Freshmen FAQ

This page is dedicated for frequently asked questions by incoming freshmen and their answers.

Scheduling

When should I begin thinking about my schedule?

You do not need to begin thinking about your schedule until early summer. Usually in early June, your major's department or an advisor will reach out to you by email to assist you in scheduling. However, note that there are other resources that you can use to plan your schedule, and you will be the one registering for classes, not your advisor. In addition, it never hurts to start planning early, and there is nothing preventing you from planning your schedule well before the summer, just that this is not required.

When will class registration occur?

Class registration for incoming freshmen occurs during FASET, which usually takes place during the summer.

How do I check what AP, IB, dual enrollment, etc. credit I have received?

The best way to check which classes/requirements that you have credit for is through Degree Works. However, you may not have access to Degree Works until the early summer, so if you want to know prior to then, you can look through the equivalency tables for AP exams, IB exams, A-levels, and/or transfer credit to determine what credit you have.

I am considered to be a sophomore by credit hours, what does this entail?

The registrar formally classifies students by the criteria below:

Total Credit Hours	Class
0-29	Freshman
30-59	Sophomore
60-89	Junior
90+	Senior

The main usage for this system is registration priority. Students are grouped into "classes," and classes with higher number of credit hours register for classes sooner. However, in FASET, the initial phase of freshmen registration, registration priority is typically not assigned, and the registrar opens new seats for common freshmen classes throughout all time tickets.

Apart from registration priority, being classified as a sophomore or higher by credit hours means very little, especially since it is common among incoming freshmen with lots of AP or other credit coming in. For most purposes, such as freshmen housing, students are grouped by the number of years they have attended Georgia Tech as undergraduate students (i.e. first-years, second-years, etc.).

What are time tickets?

Time tickets are assigned during every registration phase and indicate the time frame for which you may register for classes.

Why does some credit display as XXXX, 1XXX, etc.?

Credit listed with X's typically means that Georgia Tech offers no course equivalent to that credit but usually still recognizes the credit. This credit is typically designated as free elective credit, and it may not be used in place of an equivalently numbered course. For example, a CS major cannot use CS 1XXX credit in place of CS 1301.

What are free electives?

Most majors require students to take a certain number of free elective credit. Any course offered by Georgia Tech, with few exceptions, may be used to satisfy this credit. Some majors may place certain restrictions on free elective credit, such as requiring a certain number of credit to come from 2000-level or higher courses.

What classes I should take during my freshmen year?

Please consult this guide.

How many credit hours should I register for in my first semester?

Unless you are coming in with almost no credits, you should avoid registering for over 16 credits. 15 credit hours, or about 5 classes, is recommended, while you can take 12-13 credits for a lighter first semester. You should also avoid registering for under 12 credits, as 12 credit hours is the minimum to be considered a full-time student. However, not all classes are equal in difficulty, so the number of credit hours that you are taking should not be the primary basis for your schedule. A 16 credit semester may be lighter than a 12 credit semester, but this is uncommon.

Should I retake courses that I already have credit for?

Never retake courses unless there is an extremely niche reason for doing so. While you may not feel comfortable with all the material in courses that they already have credit for, you can always review the material. which is a much better option than retaking entire courses. Retaking a course does not guarantee that you will fully learn the material, risks the possibility of a low grade, and takes time away from other courses required to graduate.

What is a prerequisite chain?

A prerequisite chain is a series of courses that must be taken one after another due to prerequisite restrictions on those courses. For example, a common prerequisite chain among engineering majors is PHYS 2211 to PHYS 2212 to ECE 3710 to ECE 3741. PHYS 2211 must be taken before PHYS 2212, PHYS 2212 must be taken before ECE 3710, etc.

Many majors have particular prerequisite chains that are important to complete as early as possible to graduate on time. For example, electrical engineering majors should take ECE 2040 and its prerequisites as early as possible. For more information about prerequisite chains in a particular major, consult that major's respective wiki page.