I've had a lot of questions regarding mac and luckily I was able to find this board, I've found quite a few answers just reading through topics. You guys are life savers.

Anyway, these are the questions I still have:

1) Is it too late to change courses now that I have a time table

2) MATH 1A03 is full on solar, but I have friends that go to mac that highly recommend it. Should I call the school and still try to get in?

3) Are evening courses a good idea or should I take all day courses if possible?

4) How is Woodstock Hall?

5) Do people usually end up in residences with people they don't like?

6) What's the workload like (for a Life Science student with a full course load)?

7) Will the transition from HS to Uni really be as bad as some people say?

Thanks in advance, move in day is coming up and I'm starting to get surprisingly anxious about the whole situation.

1. You can change your courses up until the drop/add closing date which is usually 2-3 weeks into the first month.

2. I would recommend math 1a03 as well. But, you're going to have to evaluate what's best for your timetable in this case, which courses are going to give you the prereqs you need for 2nd year, etc.

3. Evening courses aren't that bad. Some people prefer them because you get 3 hours of material done in one go.. some people don't like that. It is really up to you.

4. Woodstock has a lot of spirit and fun and the rooms have a lot of storage. I would recommend checking out the forum specfically on woodstock to get more info: http://www.macinsiders.com/showthread.php?t=1869 7

5. Rez admissions does its best to put you in a place that you prefer. I haven't met hardly any unhappy people. Also, if you have a conflict, you can always go talk to your CA (community advisor) who should have some advice on where to go and what t do.

6. tolerable? it's good.. no worries. PS YAY SCIENCE! I would recommend that if you're worried about things, consult your resources: library help, *profs* (they are so helpful during office hours and these profs teach first year for a reason), upperyears - there's a bio lounge where upperyears usually chill so you can ask them your questions, and of course your TA's office hours as well. One of the biggest things I wish I did more of in first year (and second for that matter) was to go to my prof's office hours. They usually want to meet their students and help them out - that's why they're there. So, definitely use that resource!

7. The transition isn't that bad but of course this is something that varies from person to person. I didn't even notice anything different but I have some friends who had a really hard time with it. But, there are so many different services on campus to cover any needs you might face, any academic problems you might have, etc.

Say hi during WW!! (I'll be the gingerkid in the black lab coat)

temara pretty much answered it, but if you have any more worries, feel free to keep posting and we'll all try and answer! don't worry so much and just try to enjoy it! keep an open mind and just work hard!

Yea I second the don't worrying bit. There are a lot of people around to help you when you get here either between the different services, your WW reps, or even your peers. Though the thought may seem scary - preparing for coming to university -, you don't need to fret at all because of all the helpful people around!

Can anyone tell me when and how I obtain my MacID?

If you have completed your registration and payment agreement, you should be receiving it soon through the mail.

I'll add my 2 cents to a few of these:

3) As Temara said, some people hate evening courses, and some people love them. You certainly can get restless sitting in the same class for 3 hours (despite there usually being a break halfway through), but they do help free up your days nicely, since you get it over with all in one shot. It's really something you have to try in order to see if you like it.

4) Woodstock's a good building - I was a CA there. It's not as shiny and new as some, but its definitely not a dump either. The floors are a nice size (~55 people) and well laid out so that it's easy to meet pretty much everyone (the single common room per floor and communal bathrooms help with this).

5) I'd say that people usually end up in residence with people they do like. Really, serious roommate conflicts aren't that common. Of course, any time you live with someone else there has to be a good amount of communication and compromise, and that's really key to getting along with your roommate. If they're doing something you don't like, voice your concerns (diplomatically, of course) and see if you can come to a solution. Most people are reasonable, and it really may have never occurred to your roommate that what they're doing could bother someone else. If that fails, then that's what your CA (Community Advisor) is for - they can help mediate any problems you may have. But seriously, I've known far more people who have become great friends (and often later housemates) with their roommates than ones who have hated each other. Don't worry about it too much

6) The workload for a science student is relatively high, but like Temara said, tolerable. Usually only the engineers have it tougher. But again, there are tons of resources available if you're having a tough time, and more students should take advantage of them. I'll echo the sentiment that first-year science profs are typically very good at dealing with students, and understand the pressures inherent in the transition from high school (some of them even research this). So definitely approach them if you're having trouble!

