At Boston College do the freshmen (generally speaking) like those two core classes or would most prefer to place out of them if they could? High school students used to be able to wait until second semester to sign up (and pay) for the AP exams. Now they have to commit to paying for the exams in October, and they can’t get a refund if they decide not to take an exam in May. Just curious if BC students would choose to opt out if they could. Or, are those Core classes popular enough that freshmen should take them even if they could place out?
I think placing out of these classes allows a student to explore classes that are of more interest to them. Having said that, there are many sections of both these classes so many freshmen at BC take them.
@xyz123a thanks for your response. Do you have a sense of whether or not the freshmen who take those classes look back and identify those classes as some of the more important academic experiences at BC? Just curious the feedback people hear from students, since there are so many freshmen who do take them.
I don’t think that these classes are any more or less popular than any of the other core classes. Whether or not the class is considered an important academic experience really depends on the student. Every student’s needs are different and I think you will get a different answer from each student you ask. BC has a large core curriculum; students planning on double majoring or adding a minor may be happy to have a few spots freed up. Students who are not confident in their writing ability, may feel that these classes are needed to set them up for success in future classes. In D20’s case, she was happy to place out of the freshman writing class as she is required to take a writing class specific to her major sophomore year. I’m sorry I don’t have a cut and dry answer, but it really is student specific.
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