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 Advice for Choosing Electives

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Pratik Samant
Lori V
Rebecca
Tia Harrison
Josi
Charles Yin
Adelle
Prateek Gupta
Adam Pantaleo
Melissa Ling
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Melissa Ling




Posts : 21
Join date : 2011-01-29
Age : 30

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PostSubject: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptySat Jun 04, 2011 10:13 pm

Hi!

Just wondering if any current iScis have advice to offer to the future iScis for choosing our two first year electives?
I remember people from the open house day said to take linear algebra if you're thinking about a concentration in physics or math later on.

Anything concerning good/bad teachers, interesting/boring/relevent courses, easy/heavy workloads, couses to stay away from, courses you wished you took, etc. is much appreciated!

Thanks Smile
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Adam Pantaleo




Posts : 91
Join date : 2010-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptySun Jun 05, 2011 12:56 am

I'd definitely take linear algebra. After going through second year without it, I realized how much I wished I had it. In addition to math and physics, linalg can also come up in some branches of chemistry, so it would be valuable to have. I plan to take the course sometime before I finish my undergrad.

Other than that, I'd say take what you truly think you'll enjoy! If you pick something you're interested in, you'll go to all the classes and have motivation to do the work. I'd also try to take one course outside of the sciences and math... because you'll get enough of that through iSci. =)
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Melissa Ling




Posts : 21
Join date : 2011-01-29
Age : 30

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyMon Jun 06, 2011 4:27 pm

Thanks Adam!

I'll be taking linear algebra for sure Smile I'm thinking of maybe an Anthro course for my second.

Just wondering, are you allowed to go to other tutorials of the same course other than the one you are scheduled for (one that a different teacher is hosting)? And how helpful are tutorials anyways?
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Adam Pantaleo




Posts : 91
Join date : 2010-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyMon Jun 06, 2011 8:43 pm

I think you need to go to your scheduled tutorial. At least it was that way for my two first-year electives (English 1A03 and Philosophy 1B03).

The usefulness of tutorials depends on the course, I think. You may be evaluated/marked in tutorial somehow, so it would be in your best interest to go. Also, you'll always learn something by going, even if it seems like you don't. So I'd say go to them all!
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Prateek Gupta
Admin



Posts : 408
Join date : 2009-12-23
Age : 32

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyTue Jun 07, 2011 5:03 am

Attendance is usually taken in tutorials -- also all assignments/labs need to be handed in to your specific TA in your section. Lastly, teachers never host tutorials, it's always the TAs, and they are always hit or miss on quality. Last year, I switched tutorial sections after a week to be in the same one as a friend, it was not a problem at all.
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Adelle

Adelle


Posts : 11
Join date : 2011-05-08

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyTue Jun 07, 2011 3:56 pm

Has anyone taken GEOG 1HA3 (Human geography)? Smile
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Charles Yin




Posts : 27
Join date : 2010-05-05
Age : 31
Location : Hamilton

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyTue Jun 07, 2011 10:11 pm

If you're taking LinAlgI, last year attendance was never taken at the (single available) tutorial and all assignments were online. I'm not sure whether or not this would vary based on instructor though.
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Prateek Gupta
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Posts : 408
Join date : 2009-12-23
Age : 32

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyWed Jun 08, 2011 9:52 pm

Adelle, Geography 1HA3 was the best course ever! Definitely recommend. lol, I think the only other two who took it were Nick Pun and Fahim.

The class content was pretty easy, you have assignments every 2 weeks. I believe there was 1 major essay, and one group project. The content was very interesting though (but I am a bit of a geography nerd) lol.
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Josi

Josi


Posts : 16
Join date : 2011-05-06
Location : Kitchener

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyWed Jun 08, 2011 11:34 pm

Would anyone recommend Communications studies? There are only a few courses that'll fit in second term for me as I'm avoiding evening and early morning courses like the plague (I'm commuting Rolling Eyes ). The other one I'd like for second term is math for computing, but the tutorial conflicts.
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Tia Harrison




Posts : 16
Join date : 2010-01-12

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyThu Jun 09, 2011 10:04 am

There is a list of courses on the iSci website that fit with the first year schedule to help everyone out with picking electives. If there is a course that you really want to take that is not on the list double check the schedule because I might of missed it. Here is the link:
http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/isci/images/stories/1st_year_elective_choice_for_2011-12.pdf
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Adelle

Adelle


Posts : 11
Join date : 2011-05-08

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyThu Jun 09, 2011 3:59 pm

Awesome Prateek! Hope I get in before its all full then Very Happy
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Melissa Ling




Posts : 21
Join date : 2011-01-29
Age : 30

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jun 10, 2011 1:00 pm

thanks for all your input! Very Happy
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Rebecca




Posts : 10
Join date : 2011-05-06

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jun 10, 2011 4:08 pm

I was wondering - I am looking up times for the electives that I want and the lecture times fit but the labs don't, is there anything I can do about this? Also, there are labs listed for monday, tuesday, wednesday and thursday.. do I attend all of these?
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Charles Yin




Posts : 27
Join date : 2010-05-05
Age : 31
Location : Hamilton

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jun 10, 2011 4:20 pm

Rebecca - the labs on Mon, Tue, Wed and Thurs are probably different sections of the same lab (i.e. they're listed as L01, L02, etc.). If this is the case, you only need to attend one and then (hopefully) the course would fit in the schedule.
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Rebecca




