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 Silverman
Coordinator, Student Success Programs
Jennifer Hernandez, Ed.S.
Assistant Coordinator, CNAS Scholars
As Divisional Dean of Student Academic Affairs, I oversee:
Recruiting
Orientation
Academic advising
Enrollment management
Student success programs
I also remember what it
was like to be a new
science freshman at
UCR…
Topics to be covered
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
CNAS Majors, Bachelor’s degree requirements
Math requirements and placements for Fall
English requirements and placements for Fall
Making your Fall Course Schedule tomorrow
Overview of CNAS Undergraduate Academic
Advising Center (UAAC) – Barbra Wallace
Overview and Sign-up for Freshman Learning
Communities – Dr. Scott Silverman and
Jennifer Hernandez
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!
A
B
C
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
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 Ratio
Biology
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 midFall 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).
Typical CNAS Major
First-pass Fall Schedule (L.C.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
English
Math
Chemistry
Freshman Advising Sem.
CNAS Scholars
Freshman Learning
Community
Right before the beginning of Fall quarter you can add an additional course: