<p>I thought I would throw myself out there.</p>
<p>I am a freshmen Television-Radio major with a concentration in Video Production. I am currently co-producing a webseries with one my friends which will be out in May 2011. I am also part of ICTV and am working on a show proposal for next semester to submit to ICTV.</p>
<p>I can answer most questions ranging from scholarships to campus life to expectations to the reality of going to IC. </p>
<p>Ask away!</p>
<p>I’m not asking for specifics, but did you feel your financial aid pkg. met your needs? Was there a gap between your EFC and what the college provided? Thanks.</p>
<p>I didn’t receive financial aid other than small small loans. My family wasn’t eligible financial aid. I can’t really answer that question. I know people who have had very good financial aid and I know the financial aid offer is very helpful.</p>
<p>If you don’t mind answering a lot of questions, I’d love to ask. Here are a few:
-What are the dorms like?
-What is the social scene like?
-Do you know anyone in the Sports Media or any type of Communications major? If so, any information is appreciated.
Thanks :)</p>
<p>DORMS:
You have a lot of options for dorms at IC. As a freshmen you get a pick from Terraces, Emerson, Lower Quads, Upper Quads, First-Year Housing, and Towers. As an upperclassmen you can also do an on-campus apartment - the Gardens - or an off-campus apartment but school housing - Circle Apartments. </p>
<p>If you would look at IC and see it from the top to the bottom I will explain housing options. </p>
<p>First you’ve got the Circle Apartments which are reseved for juniors and seniors. There are 2, 4, and 6 person options but they are taking some down to build more. Most of the “on campus” parties happen in these buildings. They include a kitchen, bathrooms, living, room, etc. They are pretty nice if you want to still be under the campus watch but have an independent living experience. </p>
<p>Terraces - We’ve got 13 terraces. Some are themed with different Residential Learning Communities - H.O.M.E. (international student housing), Spanish, Outdoor Adventure, the small music fraternieries. They are usually singles, doubles or triples. You’ve got a pretty good view from there. Terrace 9-12 houses only upperclassmen while the others are usually mixed classes.</p>
<p>Towers - Two really tall buildings. This fall East Tower has been added to the First-Year Housing experience which makes some people mad. It consists of singles, doubles, and triples. Floors go by gender. Lots of smokers hang out outside. I live in West Tower and can’t wait to move into the quads in the fall. It can be a hike from Towers to Park. </p>
<p>Upper Quads - Holmes, Talcott (first year housing), Rowland (first year housing), and Boothroyd, Hilliard, Hood (substance free) are all in the Upper Quads. Traditional experience with residential hall. Most residents hang out in the lounges. Hand if you have classes on the academic quad. Close to the library. </p>
<p>Lower Quads - Lyon, Bogart, Landon, Eastman, Clarke are all Lower Quads. Same set up at Upper Quads. Close to dining hall, fitness center, and Park. </p>
<p>Emerson - The hall with the big closets and the private bathrooms. Only doubles but it include air conditioning, private bathroom and bigger rooms. At the bottom on campus and closest to freshmen parking. Closet to Park. </p>
<p>Gardens - On-campus apartments mostly studio style. They have 2, 4, and 6 person options. Pretty nice with bathroom, a little kitchenette and sometimes a nice living room. Good idea if you can’t get a Circle. Good idea for sophomores. </p>
<p>SOCIAL LIFE:</p>
<p>It is what you make it. Do you want to go party at Cornell? Go for it. Take the TCAT and become friends with someone in a frat or sorority. </p>
<p>Want to go up the rape trail and crash a party in the Circle’s? Go ahead. The usually get busted. </p>
<p>Lot of stuff to do in the Commons with parties all down Penn Ave and Prospect Street. Really good local music scene and good bar scene when 21+ over. Lots of good shopping opportunities.</p>
<p>Don’t drink or party? You’ll find friends who do the same. Go hang out at the Gorges or by the lake. Watch a movie in your dorm and laugh.</p>
<p>Social scene is what you make of it. Experience a lot and do a lot. </p>
<p>SPORTS MEDIA/COMM Majors:</p>
<p>I am a TV-R major so I could tell you a lot. Sports Media majors are allowed to take some majors in Park but it is a little awkward. Join ICTV and become part of a show and make your way to be a producer. Write for The Ithacan and become a sports journalist. I don’t know a lot about Sports Media but I can tell you a lot about Communications majors. Just ask specific questions.</p>
<p>hi im thinking of going to ithaca~~few questions
<ol>
<li><p>If I redid my freshmen housing I would’ve chosen the First-Year Housing Program. You meet so many people there. You just have to fill out a form and then you are done. For the fall 2011 class it would be either Boothroyd, Talcott, Rowland, or East Tower. If you don’t get any of those choices look at lower and upper quads. </p></li>
<li><p>I love my school so much. Sometimes I get annoyed at things that happen but usually it is good. The weather can be kind of whacky but if you ignore that you are fine. I love Park and my program and what my friends do within the program. I love to explore on the weekend and see the sites since I am not around this area. </p></li>
<li><p>It was easy to make friends. Ithaca is small-medium sized campus. About 6300 undegrads. You usually make good friends with the people who live in your hall or your building. Hang out in the lounges a lot and you’ll find a group. I’ve made a lot of friends because of ICTV and the shows I’ve worked on. And don’t forget classes help you forge friendships very easily.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>also
-how is the diversity in general?
-is the work load difficult to handle?
-having a car necessary? </p>
<p>thank u so much for coming on this site and answer!!! u helped me so much <3</p>
<p>Thanks a lot.
-Is there a risk in First-Year Housing to get put in Towers? They seem to be not exactly pleasant (based mostly on your description).
-Is there a reason Sports Media majors taking courses at Park is ‘awkward’-say, if my minor is something at Park?
-How are the professors? Are the classes small/big (of course it depends but in general I suppose)?</p>
<p>
I am white kid from the suburbs of DC. I am not the definition of diversity. I would say that Ithaca works really hard on its issues with diversity. They have created a lot of programs to garner different nationalities to come to the college. I know the ALANA program is really successful and one who dorm is dedicated to international students. Diversity is what you make of it. If you are worried about racism or prejudice - you won’t find it here. </p>
<p>
I think it is but there are times when it can be overwhelming. I think it really depends on your major and what you choose to take on. If you are in the theatre department you are always working on a show. If you’re in the Music school you’ve got practices, rehearsals, and numerous recitals to go to. Park students worry about productions and whether they will have enough time to edit. I can’t really talk about Health Sciences or Humanities and Sciences but I feel the workload is manageable if you dedicate time to it and know when things are due and how long they will take. </p>
<p>
Freshmen year - No. You pay $500 to park in the suckiest parking lot on campus at the bottom of campus. You want to know people who have cars though. I know a lot of people who don’t have cars because of various reasons and they do fine. Parking is a big issue on campus and a lot of people have troubles finding spots on campus. By senior year it might help if you live off campus but I know people who take the TCAT to classes. Usually it is a lot easier to take the TCAT then dig your car out from 2 feet of now. Cars help you get to places but usually in the winter months you don’t want to leave the Ithaca area.</p>
<p>
I can be negative about my building but it is nice sometimes. First-year housing has expanded to East Tower also. But when you do housing in the summer all freshmen who get selected pick at the same time so it is the click of the mouse timing. BRT is your best bet but if East Tower is all freshmen your experience will probably be different than mine. </p>
<p>
I can be an ass. I am a Park student and we like to keep it to ourselves. I just looked at the Sports Media requirements and you would take some required courses in Park (Media Prod and other Strat Comm classes. You have a big options for electives and Park classes are included. What I was trying to say is that Park classes are hard to get into if you are not a major or a minor or your degree requires you take them. Park students like to take Park classes. We are happy that we don’t have to take math or science. Minoring is fine. I know a lot of IMC minors who want the business perspective not in the business school. I am a TV-R major who will probably pick up an IMC minor. </p>
<p>
