Summer Intensive Chemistry Orientation – FortyNiner Intensive Transition
- This course is included in your tuition (no extra costs)
- If you are registered to live on-campus you can move in a week early to ease your transition to college!
Course Overview
The Summer Intensive Opportunity in Chemistry is a week-long, intensive course that will help prepare you for the first-semester chemistry curriculum. The program is designed to provide admitted students with an opportunity to better prepare for courses that are required for majors in business, engineering, mathematics, computing, health or the physical or social sciences. Students participating in this week-long course will also gain experience in study and problem-solving skills, essential for a successful college experience.
Course Description
Prepare yourself for success in Chemistry, one of the courses notorious for derailing freshmen.
The course is designed for UNC Charlotte incoming freshmen and transfer students planning to go into engineering, science, or health fields who can benefit from a preview of CHEM 1251 (Principles of Chemistry I) or CHEM 1200 (Fundamentals of Chemistry).
High school students from the Charlotte Engineering Early College High School who are enrolled in CHEM 1200 or CHEM 1251 are also encouraged to attend.
Pre-nursing majors who will take CHEM 1203 (Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry I) can benefit from the intensive course.
This program is designed to:
- Study actual course units that will be covered in the fall;
- Confront the challenges of moving from high school to college;
- Reduce the stress of your first semester;
- Learn how to study as a college student (it is different than high school);
- Practice with actual exams; and
- Make new friends.
Study the same material that will be covered in your freshman chemistry course. Attend review sessions just as you would in the fall. Take tests and quizzes. Use the textbook and technology. Learn college-level problem-solving applicable to all science and math classes. Attend small group and individual sessions with the professor.
A Letter from the Instructor:
Every fall a new freshman class sits down in my Principles of Chemistry I. One thing they all have in common is that they were successful in high school. Yet too many of these students do not reach their potential in this course. This Intensive Chemistry Opportunity will help you succeed in chemistry this fall and in all of your classes here at UNC Charlotte. You will work hard; you will be challenged; you will not be left behind. Do you hate Chemistry? Fear you will fail? Worry about college-level work? In this program you will:
- Develop a fundamental competency, and drill for coherence and fluency in this new language of Chemistry
- Learn study habits and problem-solving skills carried into other science and engineering courses
- Have fun – yes, work hard and have fun – make new friends, and learn the value of study groups
- So let’s get to work!!
– Jordan Poler, Professor of Chemistry, jcpoler@uncc.edu
From previous participants of SICO (Summer Intensive Chemistry Orientation):
“I thought SICO was a great experience because you make so many great friends that you will keep throughout college. It helps you learn your way around campus, while also preparing for chemistry. It helped me get used to college courses in the same environment that I was going to actually experience when I got here in the fall. Also the instructors were awesome, so awesome that I would really like to help out this summer!”
” Thanks to SICO, I was better prepared for the first four chapters of Chemistry 1251. It also helped me get a feel for what college courses are like! ”
Oz
” SICO was a great help and gave me the opportunity to become more prepared for the rigorous chemistry course. This benefited me because I was not prepared at all for this type of work in high school chemistry. ”
Ben
” Because of SICO, I was much better prepared for the few chapters of Chemistry 1251, and I did significantly better on the first two tests ”
Dewey
” SICO was one of the best things I could have done to prepare for the start of college. Not only did it give me a head start in Chemistry, but I met some of my closest friends there. It helped me get back in the school mindset and helped me learn my away around campus. I have to say…it’s pretty cool being one of the only freshmen on the first day not walking around with a map. Plus Dr. Poler is awesome to say the least! ”
Amy
” Even after SICO Chemistry just isn’t my thing, but I met my future roommate and some really good friends while I was there ”
Hannah
Additional Information
Tentative Schedule and Location
- Online Engagement – Synchronous and Asynchronous starting August 9, 2024
- Move in early to UNC Charlotte dorms – Saturday 8/10/2024 1 – 5pm
- Face2Face Starts Sunday, August 11, through Friday, August 16
- SICO 2024 Itinerary (revised 7/21/2024)
Make sure that you do not have any conflicts with this schedule (Levine Scholars cannot attend both). This is a participation course, you must participate to pass.
UNC Charlotte Campus: Experience life as a 49er! Smart classrooms, study groups, and on-campus dining. Meeting location for opening session will be sent via email.
How much is parking? Will I need a parking pass?
Parking passes are not required during the week of the program.
Do I need to buy meals?
Students will have their student ID which can be used for on-campus dining.
Students staying on-campus in fall
Students participating in the SICO program should sign-up to check into their fall residence hall early. There is no time during the week to move in and being on or near campus is important.
There is a $25/day fee for early check-in option. This will be added to your Fall housing bill and is covered by financial aid – details evolving on this).
The deadline to elect to move into the dorms early is July 12, 2024. No exceptions.