Highlander Orientation Summer 2014

Prof. Michael A. McKibben

Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs

Welcome to UCR!

Congratulations on becoming part of our CNAS Family!

Barbra Wallace, M.A.Director, CNAS Undergraduate Academic Advising Center

Dr. Scott SilvermanCoordinator, Student Success Programs

Jennifer Hernandez, Ed.S.Assistant Coordinator, CNAS Scholars

As Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs, I oversee:

RecruitingOrientationAcademic advisingEnrollment managementStudent success programs

I also remember what it was like to be a new science freshman at UCR…

Topics to be covered

1. CNAS Majors, Bachelor’s degree requirements

2. Math requirements and placements for Fall

3. English requirements and placements for Fall

4. Making your Fall Course Schedule tomorrow

5. Overview of CNAS Undergraduate Academic Advising Center (UAAC) – Barbra Wallace

6. Overview and Sign-up for Freshman Learning Communities – Dr. Scott Silverman and Jennifer Hernandez

7. Q & A Session with CNAS UAAC Advisors

Many Majors in CNAS !Life Sciences

Biochemistry; Biology; Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology (CMDB); Entomology; Microbiology; Neuroscience; Plant Biology

Mathematical Sciences

Mathematics; Mathematics for Secondary School Teachers; Statistics

Many Majors in CNAS !

Physical Sciences

Chemistry; Environmental Sciences; Geology; Geophysics; Geoscience Education; Physics

Undeclared

Life Sciences; Mathematical Sciences;

Physical Sciences

~ 4,800 undergraduates in CNAS

Why so many?

Anatomy of a CNAS Bachelor’s degree

Two types:

Bachelor of Science — more science units, no foreign language requirement

Bachelor of Arts — foreign language requirement, some humanities and social sciences units in place of some science units

Anatomy of a CNAS Bachelor’s degree

180 units minimum (~ 45 classes @ 4 units each)

Minimum 2.0 GPA (C average).

Minimum 2.0 GPA in all upper-division major courses.

Anatomy of a CNAS Bachelor’s degree

180 units minimum (~ 45 classes @ 4 units each)

Minimum 2.0 GPA (C average).

Minimum 2.0 GPA in all upper-division major courses.

You all stood out in High School.

New peer group – “C, D and F”

students in High School are not

here. Now, the level of effort

needed to excel is much greater.

(c) 2012 Scott Surgent

Earning a Bachelor’s degree in CNAS is equivalent to a 50-hr per week job

You need to study at least 2 additional hours for every hour spent in the classroom:

16 units = 16 hours in class

+ 32 hours studying = 48 hrs/wk

Inverse of High School!

Holding down a part-time job makes it very difficult.

Commuting or going home every weekend to be with your family makes it very difficult.

Goal number one is for you to focus on coursework and graduate with a degree in four years!

C

B

A

Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning

C = dutifully memorizing, not much more

B = applying knowledge in a critical, analytical fashion

A= critical/analytical thinking and integrating concepts

C

B

A

C

B

A

C

B

A

C

B

A

C

B

C

B

A

C

B

C

B

C

A

B

C

Getting into Medical School

How many of you are interested in getting into Medical School?

Getting into Medical School

How many of you are interested in getting into Medical School?

Medical School is very competitive, requires:Exceptional grades (3.5 - 4.0 GPA) and MCAT scores

Exceptional diagnostic and analytical skills

Exceptional community service record

Exceptional leadership and communication skills

Exceptional letters of recommendation from faculty (not M.D.s)

Getting into Medical School

How many of you are interested in getting into Medical School?

Medical School is very competitive, requires:Exceptional grades (3.5 - 4.0 GPA) and MCAT scores

Exceptional diagnostic and analytical skills

Exceptional community service record

Exceptional leadership and communication skills

Exceptional letters of recommendation from faculty (not M.D.s)

So, find a major in which you can be exceptional - explore different majors and their courses.

There is no “one” best major for Medical School.

Matriculants to US Medical Schools by Primary Undergraduate Degree Type, 2013

Source: AAMC 12/17/2013 Table 18, Applicants and Matriculants Data

Last column: half are non-life science majors!

Medical schools are looking for diverse applicants interested in the human condition, with broad educational training and life experience; not quickly-graduated, narrowly-educated students.

Strategies for Getting into Graduate and Professional Schools

Study what makes you passionate.

Major in what makes you exceptional.

It may take some time to find the major in which you can be exceptional.

Math, Chemistry, Biology and Physics are the basic sciences – but expand your horizons beyond what you know from High School.

Sample some of the smaller, less familiar majors and see what you find.

Examples of Majors Students Faculty S:F RatioBiology 2188 24 91:1

Biochemistry 757 14 54:1

Neuroscience 211 21 10:1

Mathematics 227 24 9:1

Chemistry 142 26 5:1

Environmental Science 144 27 5:1

Statistics 26 8 3:1

Physics 83 27 3:1

Geology/Geophysics 26 14 2:1

Plant Biology 26 30 1:1

Entomology 31 33 1:1

The competition you face for faculty time and research opportunities may vary among different majors.

Requirements for a CNAS Bachelor’s degree

Three levels of requirements must be completed:

University - everyone who graduates from UCR must complete these requirements.

College - everyone who graduates from CNAS must complete these requirements.

Major - everyone who graduates in your major must complete these requirements (mostly Upper Division - 100 series courses).

Requirements for a CNAS Bachelor’s degree

University (campus) requirements include:

English Composition 1A, 1B and 1C

World History course

Ethnic Studies course

College requirements include:Breadth or General Education Requirements:

Humanities, Social Sciences, Biological and Physical Sciences, Mathematics

Preparation and prerequisites:

Many CNAS majors require a significant number of preparatory courses before you start to take courses in the major.

