretty tough trying to coordinate a large number of busy second years. Here is the link, in case you were interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYfu7Q4nMCo&feature=youtu.be


The Nation-Wide Renowned UVA DiShaan Competitive Bhangra Team (on the right)

If like me, you wanted to learn more about your culture and stay in touch with your ethnicity and roots, there are an endless number of outlets that you can immerse yourself in!

Astronomy at UVa

Growing up, I'm sure that everyone has been fascinated by the night sky. Stars, constellations, universes... there is so much out there that we don't know about. I wouldn't say that I'm interested in pursuing a career or anything in astronomy, but one of the most impressive departments at UVa, in my opinion, is the Astronomy department.

First of all, there are many great astronomy courses that are very popular, such as these:
ASTR 1210 - Introduction to the Sky and Solar System
ASTR 1220 - Introduction to Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe
*These two classes are the foundation classes of astronomy!
ASTR 1230 - Introduction to Astronomical Observation
*This class teaches you the history of observational techniques and using them in general.
ASTR 2110 - Introduction to Astrophysics I
*Astronomy is really a lot of physics... the science side of things.
Personally, I have only taken ASTR 1230 and it is a great class. Although having to clear your whole schedule for nights that you might be able to observe on, it is a lab based class where you do a lot of hands-on observing outside of the once-a-week lecture.

Another really neat thing is the McCormick Observatory. Sitting atop Observatory Hill, the McCormick Observatory was built in 1884. At the time it was built, it was the equal largest telescope in the United States. Having gone through more than a decade, it is not used for science anymore, but it is still open! Public nights at the observatory are great. On public nights, anyone can come visit the observatory and observe stars and planets through the telescope, and the people that run the public nights will even give you little lessons about research work done there and history of observatories. The observatory even has museum exhibits. Don't hesitate to visit, it is well worth it. The McCormick Observatory is open on the first and third Friday night of each month for two hours. http://www.astro.virginia.edu/public_outreach/schedule.php/

So whether you just love star gazing or have genuine interests in perusing some sort of field of astronomy, it is really worth check out these classes and going to the observatory.

Days on the Lawn are here!

April is one of my favorite months at UVa—of course I love the weather and blossoming flowers (which are behind schedule this year!) but I especially love Days on the Lawn. Some of you might know what DOTL is, maybe you're attending one soon(!), or maybe you've never heard of it. Days on the Lawn is an opportunity for accepted students to come visit the University, as they make the tough decision of deciding where to attend school in the fall. Parents often accompany students to DOTL and take advantage of scoping out the University as well--whether this is their first or fifth visit. (Picture: some of the DOTL volunteers bright and early!)

But Days on the Lawn is not your typical college visit. UVA students, faculty, and administration plan tons of different engaging activities to help paint a better picture of what your time here would be like, should you choose to be a Hoo! What kind of activities am I talking about, you ask? Everything from sitting in on college classes (tons of choices here!) to grabbing lunch on the Corner or at a dining hall with a current student (answering your question: what will the food be like?!). You can also visit dorms to see what they look like inside and there's a resource fair full of information if that interests you. There's also info sessions about your school (including sessions about schools you'd transfer to later: Commerce, Education, Batten) and the opportunity to meet professors.

When I went to DOTL two years ago (wow, time has FLOWN), my favorite part was going to a student panel and hearing their perspectives. Picking current students' brains was extremely helpful in extracting the information I needed to make my touch decision and the student panel, going to lunch with a student, and taking a tour provided plenty of opportunities to ask questions. When I arrived at DOTL as a senior--a bit confused and overwhelmed--I thought UVa students didn't really want to talk to me and share their thoughts--however, I quickly realized how completely wrong I was about that! Students approached me with warm, smiling faces and were excited to share their stories. And now that I'm one of "those students," I can tell you that this is exactly true: the current students couldn't be more exciting that you're here and LOVE talking with you. So much that many wake up extra early to meet you (we're talking before 6am :)

What do I think are the best parts of DOTL? Lots and lots of opportunities to interact with students to answer any and all of your questions and also share with you their UVa experience. Additionally, there isn't a set schedule of activities that you must attend. In fact, your schedule is completely up to you. DOTL is set up to be flexible and fit as best possible to your interests for the day. Want to skip sitting in on a class and just roam around and take it all in? Great. Want to spend your time talking with current and possible incoming students? Go for it! It's really up to you.

Bottom line: if you have the opportunity to attend a DOTL, I highly recommend it! If you have any further questions, feel free to email me :)