Below you will find the courses to take your first semester at Cabrillo and the process for mapping out your semester-by-semester plan at Cabrillo.
- CG 51-STEM
- ENGR 5
- Choose your level of math: Math 5A (Calculus I) or Math 4 (Pre-Calculus) or Math 1 (College Algebra)
- Choose your level of chemistry: CHEM 1A (College Chemistry) or CHEM 3/3L (if you did not receive an A or B in high school chemistry)
Other Course Options if you want to take another major core course in your first semester:
ENGR 25 (All Engrs) or ENGR 12 (Mech & Aero Engrs only) or ENGR 1A (Civil Arch & Structural Engrs only)
- CG 51-STEM
- ENGR 5
- Choose your level of math: Math 5A (Calculus I) or Math 4 (Pre-Calculus) or Math 1 (College Algebra)
- Choose your level of computer science: CS 11 (C Programming) or CS 12P (Python Programming, for UCSC) or CS 1/L (if you need more experience using computers)
Other Course Options if you want to take another major core course in your first semester:
PHY 4A (College Physics) or PHY 11 (if you did not receive an A or B in high school physics)
Resources for Course Planning
- Engr Core Course Requirements & Drafting Educational Plan
- Model Program, Courses, & Degree Info
- Suggested Semester Plan ("Map") of Courses (scroll down to S.T.E.M. and the 5 engineering maps)
- Assist.org
- Course Checklist Worksheet
- Course Critical Path for Transfer Engineering Programs Worksheet
- For career advising and course requirements, see Jo-Ann here
- For registration issues, see a STEM counselor here
Selecting Best Fit Transfer Universities
City or small town
Isolated college town or near city life
Near Santa Cruz or far (consider travel time)
4 seasons or no 4 seasons
Weather: cold, humid, etc
Outdoorsy?
Campus layout: close together or spread out
Social/political views: liberal or conservative
Cooperative or competitive environment
Commuter or live-in school: % of freshman who live in dorms and % of sophomores who live in dorms?
Is there housing for all four years?
Gender diversity: female/male in engineering? In college/university?
Ethnic diversity: ethnicity/race?
Small or large school? Number of students enrolled?
Number of students in your engineering major/in the College of engineering?
Faculty: young or old
How do they get incoming freshman connected? Freshman orientation, program during summer, etc, and for how long?
Freshman: first-year experience
Mainly local students or spread from all states?
International students?
Residential dorms? Only engineering?
What projects are engineering student clubs working on? Are there active clubs?
Connection between faculty and student
Sports?
Fraternities/Sororities?
What percentage of their junior year is transfer students from community colleges?
How are the transfer students connected?
ABET: accred. Individual engineering programs
Focus on undergraduate education? BS/MS; graduate education? BS/MS/PhD
Who is teaching courses? Faculty or graduate students
Focus on practical hands-on or theoretical research?
Are freshman doing design in their first year?
If hands-on: makerspace? machine shop?
Faculty projects? i.e. some of the projects that the engineering faculty are working on
Humanitarian engineering/service-learning projects
Abroad/global programs (Engineers Without Borders & Engineers for a Sustainable World)
What do general education courses look like? breadth or depth?
Emphasis on sustainable design?
Minors: entrepreneurship? mechatronics (robotics)? sustainability?
Possible/process to switch majors after first year if interests change?
Jobs on campus? Makerspace? Working with professors on projects?
Co-ops? 5-yr program?
Tuition costs
Merit aid or financial aid
Scholarships
Student housing or off campus?
Transportation costs: accessible public transportation or car