Posts : 10
Join date : 2011-05-06

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jun 10, 2011 4:25 pm

They are labelled like this:

L17 Th 14:30 16:20 2 BSB/340B

L18 Tu 14:30 16:20 2 BSB/340B

L19 Mo 14:30 16:20 2 BSB/340B

L20 Fr 12:30 14:20 2 BSB/340B

what does that tell me?
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Tia Harrison




Posts : 16
Join date : 2010-01-12

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jun 10, 2011 4:28 pm

You only have to sign up for one lab for your elective course. So you only need to find one lab that fits in the iSci schedule. For the iSci schedule you only need to attend one lab on Wednesday. If your elective lectures or labs is during only one of the Wednesday labs you can take that course. Here is some more information taken off the website that will hopefully make this more clear.

On Wednesdays you only need to attend one of the lab sections and similarly on Fridays. If you have found an elective that occurs during one (but not both) of the lab sections on Wednesdays ONLY, you will not have a schedule conflict. The Friday afternoon lab is listed as being five hours long, but your lab will not be five hours each week. Normally labs are three hours long, but there is a five hour slot scheduled because some weeks you will go on field trips and some weeks you will have project presentations during this time. You will need to keep this whole slot free every week. If you have an elective during this time, it will be in conflict.
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Tia Harrison




Posts : 16
Join date : 2010-01-12

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jun 10, 2011 4:29 pm

From the list of labs you posted you just need to pick one that fits your schedule and sign up for that lab when you register for your course:)
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Josi

Josi


Posts : 16
Join date : 2011-05-06
Location : Kitchener

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyWed Jun 15, 2011 11:41 pm

Is it a requirement to take two first year electives, or could I just take one (3 units)?
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Prateek Gupta
Admin



Posts : 408
Join date : 2009-12-23
Age : 32

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyThu Jun 16, 2011 7:49 am

hey josi,

I would highly recommend taking a full course load (30 units), otherwise you will be ineligible for some scholarships and you may run into problems in the future.

That being said, you can easily catch up on the 3 units in summer school if you so choose, (I know many students do this throughout McMaster), so if your plan is to complete that extra class in summer school, there should be no problems.
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Lori V

Lori V


Posts : 14
Join date : 2010-05-22
Age : 32

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jun 17, 2011 8:14 am

To be considered a full time student at McMaster, you need to be registered in 24 units each year. So if you took only one elective, you would still be a full time student with 27 units. However, you need 120 units to graduate, so you will have to make up those 3 units, likely in summer school, if you plan to graduate at the end of Level IV.

For example, next year I am only taking 24 units, yet I am still considered a full time student for OSAP purposes. However, it is going to take me 5 years to graduate.
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Pratik Samant




Posts : 8
Join date : 2011-05-06
Age : 31
Location : Mississauga

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyWed Jun 22, 2011 10:30 pm

Is LinAlg really that important if one wishes to keep open the option of physics/math as a concentration?
I was thinking of taking Spanish and English as my two electives, but now I'm nervous to do so Neutral
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Charles Yin




Posts : 27
Join date : 2010-05-05
Age : 31
Location : Hamilton

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyWed Jun 22, 2011 10:47 pm

I believe that LinAlg is required. That being said, you could take it in the summer but then you'd have a disadvantage when choosing your Year II courses.
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Yohan Yee

Yohan Yee


Posts : 32
Join date : 2010-01-19
Location : Cline Ave

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jun 24, 2011 8:57 pm

You could take LinAlg over the summer, and it shouldn't be a problem in selecting year II courses. I took it over the summer last year, and I'm doing Physics/Mathy stuff...and no issues came up.
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Sean Ridout

Sean Ridout


Posts : 15
Join date : 2011-05-17

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyThu Jun 30, 2011 10:26 pm

Sorry for posting off topic, I just wanted to make sure some upper year students were notified of this post.

I was wondering when the deadline to pay for residence is. Unless it is the same as tuition, I cannot find it on the McMaster website.

Thanks!
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Nicholas Pun




Posts : 164
Join date : 2009-12-24
Location : Keyes, 413!

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyThu Jun 30, 2011 11:33 pm

It should be the same as tuition as part of your (payment agreement), and next time just make a new thread, i'm sure we'll see it in time.
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Sean Ridout

Sean Ridout


Posts : 15
Join date : 2011-05-17

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptyFri Jul 01, 2011 1:19 am

Thanks!
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David Yun




Posts : 5
Join date : 2011-08-07

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptySat Mar 31, 2012 11:55 pm

Melissa Ling wrote:


I'll be taking linear algebra for sure Smile I'm thinking of maybe an Anthro course for my second.


Hey Melissa, I would definitely recommend taking LinAlg. And I think you would enjoy taking the Cultural Anthropology course in second term. I've heard that the book reports are fun. Look forward to meeting you!
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Melissa Ling




Posts : 21
Join date : 2011-01-29
Age : 30

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PostSubject: Re: Advice for Choosing Electives   Advice for Choosing Electives EmptySun Apr 01, 2012 2:00 pm

Thanks for the advice David, I'll definitely keep that in mind when selecting courses. Can't wait to make iSci bffls!
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