This semester I have one big lecture class and its ‘gen ed for the Park school’ and its maybe 150+ students. I am not a huge fan of lecture classes. We have three big lecture halls in Textor, one big one in Williams, smaller ones in the Business school (40-50 people), CNS has one or two I think, and there might be one in CHS but I don’t have classes there. You cane easily get through the semester without being in a lecture class. Professors who teach in the lecture hall truly try to engage students and have them participate even when you have 50 other people in your class. My smallest class is 15 (Park classes are generally small). Take a seminar your first semester (Ithaca Seminar in Writing are good ones) and you will be in a class that meets 4x a week and has maybe 20 people in it.</p>
<p>Class sizes are usually 20 people or so though. As the higher you get into your major the smaller your classes get. </p>
<p>Professors can be good and bad. Check ratemyprofessors before but I’ve had generally good experiences. They are always willingly to talk to you during office hours and or after class. They care and will help you get through tough material. I am working on a very short documentary in Field Prod and had a good conversation with my professor today about my project. Professors are always very approachable and willing to chat with you whenever you need to. They will explain why you got a certain grade and give you some good tips on how to raise your grade.</p>
<p>On the freshman car issue: how would a freshman who would like to ski at Greek Peak manage finding rides? It doesn’t sound as though any transportation is available, even to those taking skiing for credit…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I know for certain that if you take any class for credit there shouldn’t be an issue for transportation. I have friends who do snowboarding and they all take a bus to Greek Peak. If you want to go for fun you are on your own.</p>
<p>mdemvizi - if you start out in the exploratory program, then want to switch to communications, how hard is that to do? I heard it was hard to switch into communications if you don’t start there.</p>
<p>That’s really interesting-I’d love to avoid taking science and math classes. I’m guessing that majoring in Sports Media and minoring in Journalism or IMC wouldn’t allow me to do that, correct?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Transferring into Park is hard but if you do it during your freshmen year it can be easier. You have to keep your GPA and show interest in the subject. You can tell your advisor you have an interest in Communications and you might try to get into a Park class. Certain majors are harder to get into than others so you just have to keep talking to your advisor, join ECs related to your major, and keep the GPA up. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Since Sports Media is in HS&HP you have a load of general education requirements to take. Park and Whalen have barely even any gen eds. Minoring in Journalism has a lot requirements so you have to plan early.</p>
<p>What is the Biology Department like? Are there strict restrictions on people visting dorms? How is food at Ithaca?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Biology Department - I can’t really answer that question. I am in Park and go no where near CNS or CHS. Science scares me. </p>
<p>Visiting dorms - I think you can only have someone stay in your room for a maximum of 3 days and then your RA/RD will start to talk to you. You have to have your ID to access the floor you live on/ the building you live in. It can be a pain but it is mainly for safety reasons. </p>
<p>Food - Off campus you have some really good options with both the Commons and Collegetown. On-campus the food is not that great. If you get stuff from the Food Court/La Vincita (limited hours on both) it can be kind of good. We get food by Sodexco and it is just gross some days. Lots of drama with the company because of living wage. In general the food is hit or miss.</p>
<p>I have been accepted into exploratory but I have a feeling I will end up picking a major in the Park school.
Do you know what GPA I would have to maintain in order to admitted? What clubs, and other ecs do you suggest in order to show my interest?
Do you have any friends in exploratory? What do they think of it?</p>
<p>Thank you so much in advance.</p>
<p>Sent from my HTC Glacier using CC App</p>
<p>I’m a community college student in my first year, do you know what kind of grades I’d need to be admitted to a science program? (Or, hell, any program?)</p>
<p>Any advice for students interviewing for the Park Scholarship? What to expect, how to prepare, what to wear etc. Thank you for any help!</p>