7) The biggest change that I think students notice in the HS to university transition is the faster pace of everything. From material in the classroom to just life itself, it seems to flash by quickly. For example, a lot of the material in first-year bio or chem you may have already learned in high school, but what your teachers there took a week to cover could be done in a single lecture at university. As such, it's essential for you to review your notes outside of class and do readings from the textbook and/or sample problems to reinforce what you heard in lecture and ensure that you understand it. And therein lies another huge change - personal accountability. No one will be looking over your shoulder to ensure that you understand what was taught or to make sure that you hand your assignment in on time - you need to do that for yourself. Also, if you're used to the current educational fad of "no assignment is ever considered late and you never get marks taken off for lateness", you might as well kiss that idea goodbye (and while you're at it, tell the government that it's not realistic for this very reason). Most classes will lay out late penalties in the course outline, and they usually range from 10-20% off per day, or even zero if it's not there on time (sorry for the rant, it's just a personal pet peeve of mine about high school today :p)

Which brings up one of the most important skills to learn in the transition, if you haven't already: time management. More than anything else, I think it's time management issues that kill incoming students - true, the material is challenging as well, but if you're a chronic procrastinator on top of that, then you've got a much bigger obstacle in your path. Combine that with the fast pace of university, and it's a recipe for disaster. You have to make time to review, time to do assignments, and time to study. You also have to prioritize, and focus your efforts on the areas that you are struggling with. Sometimes you may even have to make choices about what you will complete - it may just not be worth it to hand in a time-consuming assignment that's worth 2% of your mark when there are two much bigger tests looming in the same week (not that I'd recommend this, really, but the idea may be unfathomable to some and commonly accepted by others). You also have to make time to play, or else you'll become a numb automaton whose soul has been crushed by too much chemistry :p

So I hope that helped a bit. You may want to check out the Centre for Student Development website, too: http://csd.mcmaster.ca/ They have a lot of resources dealing with academic and study skills (and many personal/mental health/disability issues as well), and run many workshops during the year (as well as offering personal counselling). Again, there are many people there to help and support you at Mac in your first year and beyond! So don't worry about it too much, you're going to have a great time

Hi! Another first-year... I have a few questions that I think are kind of stupid, but I can't find the answers anywhere.

1. On move-in day, do we stay the night that night? Do we go home? I live down in Windsor, so I have no idea.

2. My high school teachers liked scaring us by saying that we had to read our textbooks from cover to cover before school even started, because the professors at university like to quiz students on the material on the first day. It might sound dumb but... Is it true?

3. For OSAP, a young lady who was helping me choose my courses said that on the first day, I have to go to the financial office to pick up something. What is this process? When does it take place? Is there any easier way of doing it than standing in line all day?!

Thanks for all the help in advance! I'm excited to be attending Mac. I'm told it's a really good school, and from the impression the people there have already left on me during welcome days and so on, I'm really happy. Everyone's been so kind and helpful so far!

1. On move-in day you should definitely stay as you'll want to organize your space, meet your roommates/house mates and participate in the activities your residence has planned for you!

2. High school teachers tell you a lot of stuff like that but don't worry at all. Some classes you might want to be that thorough but that's a rareity. And you don't have to read it all before, that'd just be crazy sauce! A lot of the classes in first year focus on help you transitioning so no worries.
Also, if you ever have problems or need help, there are SO many resources out there so no stress!

3. OSAP usually has a pick-up line on the 3rd floor of the student center. If you time it right, you can get right in and out in maybe 10 minutes. There are peak times where you might find yourself waiting for over an hour though.

1 WE ARE FROM MAC 2 A LITTLE BIT LOUDER... Mac is amazing so just stay excited and save your energy for all the welcome week fun!!!

SO I have a question - for the first week or so of classes - do we only go to the cores?

Labs definitely don't run until sometime after your first class. Tutorials shouldn't start until after either..

So we don't go to tutorials or labs in the first week of school??

Because im looking at my schedule and thats 5 classes i won't have to go in the first week atleast.

If this is true....this is great lol.

Ok...let's try to clarify this a little more. The first two days of classes are Thurs. Sept. 4 and Fri. Sept. 5. Technically, this is your "first week" of school - and these classes ARE IMPORTANT. Generally, the first lecture of ANY class is extremely important.

So, the GENERAL rule of thumb is this, since it applies to ALL situations: you never go to a lab or tutorial before you attend the first lecture for its associated class. During that lecture, they'll tell you when you have to go to them. So it's impossible to predict in advance when your first one will be.

Now, chances are you'll have at least 3 of your classes represented on that first Thursday and Friday - that means at least 3 first lectures. Thus, in those lectures, they'll tell you the lab and tutorial schedule. There IS a chance that you'll be starting labs (or some lab-like activity) as early as the week after that (i.e., Sept. 8-12) - you'll just have to go to that first lecture and find out.

Alright makes sense.

However on the first day of classes (Sept. 4th), i have a Lab, however i dont have the core for that class on that day, i have 2 classes on thursday, a core class, and a lab, do i just go to the lab anyways and will there be people there or no?

No, you don't go to the lab if you haven't had its class yet. Well, you could go....but you'd be standing there for 3 hours alone You have to go to one of the classes first, because that's where they tell you when all the labs are. In addition to this, NO labs ever start the first 2 days, and usually not the next week either.