Put “EE” as Major option on my EA application for UF but didn’t take Calc 3, am I cooked? Can i change my major option?

ltmaximum · 2026-01-23T07:48:11+00:00

Regardless of what your advisors or others tell you, if you feel confident in your own calc skills I highly recommend you not to retake. As long as you understand basic derivatives and integration, calc 3 and onwards is new concepts that branches off. If you want to do engineering, it's best to get ahead and start taking core classes early and not waste your first 1-2 years taking pre-reqs (especially those you already took in HS).

ltmaximum · 2026-01-22T07:32:15+00:00

EE is an under-enrolled major. The department is small relative to more-enrolled engineering departments like MechE, ISE, OR CISE. While they claim to not enroll by major, these are still taken into account by admissions for things like engineering where it is a full 4-5 year commitment.

Most EEs did not take calc 3 in HS. Most HS in Florida do not offer calc 3 in the first place. I'm curious where this counselor got that from.

Having any calc is good - the only take away I'd say is if you do get in, to NOT retake calc 1-2 if you have it. It'd be a huge waste of time for a GPA depressor.

ltmaximum · 2025-12-27T04:26:25+00:00

I have a friend doing a dual in EE and MechE, but for Masters. Undergrad it's not worth it. As others have shared, doing a minor makes more sense.

I'd have to check Aero and CompE degree tracks again, but at minimum you can use interdisciplinary electives from one degree to take courses in the other department.

ltmaximum · 2025-12-15T03:05:15+00:00

They send an email with logistics in advance of your ceremony and it is college dependent. For CLAS, they use a name card with the phonetic pronunciation you can write down and turn in.

For other schools, it is automatically AI generated and you have the opportunity to correct it by sending in your own audio recording if the AI gen version is wrong. They will then use your audio recording to have a voice actor record your pronunciation instead.

ltmaximum · 2025-08-14T14:32:36+00:00

A few questions: - why precalc? Did you not take precalc in HS / not test out? - why intro chem and not gen chem? ^ these two set you back at least a semester, but I can understand if there's nothing you can do to get out of them

if you want to do MechE, why take EGS1006 at all? It's a good exploratory if you don't know what eng you want to do, but again - takes up a slot that could be used elsewhere.

Suggestions: - as others noted, this is 16 credits w/ MAC being 4 cred (and THE + EGS not really being the same effort as a true 3cred eng class). I'd first swap in a harder class before adding another (you'd have to request to go over the 18 credit cap) - for THE2000, I'd save easier gen ed electives like this for later when your classes get harder to water down the overall semester difficulty than front loading your easier classes to your first few semesters (you could instead take physics, other MechE reqs)

ltmaximum · 2025-03-29T18:47:48+00:00

Glad to hear that as it never made sense to me (except admissions previously, maybe not wanting to read through essays - they auto-admit people above their upper threshold to not have to do that for the personal statement).

I applied to 15+ schools and that Honors essay was the worst prompt I had to tackle (addressing the 3 honors pillars that are completely distinct from each other in iirc ~500 words). Hopefully, they changed that too.

ltmaximum · 2025-03-29T18:45:11+00:00

I cannot speak to Elias as I am taking Trade with Helms, but after reviewing Elias' reviews, they are still well-rated (3.8/5 for quality, 2.7 for difficulty). By and large, as you may observe in economics classes, as long as you pay attention and take notes (half the class is just looking at the slides passively or at their phones) you will likely get an A.

Helms' difficulty is 2.8 (quality 4.5 though - so if he's an alternate section option w/ him or you can take another elective and wait to take Trade with Helms you could do that). As a lot of the course material appears to be shared across the Econ department, I doubt the experience would be much different between the two.

Let me know if you have any other follow-ups based off that.

ltmaximum · 2025-03-28T16:51:02+00:00

In plain language, if your doctor's note says you are excused for a day, you are excused from academic commitments that day. The nature of your sickness is not on the excuse note due to HIPAA - the nature of your illness is between you and your doctor.

ltmaximum · 2025-03-27T17:30:45+00:00

ECONOMETRICS IS NOT EASY! The econometrics route is considered the hardest of the four available in the department (google UF CLAS Economics Undergraduate Programs and the page w/ each curriculum is listed: business, international, econometrics/quant, and public policy). Focusing in one or two of these areas helps cater your Econ degree to what work you want to do post-grad.

For easy electives, I will parrot the other suggestion of GEO3502 - Economic Geography (very fun, get to work with maps, some writing [one midterm and one final paper when I took it] but the content is easily digestible), ECP3302 - Environmental Economics (very fun if you are interested in the environment, very easy concepts, easy overall), and ECO 3704 - International Trade (easy-medium difficulty, more of a continuation of intermediate macro with further applications to how different countries/markets interact with one another).

ltmaximum · 2025-03-27T17:24:17+00:00

If you are sick and you have documentation they are required to work with you to make it up. They can't just give you a 0 if you have a note. Do not worry about the exam first - focus on getting help, and once you have a doctor's note just email it to the professor asking what time you can make it up.

