Hi:
I hope you are all doing well and looking forward to being done with the semester -- I know I am, as it is my last semester at Stony Brook (go me!).

I wanted to write to make sure that you are all on-track regarding all of the things that you need to do to get ready for YOUR graduation. I know it's early, but at Stony Brook it's important to plan ahead (yes, that far ahead) to avoid nasty surprises (like having to stay an extra semester, which is common).

I was talking to James this evening about how to fulfill the 39-credit upper-division requirement. Here's what I told him, and what I'd also like to tell you:

I recommend taking courses that are number 300 or higher whenever possible, in order to meet the 39-credit 'upper-division' requirement. ('upper division' courses are courses with numbers greater than or equal to 300). Don't let pre-requisites prevent you from joining a course in which you are interested.

Many of the courses that you will have to take within your major will go toward this requirement. Look at your major description in the undergraduate bulletin. Add up the credits of all of your major courses numbered 300 or higher. If the total is greater or equal to 39, then you don't have to worry. If the total is less than 39, simply take upper-division DEC courses until you have met the requirement. There are also other options, such as taking a 'teaching practicum' course (upper division credits for TA-ing a class) as well as upper-division physical education courses. As always, it's a good idea to run these things past BRIAN McCULLOUGH in Acadmic Advising (library, 2nd floor -- unless you're an engineering major: you guys have to go to your own dept. office).

What I'm about to say may sound a little crazy, but I promise it's worth it. I recommend that you read the first 83 pages of the undergraduate bulletin, especially the part about academic regulations. There's a lot of information there that everyone should know -- it will help to protect you from unexpected surprises, and let you know about possibilities that you may not have considered -- scholarships, financial aid, policies on graduating 'with honors', even (!) ways to get out of taking required courses. The bulletin is available in the admission's office. You can also look at the online version http://www.sunysb.edu/ugbulletin

If you haven't already done so, set a date to take the writing placement exam, as the university's writing requirement can take years to complete. For details, contact the writing program's office, on the ground floor of the humanities building.

Ditto for the math placement exam!

I also recommend a visit with BRIAN McCULLOUGH at the Academic Adivising office, on the 2nd floor in the library (except if you're an engineering major -- you have to go to your own dept. office).

Always remember that "NO" means nothing more than "talk to whoever is REALLY in charge".

That's all for now. Take care,
T
Commuter Student Mentoring Program

ADDENDUM:
Stony Brook, bastion of all that is best for its students, is instituting a new registration system that will deregister you from courses for which you don't have the prerequisites. You should be able to get around this HATEFUL and POINTLESS (Stony Brook's equivalent to Harvard's 'Veritas') obstacle by having the prof. sign you in. Thurlough Smyth tmsmyth@hotmail.com