I want to emphasize right from the start that many of our successful engineering and science students come to COCC and aren't completely prepared to jump straight into their program coursework. If you understand this and accept the task of doing the prep work you need to do you are completely capable of successfully completing your chosen program. Many of our students have done so and they are often some of our best students. For all students developing solid math and writing skills can be a challenge. For engineering and science students there is also sometimes a need to develop basic scienctific language and process skills. Courses to develop all the necessary skills are here at COCC and taught by excellent instructors who are delighted to be helping you learn or relearn these skills.
One way to think about this is to say that you are really starting your engineering program when you are ready to take the following entry courses. Calculus (MTH 251), Chemistry (CH 221), and College Writing (WR 121). If you're ready to take some of the classes then start taking them while you get yourself ready to take the others. Most commonly the biggest stumbling block is the MTH 251 (Calc). Remember that if you aren't in Calculus in Fall term then you will need to wait (at least in the current schedule) until the following Fall term to take the class. Calculus is required before you can take PH 211 (Physics) that you need.
So how do you know if you're ready to take these classes? The first stopping off point for the math and writing is the placement testing that you were required to do when you enrolled at COCC.
Writing
The writing test results will clearly indicate which courses you should be taking or are permitted to take. There is no real appeal of these results ( in general) so you may as well get on with taking the courses you need to be able to enroll in WR 121. Please realize that students historically tend to believe that their writing skills are better than they really are and often taking writing classes that are too challenging which leads to unhappy experiences in the classroom. Do not put your writing courses off thinking that there is no need for writing skills in engineering and science. Both Calculus and Physics have substantial writing components (about 10,00 words in first term physics) so weak writing skills will cost you in these classes.
Math
Math placement is a different kettle of fish. Because math rots so quickly in your mind when you don't use it the placement tests have a more difficult time effectively determining where you are at. Add that to the fact that most students assume their math skills are worse than they really are and we have a real mess. The Math Department has some helpful information their "Are You Ready" site. I also encourage you to go talk to a math faculty member about your placement test results. If your math skills are below a college algebra level the placement tests are pretty helpful. It gets tougher if you place around the MTH 111 level (college algebra) and you're trying to figure out if you're ready to take Calc (MTH 251). Again, talking to a math faculty member is the smartest thing to do but here are some of the criteria I tend to use in advising students.
If you had calculus in high school AND you did well (no hassles, good grades, successful tests) AND it hasn't been too long since you took the class then get your butt into MTH 251. Be prepared to work hard if there's stuff you've forgotten but you should be fine.
If you had precalculus and trigonometry in high school (which means we assume you also passed geometry and algebra II) AND you did well (math is fun, no hassles succeeding, good grades, you like math but don't admit it to your friends) AND it hasn't been more than a couple years since you took it you should enroll in MTH 251. Take a slightly lighter course load than maybe you would have so that you have plenty of time to do any catch up work required to keep up with the class. Don't forget -- your penalty if you don't succeed in MTH 251 is to wait a full year and then try again after taking some math prep classes.
If you didn't take calculus in high school and math was a struggle or difficult for you or your grades weren't pretty good (high B's and up) I would recommend that you take the MTH 111, 112, 113 sequence before starting Calculus. This isn't a disaster and there's lots of other useful coursework for you to take so it won't set you back. Get on with the business of preparing for calculus and the rest will take care of itself.
Science
This is much more ambigous since we have no placement testing that we trust in the sciences. Here's how I usually advise students.
Chemistry
Engineering and Physics students need to take the CH 221-223 sequence for their programs. If you've had absolutely no chemistry ever in your life it might be tough to jump into this class. Oh the other hand......if you've taken several years of other sciences at a high school level you have surely been exposed to and learned some basic chemistry concepts and language. If you were a successful student in your other science classes you should do just fine in CH 221 if you are prepared to do some extra work to catch up on missing concepts. Don't forget there are great chemistry tutors in the tutoring center!
If you've absolutely never had chemistry and you don't have much successful experience in other science classes then you might seriously consider taking GS 105 (Chemistry) as an precursor to CH 221. This class will expose you to the major concepts and language of chemistry. There is NO NEED to take the whole CH 104, 105, 106 sequence to prepare yourself for CH 221. Assuming you are succcessful in GS 105 then plan to start CH 221 the next Fall term.
Physics
Many students worry about physics for reasons that are mysterious to me (but then I'm a physicist which probably gives me a distorted view of things) but its not that bad. In the old days when dinosaurs and I roamed the earth many engineering and physics students found their first physics class was PH 211. If you have a solid math background, you've successfully complete MTH 251 or its equivalent, and you have a successful history and several years of experience in science classes, you will do just fine going straight into PH 211.
If you've absolutely never had physics and you don't have much successful experience in other science classes then you might seriously consider taking GS 104 (Physics) as an precursor to PH 211. This class will expose you to the major concepts and language of physics. There is NO NEED to take the whole PH 201, 202, 203 sequence to prepare yourself for PH 211. Assuming you are succcessful in GS 104, which you could even take fall term, then plan to start PH 211 in the winter. Now, the truth is, I would be very surprised to find a student ready to take MTH 251 (Calculus) who felt unprepared to take PH 211 but it is possible. When in get in to see your advisor and try and get this whole issues clarified...it's their job!