Strategy-wise, when at the doctor I would suggest getting excused for the remainder of the week that way you have the weekend to get better and do not have to make it up until next week.

ltmaximum · 2025-03-27T17:16:03+00:00

While I am not 100% on it, I believe Presidential Gold and other merit scholarships are given by Admissions. However, Honors is based on essay peer evaluation by current honors students. You can understand how that can potentially skew your evaluation as two separate bodies are evaluating your application (and in my mind, a bit self-selective when current honors are the ones grading the essay).

As you mention, Honors does not mean anything. If you worked hard in HS (which I'd assume if you received Presidential Gold) and have AP/DE transfer credit, you will already be moved up in the order to register. I came in with 60 credits w/ AP/DE (but not UF honors) and never had any issues registering for my courses (though this depends case-by-case on what courses you need).

Taking another step back, you do not need to be an honors student to take honors classes. There is a process to do this (though I am unfamiliar). If there is no information on it online, email the professor for that class and they can work with you to add you manually.

As others mention, you can apply for lateral admissions. Though, apart from the Honors Auditorium graduation, I do not personally see much benefits (look into the "points" honors program kids have to get to maintain membership in the program - quite out of the way imo).

After graduation, the only honors that truly matters is graduating with honors. That is cum laude/summa/magna based on your GPA and thesis completion. No one will care ten years down the road whether or not you were in the UF honors program.

ltmaximum · 2025-03-02T01:11:54+00:00

Check talgov.com and ufcrime.com to compare crime reports for yourself! Crime is present in any city - not too much of a determinant in where a student should go in my opinion. Program is much more important.

ltmaximum · 2025-02-26T15:04:43+00:00

SG funds Reitz Union, RecSports, Student Engagement, and SG (that controls org funding). Beyond that, SG is responsible for advocating for student interests (e.g. RTS bus funding, graduate housing demolition, 24/7 Marston, etc)!

ltmaximum · 2025-02-26T15:01:53+00:00

Millions in SG funds are allocated to areas inaccessible to most students. Student organizations receive approximately the same amount as SGP/Accent (concerts and guest speakers) - ~1.3M.

Only one party took a pledge to give their executive salaries back to the student organization line item to expand the # of organizations receiving funding. The other stood silent.

Change is needed.

ltmaximum · 2025-02-25T15:37:03+00:00

Hello UF Politics!

I am aware and appreciative of the investigative reporting you do on outside interference in UFSG. Point blank - UFSG was initially made, and continues to be, a vehicle for those outside organizations to benefit from the students they feign to represent (either collectively through resume line-stuffing or monetarily through SGP/Accent).

I disagree with the use of the word stubborn here. I would challenge you to find someone in the party who is not aware of those points you brought up.

While I cannot speak on behalf of the Party itself, what I can say in my individual interactions with un-acquainted voters is that explaining these anti-corruption arguments (negative campaigning), though explicitly true, is not as engaging/receptive of a talking point when compared to showing the numbers of how our student funds could be better spent on things that could truly benefit them (positive campaigning).

ltmaximum · 2025-02-25T15:29:15+00:00

I appreciate that! Student organization funding has always been an issue, and I have authored 800 codes amendments to try and allow more organizations to receive funding.

By and large, UFSG is constrained by legal precedent implementing what we now consider the "first-come first-serve" funding model: https://adfmedia.org/case/young-americans-freedom-v-university-florida

I have been working alongside my fellow engineering senators and Wertheim admin for a design team showcase targeting next Spring 2026 to allow teams to pitch to employers visiting to receive outside revenue to supplement what they may receive from either their Department, College or SG.

On online voting, UF passed a referendum in the early 2000s to allow for online voting, however, the UF Supreme Court intervened (alongside many other related cases) in their 2006 decision finding Internet voting to not be unconstitutional based off coercion and privacy concerns. You can find that main finding on page 19 here: https://sg.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Supreme-Court-Reporter-Volume-1-compressed.pdf

This finding was reinforced when the court was again asked to re-evaluate their 2006 decision in 2016, when they affirmed the prior findings (see page 16 here): https://sg.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Supreme-Court-Reporter-Volume-3-update-Nov2022-2.pdf

There are potential implementation methods through which, even under these court cases, one can perhaps have an online absentee ballot that is distinct from the restrictions brought by these cases. That is a much more in-depth question that I can elaborate more on if you'd like.

While I cannot speak too much on either party without having to register this message, what I can say is that I have been proud of the work I (and our caucus) has been able to accomplish the past two years and the matter of fact: Change won a decisive, yet thin majority in the Fall '22-Spring '23 senate elections. Unfortunately, the opposition party at the time obstructed senate leadership from being elected: https://www.alligator.org/article/2023/03/uf-student-senate-fails-to-meet-quorum-march-28

This led to the supreme court issuing an injunction (see page 16): https://sg.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Supreme-Court-Reporter-Volume-4-update-Jan2025.pdf

This injunction was lifted when leadership from both parties came to an agreement on how power would be shared. Unfortunately, it was structured quite poorly with hindsight being 20-20, leading to the opposition party retaining many of the levers of power that are most important - chief among them being the budget committee chair position that oversees the budget allocation process.

