hey im a first year student going into commerce and heres just a few urgent questions i need answered if anybody could help itd be greatly appreciated... also if you have your own questions please post them up


- any good sources to buy textbooks for cheap ?
- whens the last date you can change courses for second term ?
- is it better to have a tutorial before or after class ?
- is it better to have a lab in the same day as a lecture, or on another? and if on same day before or after a lecture?
- is taking a course in summer school a good option?

theres more but thats all i can think about at this exact moment so ill add em later

Hey :]

"Any good sources to buy textbooks for cheap?"

Two words. Upper years. Also, try Undercovers - it's this place where upper years can sell their books to them, at a price they set, and you can buy it there.

"When is the last date you can change courses for second term?"

- The last day to add term 2 courses is January 13, 2010.
The last day to cancel term 2 or 3 courses without academic penalty is March 5, 2010.

"Is it better to have a tutorial before or after class?"

Honestly, it doesn't matter. It's nice when you have tutorial soon after a class, so you can talk about the lecture and it's fresh in everyone's mind. But other than that, it really doesn't matter, and it makes no difference as the weeks go by.

"Is it better to have a lab in the same day as a lecture, or on another? And if on the same day, before or after a lecture?"

I've never had labs before, but I'll assume it's better to have labs near your lecture so that all the material you learned is fresh and you work better.

"Is taking a course in summer school a good option?"

It depends on you. Do you think you'd do well in summer school, so hot and tempting to go outside, and the material is a loooot more condensed. It's crazy enough to learn a textbook's worth of material in 4 months, but in 2 it can be overwhelming. However, lots of people get through it, and it's fine for them. It's a good way of getting rid of requirements and having space for electives. It does cost money though!

ohh mann thankss for alll of thatt it reallly hellpedd me alott! if i have more questionss ill sure come to youu

Please only post once, and give it some time, people will start respondingas soon as possible.

well i know that the last day to add/drop courses is september 21st but there is also a drop without penalty date too. for cheap textbooks check the marketplace here at macinsiders, or facebook in a group for mcmaster commerce '13, or titles which sometimes has used books stocked at a 25% discount

now about your course questions. in my opinion you will prolly use more information from your lecture in labs than tutorials. though im in engineering so it may not be the same. and as long as you dont mind taking up a month and half of your summer to do a course or two then summer school may be good. there is no doubt you will be able to concentrate better and ultimately have a better grade. depends on what you want tho.

hope that helps

I have bought tons of textbooks on amazon.ca.
If you know what your textbooks are order them asap so you get them just in time.

Originally Posted by p4lyfe12

hey im a first year student going into commerce and heres just a few urgent questions i need answered if anybody could help itd be greatly appreciated... also if you have your own questions please post them up


- any good sources to buy textbooks for cheap ?
- whens the last date you can change courses for second term ?
- is it better to have a tutorial before or after class ?
- is it better to have a lab in the same day as a lecture, or on another? and if on same day before or after a lecture?
- is taking a course in summer school a good option?

theres more but thats all i can think about at this exact moment so ill add em later

1) Amazon, The Marketplace, Upper Years (Such as your reps, CAs, IRC leaders)
2) Term 2 courses drop/add deadline is Jan 13th
3) It doesn't matter
4) It doesn't matter. It depends on when you want your labs (i.e. if you are a morning person or if you don't mind ended later around 5:30).
5) This depends on what you plan on doing after undergrad. Some schools prefer if you take a full course load throughout your undergrad. This shows that you can deal with the workload.

Originally Posted by p4lyfe12

- any good sources to buy textbooks for cheap ?

Try searching eBay for the ISBN of your book. You may be surprised by what you'll find.

- is taking a course in summer school a good option?

Depending on your faculty and department, they may be lead by TAs. I don't have anything against TAs (I am one), but they're not profs. Carefully look into who's teaching your course before you sign up.

ohh, so a lot of summer courses are taught by TA's :S?

Originally Posted by ~*Sara*~

ohh, so a lot of summer courses are taught by TA's :S?

I wouldn't say a lot, but some have been. They may do a great job too, but my experience has been that a prof does a better one (and you pay the same for both). Many of the courses are well-instructed, but you just have to do some research to make sure.