Notes

for B.S.E. students on studying science, math, and

computing in freshman year
The B.S.E. FirstYear Requirements
ThefreshmanyearprogramofstudyiscommontoallsixB.S.E.concentrations.Itconsistsoftwotermsof
physics(103104,105106,orEGR191Physics104),twotermsofmath(103104,104201,201202,orEGR
192Math202orequivalent),onetermofchemistry(201or207),andonetermofcomputing(COS126).
StudentswithAPcreditinphysics,math,andchemistrycanuseittoplaceoutofsomeofthese
requirements.
B.S.E.studentsnormallytakephysics,math,andchemistryinthefallalongwithanelectivecourseora
writingseminar,whileinthespringtheytakephysics,math,andcomputersciencealongwithtwoelective
coursesortheirwritingseminarandanelective.Studentswhoneedasecondsemesterofchemistry
becausetheyareheadedtoCBEorarepremedwillhavetosacrificeoneoftheirelectivestoChem202or
possiblyputoffcomputingtosophomoreyear.
WhydostudentsinORFEandCOShavetotakephysicsandchemistry?First,itstheBachelorofSciencein
Engineeringdegree.Second,thedisciplineofthinkingsystematicallyaboutcomplexunstructured
problemsisdirectlytransferabletootheranalyticaldisciplines,evenifthesubjectmatterisnta
prerequisite.

What to Expect
Thesecoursesmeetinacombinationoflectures,classes,andlabs.Physicsisusuallytaughtinthree
classesaweek,alongwithaonehourdemonstrationlectureandathreehourlab.Mathistypically
taughtinthreeclassesaweek.Chemistryhastwoorthreelecturesaweek,oneclass,andathreehour
lab.Computersciencehastwolecturesandtwoclassesaweek.Eachclassisimportant.Youshould
notplantomissasingleone.Ifyoudo,thenyoumustmakearrangementstogetthenotesforthatday,
althoughthatisapoorsubstituteforattendance.
SomeofyourclasseswillbetaughtbyinstructorswhosefirstlanguageisnotEnglish.Youarenowa
memberofPrincetonsinternationalcommunityofstudentsandscholars,andeveryoneherehasan
accent,evenyou.Althoughthisaddstothechallenge,moststudentsareabletoadjusttounderstanding
accentedEnglishwithinafewweeks.
Expectyourcoursestobeverychallenging.Youshouldnotexpecttounderstandeverythingintuitively.
Therewillbehomeworkproblemsthatyoucannotsolve.Knowingtheformulaisntthekeytosolvingthe
problem.Problemsmayhavemultiplestagesinwhichyouwillneedtousetheanswerinthefirststage
tosolvethesecond.Becomeaccustomedtoseekinghelp.
CalculusatPrincetonistaughtwithoutusingacalculator.Ifyouvecometorelyonagraphingcalculatorto
docalculus,youwillhavetoadjusttodoingwithoutit.

Ingeneral,youshouldplanonputtinginabouttwiceasmanyhoursstudying,workingproblems,and
writingprogramsasyoudointheclassroominyourmath,scienceandcomputingcourses.Thatsright,
abouttwiceasmany.Ifyourenot,thensomethingisntright.Soifyourclasshoursinphysics,math,
andchemistryinthefalltermaddupto16,thenyoushouldfindatleast30hoursinyourweektodo
homework,study,attendofficehours,andworkonextraproblems.Thatsthedifferencebetweenhigh
schoolandcollege.Inhighschool,youprobablydidverylittlehomework.Incollegeyoudoalot.

Solve Physics Problems, Dont Memorize the Textbook

Oneofthebiggestmistakesthatfreshmanengineeringstudentsmakeistryingtostudyphysicsasifitwere
APBiology.Inotherwords,theyhighlightthetextbookandtrytomemorizetermsandconcepts.This
doesnotworkinphysics!Collegephysicsisaboutsolvingproblems.Getridofthehighlighter,whichis
uselessinanyevent(anddegradestheresalevalueofyourbooks,too.)Readthetextonce,andseehow
itrelatestoyourlecturenotes.Thenstartworkingproblems.Whenyouneedtounderstandsomething
aboutaproblem,readtherelevantpassageoftext.Thengobacktotheproblemandworkonitsome
more.
Worklotsofproblems,soyouarecomfortablewiththedisciplineofsolvingthem.Iftheanswersare
printedinthebackofthebook(sometimestheyare,sometimestheyarent),dontlookatthemunderany
circumstances.Manystudentsmakeastabattheproblem,lookattheanswer,convincethemselvesthey
knowhowitwasobtained,andgoon.Remember,theanswersarenotonthebackoftheexamination
booklet,andstudentswhodothisusuallyfindthattheyhavetakenonetoomanyshortcuts.
Thegoalistobecomecomfortablewithunderstandingproblems,settingupaplantosolvethem,and
workingatthemsystematically.Oddsarethattheproblemyouseeontheexamwontlooklikeanything
youveseenbefore,butifyouarecomfortablewiththeapproachtosolvingproblems,youcantakeitapart
andmakeaplanforsolvingit.

Office Hours are Crucial

Allinstructorsarerequiredtosetasidetimeeachweektomeetwithstudentsintheircourses.Allstudents
needtogetusedtogoingtoinstructorsofficehours,oneofthemostunderutilizedresourcesat
Princeton.YouhaveaconflictwithyourPhysics103instructorsofficehours?Speakwithhimorher
aboutothertimesheorshemightbeavailable.Almostalwaysanothermeetingtimecanbearranged.
Yourinstructorswillnotthinkthatyouarestupidforcomingtoofficehours.Infact,quitetheopposite:
theywillappreciatethatyoucareenoughaboutmasteringthedifficultmaterialandhavemadetheeffort.
Bringhomeworkproblemsonwhichyougetstuck,oryourlecturenotesifsomethingdidntmakesense.
Scared?Gowithanotherstudentintheclass.
Dontbedisappointediftheinstructordoesntgiveyoutheanswer.Morelikely,theywillaskyou
questionsorexplainconceptsuntilyouseethewaytotheansweryourself.Thisishowcollegeteaching
shouldwork.

Extracurriculars, Athletics, Jobs, Businesses

B.S.E.studentsparticipateinallformsofextracurricularactivity.Forthemostpart,theirinvolvementdoes
notaffecttheirstudies,andthereshouldbeadequatetimetopursueseveralrewardingactivities.As
always,yourstudiescomefirst,andleadershiporsuccessinextracurricularlifedoesnotoffsetfailingor
barelypassinggrades.Soifyoufindyourgradesslipping,itstimetorebalanceyourtimeallocation.
WeareverypleasedthatmanyBSEstudentsparticipateinintercollegiateathletics,andwecelebratetheir
accomplishments.ManyengineeringfacultymembersarepartoftheAthleticAcademicFellowsprogram.
Youmayfind,however,thatbalancingyouracademicobligationswithyourathleticcommitmentsismore
difficultthaninhighschool.AtPrinceton,academicsalwaystakeprecedence.Yourcoachesunderstand
this.Ifyouarehavingdifficultybalancingathleticsandacademics,pleasespeakwithyourcoach,whowill
almostcertainlybemoreaccommodatingthanyoumightimagine.Usuallysomerebalancingofyour
prioritiesandtimemanagementwillenableyoutokeepupwithyourstudiesandcontinueyourathletic
activity.
Manystudentsholdcampusjobs.Inadditiontoprovidinganopportunitytoearnmoney,acampusjobisa
goodwaytomakefriendsandgetconnected.Usuallyitsafunbreakfromyourstudies.Youcantleta
campusjobtakeuptoomuchofyourtime,however.Wegenerallyfindthat10hoursperweekisthe
mostthatastudentcandevotetoacampusjobandstillhavetimeforclass,homework,studying,
socializing,otheractivities,dining,andsleeping.AcademicsuccessatPrincetonisnotjustaboutdevoting
thebareminimumtoyouracademicobligationsbuthavingthetimetoreallylearnthematerial.
IfyouareplanningonstartingorrunningabusinesswhilestudyingengineeringatPrinceton,pleasethink
carefully.RunningabusinessandbeingafulltimestudentatPrincetonareusuallyincompatible.
Academicsgenerallyloseoutandgradesplummet,thuspotentiallyendingyourPrincetoncareer
prematurely.Ifyoufindyourselfdevotingmoretimetoabusinessthantoyourstudies,considertakinga
leaveofabsenceandresumingyourstudiesaftereither(a)youhavebecomefantasticallywealthyby
sellingyourbusinesstoGoogleor(b)theideahasrunitsnaturalcourseandyoucanstepawayfromit.If
youwanttobeanotherBillGates,thatsfine,butdontmessupyouracademicrecordalongtheway.

Academic Support and Tutoring

Ifinstructorsofficehoursarentsufficient,thenthereareotheravenuesofsupport.Thereviewsessions
andstudyhallsintheMcGrawCenterprovideclarificationandondemandgrouptutoring.See
http://www.princeton.edu/mcgraw/us/andfollowlinks.Individualtutoringisalsoavailablethroughyour
residentialcollegeofficeforstudentswhoarefindingtheofficehoursandMcGrawprogramsarestillnot
enough.ThisisntforturningaB+intoanA,butratherisintendedforstudentswhoarestrugglingtoget
theirgradesupintothepassingrange.Tutoringfromanyothersourceisillegal(see
http://www.princeton.edu/pub/rrr/part2/index.xml#comp24,section2.4.5).
Yourresidentialcollegeofficeandespeciallyyourdirectorofstudiescanbeespeciallyhelpfulindirecting
youtosourcesofhelp.Asalways,weintheUndergraduateAffairsOfficeoftheengineeringschoolare
alwayshappytotalk.Callusat6092584554toseewhenwouldbeagoodtime.Wellalwaysaskyou
first,Haveyouspokenwithyourinstructor?,soyouwillwanttobeabletosayYes,Ihave.