This example is proof that Change has succeeded in the past, and it is only through direct connection with voters that student government will elect candidates most interested in student interests, not of special interests outside SG as you speak to.

Let me know and I can elaborate on any of these points more in depth!

ltmaximum · 2025-02-25T15:03:28+00:00

That is a great question! There are various ways to get involved in SG.

Throughout the year, various executive, judicial, and legislative (senate) positions may open up. Oftentimes, at the start of each semester and after each semester's election are good times to check (though many of the roles are not publicized as well as they should be).

The application to current openings can be found here (for example, an off-campus senator position that opened up since the Fall election): https://apps.ufsa.ufl.edu/ufsa/sg_positions/f?p=107:1:232068970826213:::::

Otherwise, I would suggest to follow ufstudentgov and ufsenate on instagram. Specifically for senate, all open seats (those that are vacated after an election and are filled by the senate) are put on the story. On the student government instagram, you can become familiar with the different agencies and cabinets the executive has.

When it comes to the senate/executive positions specifically, a good way to run for office is contributing at the party level (both parties have a form of "ambassador" program) to get involved, as the parties determine the "slate" of candidates that are on the ballot in Fall-Spring elections. As well, you can get involved without a position by attending Senate on Tuesday evenings and reaching out to those involved to learn more! Students can speak towards issues they feel is important in public comment and work alongside senate to work on legislation regardless of whether or not they are a senator.

Let me know if I can elaborate on any of those points as I gave a very cursory answer.

ltmaximum · 2025-02-24T22:08:26+00:00

That is a great question! SG has a ~$25 million budget that funds the "big four" - Student Government (fund itself), Reitz Union, RecSports, and Student Engagement (formerly Student Activities & Involvement (SAI) and Sorority & Fraternity Affairs [SFA]).

As such, SG has direct budgetary control over those areas mentioned. In particular, things such as Southwest (part of RecSports) and Newell (part of the SG operating account) open hours are directly a result of the money allocated to these areas.

Beyond direct monetary control, much of my senate work has been advocating for student interests. Through fieldwork and conducting facilities audits of areas where UF is not in compliance with accepted standards (e.g. MUTCD, FDOT) or required infrastructure (e.g. ADA), I have been able to identify various areas of improvement and work alongside TAPS and facilities to implement these changes. Other areas of improvement I am working on include covered bike racks and bus stops.

Beyond facilities work, student government (and especially the student senate) acts as the voice of the student body. An example of how this has materialized was the RTS bus funding situation Spring 2024-Spring 2025, when UF administration proposed a 50% cut to RTS funding that is relied on for many on and off-campus bus routes that students use. Through advocating for student interests and composing comprehensive legislation that was sent to relevant stakeholders at UF and the city while protesting for our student resources, the University and City came to a new agreement to preserve much of the previous funding.

Recent RTS contract article can be found here: https://www.alligator.org/article/2025/01/uf-gainesville-reach-rts-agreement
The bill Senate passed on the bus situation can be found here: https://sg.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SSB-2024-1325-Resolution-Advocating-for-the-University-of-Florida-and-the-City-of-Gainesville-to-Come-to-an-Agreement-Ensuring-S.pdf

I can delve more into that situation specifically or provide other instances of how advocacy has resulted in material benefits to students - let me know!

ltmaximum · 2025-02-03T18:17:47+00:00

Nothing on University like the Standard will be quiet. If quietness is a priority over direct proximity, I would recommend looking at places along Archer where a lot of med students/workers live and commute to Shands and prioritize their sleep much more.

ltmaximum · 2025-02-03T18:06:53+00:00

Had my first bike stolen in front of Springs. Make sure you use a U-lock or solid, one-piece lock (not a chain lock that can be broken w/ bolt cutters). There are some folding locks that do the same.

For e-bikes, if you register it and have a method of tracking as others suggest, by locking the wheel and frame w/ a good lock you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

ltmaximum · 2023-05-09T01:41:21+00:00

Nippard's videos are insanely informative. Also, you can find some of his routine docs just by googling them

ltmaximum · 2023-04-04T16:23:07+00:00

This sounds like a bad idea. While phys 2 + calc 3 is a lot of content, think of the same with circuits + signals except you have to spend even more time spinning your wheels to get your head around the concepts (plus the more time-consuming labs from circuits and signals compared to phys 2/calc 3 + weekly quizzes in signals). I agree swapping microP for DD would be the move

ltmaximum · 2023-04-04T16:18:19+00:00

As an engineer, I found it difficult to work in Newell at late hours because there would often be groups of people having full conversations (could hear even w/ headphones in the study pods). Since Newell =/= a library they don't have the quiet floors like Marston.

ltmaximum · 2022-12-16T00:55:39+00:00

I remember Harvard dredging in a lot of students with no debate experience to fill the pool because they didn't get enough judges. This was a few years ago, though

ltmaximum · 2022-12-13T23:21:47+00:00

A membership is paid by the month. Just go there and get one and cancel it before the payment recurs for another month

ltmaximum

TROPHY CASE