Ok here it goes I was recently admitted to the University of Texas at Austin, but I have a problem concerning my major. See, I wanted to go into the college of Engineering but I didn’t know it was required to take the SAT II, so I couldn’t get into that school because it was too late for my scores to be on their record so I could get admitted to that certain school. So if I go to the university I am going in as a computer science major. My problem is that I really want to go into the college of engineering (I do plan to take the SAT II so ill have it on record), but would I lose a whole semester of learning and junk. Would that mean I would have to attend the college for an extra semester to catch up? My friends are always talking about taking your basics when you first get there, but I don’t know what that means. Are they general courses or something? Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks….

Colleges usually have a set of required subject areas that you have to take a course in before you graduate. For example, my college requires a math, an english each year, three classes in history or social science, three humanities, 3 P.E., and a few more. That's most likely what your friends mean by the basics.

Before you graduate, you also have to have a certain number of class hours total. If you don't have enough, you can ask the academic admissions if you can overload (take more than the maximum number of hours that you can take during a semester; the requirement to be allowed to overload aren't that much, you've probably got them). If not overloading, you can see if your school offers a summer school and you can take some gain some needed hours there.

I hope I answered everything. Anything else, just ask. Welcome to Answerpool.

PS: are you a fan of The Strokes by any chance?

Thx for th help... and yeah I'm a huge fan of The Strokes.

Leave it to the Master of Music to figure out that 721 is a Strokes fan. How'd you do it?

Most engineering colleges require that you take Physics and Calculus in your first year as part of the 'basics'. At least they did when I went to an engineering school moons ago. Check with your school to see what the first year engineering requirements are, and maybe you'll be taking them anyway in your computer science curriculum, saving you lost time if you should transfer over the following semester or year.

Err, I think misunderstood where he was wondering about the basics. I didn't realize he meant college of engineering basics. Sorry!

Hehe, easy, Gerry. Room On Fire is the name of the second album by The Strokes.

Oh, thanks. We get too soon oldt and too late schmart. My music knowledge vanished with The Beatles.