Spring is my first semester at SFU. Do you know any easy electives that I could enroll? I need to get familiar with course loads at SFU. So, I need easy electives. Thanks in advace! :)
will let you see if there are any red flags for professors. It also lets you know about any recent changes that may invalidate what you find out on the Facebook page (e.g. if the department changed some aspects of the course because it was too easy)
But in the end, it's just what's available now. There's not much.
It also depends on how you learn.
e.g. I found CHIN 180-201 (double-speed Chinese courses) fun and loved doing it, other people struggle with CHIN 100.
Depends on your interest
e.g. if you liked the show "Cosmos" there's PHYS 190
Consider how it fits with your other courses this semester. I'm not particularly interested in one course I'm taking this semester, but it's at Burnaby Mountain an hour before my other class starts. The alternative would be an hour commuting from the other campus to BBY. That's an hour I'll probably use to study rather than just listen to music and browse Facebook on my phone.
Some general tips (much of it lifted from )
Don't take any high school upgrade courses (i.e. Math 100, Chem 110, etc) Take them through online distance education then send the transcript to admissions for them to update it. They're GPA killers.
Don't miss a single lecture, even if you're sick. If you do miss one, find someone in class willing to tell you everything and share their notes.
If your teacher provides them before lectures, print out the slide deck (or if you have a tablet, insert it into a OneNote document) and write directly on it. I like OneNote because I can zoom in and out, and it gives a bit of room to the right of the slide.
University is NOT like high school at all, and you're going to have an adjustment period. It's good that you're taking this semester to adjust.
You're going to need to study a lot on your own. The school expects you to spend 2-3 hours of study for every hour in lecture. You won't have to do this for every course, but you should try to, because there will be courses you'll need to do it in and you need to get used to it. Also, if your GPA is high enough you can get scholarships, bursaries, etc. and it makes you eligible for some pretty sweet exchange programs.
When studying don't do it in one big block. Do something like the Pomodoro method (25 minutes studying ~5 minute break, every 4 study sessions take a 15-30 minute break) and during your break stay off Facebook, TV, etc. and get away from your desk. Maybe eat a quick snack and do some exercise. Walk around the house a bit. Set an alarm and close your eyes listening to music lying on the couch.
Don't study for longer than a few hours at a time.
Stack something right after studying that you'll look forward to. I watch a few episodes of a TV show to get hooked, then will only watch it after I've studied. It needs to be something you get excited for, but not so good that you'll be distracted thinking about it instead of studying. Also, try to make it the same time every day. If it's a habit you won't feel like it's taking time out of your day.
Go to the library to study. If you can't go there, go somewhere else outside your house that's quiet and free of distractions.
When reading the text, do it methodically. Some people recommend the SQ3R method.
Use mnemonics. And come up with your own For chemistry's first 36 chemicals I didn't like anyone else's so I came up with He Henry Likes Beer ||BaCoNO FNeNa || MagicAl SiPS || Clark's Casket (ClArK's CaSc [ spoiler alert: like the end of Batman v Superman]) || Televised Cremation (TiVCrMn) || Feral Cougars Nipped CuZn (cousin) GaGe || ass breaker (AsSe BrKr).
Always go to office hours and ask the prof or TA, or at least another student (not in class), if you're having trouble with a concept for longer than 30 minutes. You'll spend 10 hours instead of 10 minutes trying to figure it out on your own. Before you go, though, ask yourself "what exactly don't I understand?"
These really just work for courses that aren't like math. If it's math just practice practice practice and use Khan Academy and Purple Math, third-party books etc.
When you write notes, transcribe them all into your own words ASAP after, and in bullet points.Elaborate as much as you can based on lecture content. Either in clean writing or on the computer. Highlight parts of them. I find them easier to read and focus on if each bullet is a different colour. At the bottom of each section, summarize it. Write them in question form--question, answer, question answer. This'll help you make flashcards which'll help on tests (tests are way faster in University than they were in HS). If you really want to do well, do this with your textbook as well.
Review the notes you wrote later that day. Then the next day. Then the next week. Then 2 weeks later. You'll end up spending more time reviewing throughout the semester, but when the final comes around you won't be pulling all-nighters and you'll ace it.
Thank you so much for explaining every single detail. All the points are sooooo useful for me! Thanks
I already studied the first two years of BBA at College and am going to start my third year at SFU. I used to take 5 courses each semester at Douglas college and have a high GPA. I am wondering if there is any major difference between courses and their level of difficulty in these two schools (SFU and DOUGLAS)? I have already registered for 5 courses at SFU, two online and three lecture.
I do not know about other kinds of classes at SFU (I mean except online courses and lectures).
I am wondering if getting a good grade on 5 courses each semester at SFU is similar to the same thing at DOUGLAS?
Sorry for the late reply but I am a business major in my second year at SFU, so I thought I'd give you my piece of advice. I would suggest only taking four and I say this because at Beedie the marking is different than Douglas since you are placed on a bell curve and competing amongst your classmates for the highest mark (this doesn't happen openly TBH and it isn't a big deal - don't let the bell curve scare you. You did well at Douglas so you'll do fine at Beedie too). I know you'll be fine because my mentor transferred from Kwantlen and ended up graduating with a good GPA and landing a finance job in Toronto. But I would only suggest taking four because you are on a bell curve so it will be competitive to get the marks you want and plus you can adjust to SFU. I don't know many people that take five courses but that is due to them being in clubs, working, etc. If you wish to not do those things you could do five. But I just think since it's your first semester at SFU four would be better to adjust. Although it isn't your first year in college, it will be your first semester at SFU so it will be a transitional period for you and I think there's no rush at all to do five.
Oh and by the way congrats getting into Beedie! :) you must be excited. You're going to love it! If you decide doing four I would suggest joining a club to get to know some of your peers better and network. If you know what concentration of business you're doing they have a club for it for example Marketing club, Accounting club, Finance club, Human Resources club, etc. Clubs are also a good way to meet friends - I met most of my friends from them.
Hi, thank you so much for the reply. I am taking four :) you're right, I should get familiar with SFU first. I will be done with my final exams tomorrow, then will meet an advisor to get some information about clubs and workshops. I don't have any information about them at all! My concentration might be human resources or finance. Anyways, thank you so much and I really appreciate it. Good luck. :)
Comments
For chemistry's first 36 chemicals I didn't like anyone else's so I came up with
He Henry Likes Beer || BaCoN O F NeNa || MagicAl SiPS || Clark's Casket (ClArK's CaSc [ spoiler alert: like the end of Batman v Superman]) || Televised Cremation (TiVCrMn) || Feral Cougars Nipped CuZn (cousin) GaGe || ass breaker (AsSe BrKr).