Examples for Calculus-ready students:Biology majors can take General Biology 5A after one quarter of Calculus & Chemistry.

Biochemistry majors can take General Biochem 110A after two years of Calculus, Chemistry & Biology.

Preparatory Courses in CNAS include:MATH

CHEMISTRY

PHYSICS

BIOLOGY

STATISTICS

Q: What do these classes have in common?

Preparatory Courses in CNAS include:MATH

CHEMISTRY

PHYSICS

BIOLOGY

STATISTICS

Q: What do these classes have in common?

A: MATH – it is the language of science

Scientists are never “done” with math!If you struggle in math, you have to learn to

master it, because you will use it forever.

Importance of MATH in CNAS

Algebra, trigonometry, geometry and calculus skills are required to do science.

Every CNAS major requires at least two quarters of calculus; some require six.

Success in calculus courses is required to progress to courses in your major:

e.g. Calculus Chemistry Biology O-Chem UD

Every CNAS Freshman needs to take Math each quarter until they have completed their preparatory math requirements.

Your Math Placement UC uses the Mathematics Advisory Exam

(MAE) score to determine math preparation. (HS grades are too inconsistent)

MAE placement is mandatory - enroll in the UCR Math course you placed into based upon your MAE score (or AP/IB scores).

Your Math placement from MAE or AP/IB scores is required to enroll tomorrow in your Fall Math and Chemistry courses.

Possible Math placements from MAE• Intermediate Algebra (ARC 35)—review of

high school algebra • Math 8A or 5 — pre-calculus review • Math 8B or 9A — first-quarter calculus

Possible Math placements from AP/IB• Math 9B—second-quarter calculus• Math 9C—third-quarter calculus

Intermediate Algebra placement

If you placed into Intermediate Algebra:• Take ARC 35 this Fall at UCR (one chance)

Please see your advisor for a discussion on the impacts of this placement and strategies to reduce those impacts. Sign-up at start of Registration tomorrow afternoon.

ARC 35 is a “one try” course: you must pass it the first time to continue as a student in CNAS.

General questions about Math?

(What’s the difference between a Divisional Dean and a

Multiplicational Dean?)

Importance of English in CNAS

Students must be able to communicate scientific thought in writing.

Every CNAS major must complete ENGL 1A, 1B and 1C with a “C” or higher.

Being able to write well is required for both academic and career success.

Every incoming CNAS student needs to take ENGL, until they complete their University requirements for ENGL.

English Placement

UC uses the Analytical Writing Placement Exam (AWPE)

English placements are mandatory - enroll in the course you placed into based on your AWPE, AP or IB exam scores.

Possible English Placements from AWPE

Basic Writing 3 — basic grammar review

English 4 — writing structure review

English 1PA or 1A — first-quarter English composition

Possible English Placements from AP/IB

• English 1B—second-quarter English composition• English 1C—third-quarter English composition

English Placement

If you placed into BSWT 3, ENGL 4, ENGL 1PA, or ENGL 1A — enroll tomorrow.

If you placed into ENGL 1B — wait until mid-Fall to enroll for Winter quarter.

If you placed into ENGL 1C you do not need to worry about enrolling in this class for now.

General questions about English?

UCR’s two-pass enrollment system- All students are initially limited to 17 units in

the first-pass, well before a quarter begins.- Additional courses can be added during the

second-pass, near the beginning of the quarter.

- Tomorrow, focus on getting into required Math, Chem and English courses. Other courses (e.g. Honors) can wait until the second-pass.

CNAS Freshman Scholars Learning Communities

LCs are cohorts of 24 CNAS students who move together through the same core Math and Sciences courses during Freshman year.Instant peer support group!

Your Science & Math courses are pre-scheduled for you all year – no enrollment needed!

Weekly meeting with a Faculty mentor in Fall.You can apply to join one in a few minutes. Space is limited to ~960 Freshmen; must be Pre-Calculus

or Calculus ready by Fall (not in ARC 35 in Fall).

Several Types of CNAS Learning Communities:

General: open to any major

Major-specific

Early Research Opportunities

Dynamic Genome

Molecular Science

Sustainability

LCs require a three-quarter commitment

Participation in LCs produces a significant GPA increase and dramatically increases the likelihood of graduating in a CNAS major in 4 years:

“Finish in Four”

Students who complete LCs are eligible to apply for a Research stipend of $5,000 for the Research in Science and Engineering (RISE) Summer program (10-week summer research project in faculty lab).

Effect of LCs on GPA and Graduation rates

Tomorrow’s Events

CNAS Major Advising (Morning)

8:15 – 11:15 am

Registration (Afternoon)

1:25 - 2:45 pm

Help in making your Fall Course Schedule tomorrow:

• 2014 Freshman Orientation Guide• Fall Course Selection Guide• CNAS Breadth Course Requirements• CNAS Advising Center Location • Professional Academic Advisor &

Faculty Advisor Lists• Divisional Dean’s contact information

• CNAS Fall Mandatory Orientation Schedule

• Fall Enrollment Worksheets (receive tomorrow)

Fall Course Selections

– Attend your major’s Academic Advising session tomorrow morning to select courses.

– You will plan out three possible Fall schedules tomorrow morning, and we will get you into one of them.

– Start with: 3 core courses, ± Freshman Learning Community Seminars (17 units max).

1. English

2. Math

3. Chemistry

4. Freshman Advising Sem.

Typical CNAS Major First-pass Fall Schedule (L.C.)

CNAS Scholars Freshman Learning Community

Right before the beginning of Fall quarter you can add an additional course: