<p>Brown was my top top top choice for a long time. I stayed overnight once and all the people seemed really chill, but when I visited some classes the next day I got a little nervous. The first class I went to (I forget the name, it was some political science course) was a very small one, but everyone seemed dead and the professor just droned on and on while everyone stared at their paper taking notes or typing on their laptops. I was really hoping for more discussion. The next class I went to was "Ethics in Public Policy" (or something like that) which was actually a lecture, albeit a smaller sized one. Now I hate the idea of big classes, but this one was actually interesting with lots of people talking and votes being taken on a big screen and a lot of discussion. </p>
<p>So on one hand I went to a small class that seemed just like the lectures I want to avoid in college, and one large class that seemed just like the small classes I really want in college!</p>
<p>Can you let me know what your experience freshman year was with the style of teaching in your classes? I really can't stand just listening and taking notes. I could do that with a textbook. I really want classes where people are interested and involved, and my experience at those classes made me second guess Brown as my top choice.</p>
<p>There are a TON of classes at Brown and thus a TON of teachers and thus many different teaching styles. Please don't let one bad experience turn you off. Also consider that even just that one day in that class may have been a fluke. There are many different styles of teaching and with shopping period you can pick and choose which classes you want to take. Some people do all lecture, some all discussion, some a mix. You can decide for yourself.</p>
<p>I know Eddie will allow my intrusion into his thread, Being the stand up guy that he is. I am also a rising soph and in my experience the school is certainly undergrad friendly.</p>
<p>You need to pay attention to the ratings and comments people have made about professors during shopping period as a starting point. At any university, a wide spectrum of personality and talent exists. The bottom line is you get from your schedule that which you put in. Same thing holds for professor-student contact. </p>
<p>One professor introduced me to the grad school dean in September of my freshman year (Ever tried to break the ice?). Another professor invited the author of one of our books to dinner which the prof generously paid for. Most professors are very welcoming even if you want to talk about windsurfing or witchcraft or Lincoln Chafee. In the seminars, it usually turned out being a professor poses a question as a springboard for conversation. In the lecture classes I had this year the lectures were supplemented by music, powerpoint, film clips. In one lecture class the professor regularly brought in speakers (maybe 5 or 6) to keep the lectures varied. </p>
<p>It is possible to avoid most lecture classes with some creativity in your scheduling.</p>
<p>cool so we have a question about "teaching styles and classes" ok just like what you have read so far from the other posts there are tons of teaching methods. i think it comes down to this: u have 2 things when it comes to classes at brown. well 2 formats at least. </p>
<p>1: lecture. the profressor will lecture MWF (for instance) and then maybe have outside class sessions on certain evenings (those are more personal and usally not to many people go unless told to) so yeah the professor will talk about the stuff u are currently reading. but that DOES NOT MEAN you just have to sit down and take it. if at any point during lecture u don't understand anything just ask a question and that will lead to a <strong><em>small</em></strong> little discussion. then he/she will go back to the lecture. then like i said on those non-lecture day during "sessions" u can ask the professor anything and then it becomes like a class dicussions. ideas are being thrown around. it's more of a conversation with the professor mediating and guiding it a bit.</p>
<p>2: seminar. this is pretty much all student runned. we read the night b4 or whatver days before and the professor poses a question or will say "so what's up with what you read last night?" and then the dicussion begins all around the class. again ideas being thrown out and what not.</p>
<p>but again like we have said professors love it mix it up a bunch and combine seminar and lecture (when it is labled a lecture class).</p>
<p>and yeah i mean every day won't be an awesome school day. some days will drag a bit but it's totally natural and should not be a solid factor in dismissing any school.</p>
<p>If you are more into small classes/seminars, Brown could work fine, but you might also want to look into some liberal arts colleges (Amherst, Swarthmore, Pomona, Wesleyan, Vassar, Williams, Haverford, Bowdoin). While not of the same quality as the others I listed, Sarah Lawrence College's classes are mostly small seminars. 95% have less than 20 students, and only 1% have more than 50.</p>
<p>I was wondering if any Brown students took an English writing course ("the academic essay", etc) during their freshman year. Does taking a writing course help you a lot in writing for your other courses? Do people do allright without being in a writing course?</p>
<p>Search the Brown webpage. It works well. Shipping is done to a separate Faunce House address that I found on the webpage with your Box No.: listed as a C/O if I remember properly.</p>
<p>i took EL 11 "THE ACADEMIC ESSAY" my first semester of freshmen year. it was a pretty chill class. the only thing i hated was that it was at 8am. other than that yeah it is a class to help make that really easy transition into college writing. i took it with a grad student named sian-sian roberts (forgive the possible mistake on the first name but roberts is mos def her last name) she is really cool and helps out a lot with student questions. it's very open discussion and not just sit down and here a teacher. good class and good department in my op. </p>
<p>as far as boxes go.... i had to send like 2 boxes from texas to brown. i'm not sure if you haven't already recieved your p.o. box number but call the unversity anyway and ask for the mail room. they can give u an addy to sedn stuf just in case your box aint activated yet. some airlines just let u check 2 bags and have 1 cary on. anything else that needs to be checked is like 80 bucks more.</p>
<p>1) Your from Jersey. The weather is the same except it gets a little colder faster and a some more snow.</p>
<p>2) Haven't lved there yet</p>
<p>3) Vary a lot. Since the dorm range in age from 1764 to 1991 it depends on where you are put. Brown doesn't have the most impressive housing or housing options of schools I vistied but the rooms are adequate, for sure. The yaren't going to super impress you, but shouldn't turn you off either.</p>
<p>I'm bringing a car to campus. I think I'll park it in this vacant parking lot I always park it in when I visited Brown. I think it's the Power Street parking garage. How do you that'll go over? And how do I get a parking permit if it's worth getting one as opposed to just parking in this lot?</p>
<p>My life long dream is to attend Brown, but I don't exactly have stellar scores... I got a 600 in Math and Verbal, but in Writing I got 740.</p>
<p>I want to major in creative writing so do you think I have any chance at all? My GPA is 3.6 and I have been in Varsity tennis for 3 years and have volunteered at big brothers/big sisters since the begining of junior year. Would it be a hugeeeeeeeeee waste of money to apply?</p>