<p>Hey M2M- Thanks for the info about the dorm. Just wondering, do you know what dorm single sex-dorms are usually or substance-free housing? When are you allowed to request a single dorm or live off campus?
Also, what comes with your dorm (basic things like a desk, lamp, shelf, bed?)</p>
<p>Moat2Moat,
Thank you for taking the time to provide so much detailed information on Brown. You mentioned that you had a friend studying environmental science. My daughter wants to go to a school that has a strong environmental science (environmental chemistry more specifically) department. Can you comment on the strength of the environmental science department? Any comments in this area would be appreciated by my daughter. She is considering doing the Brown Summer Environmental Leadership program next summer. Thanks again for your comments and insights.</p>
<p>I have heard wonderful things about this program; a few people I knew in the class of 2008 did it and said it was an incredible experience for them to study both on and off a college campus in a program that gave them both a lot of guidance and a lot of independence and freedom to explore things that interested them. Additionally, I would assume that the students who do this program and then end up coming to Brown often maintain close bonds with people from their summer, or at least are glad to have a few familiar faces and some grasp on campus life upon entering.</p>
<p>Environmental Science at brown is a great department. With great facilities such as the greenhouse and the UEL (Urban Environmental Lab) and parts of the recently-improved MacMillan Hall, the resources abound and the level of student interest is high as well. I know tons of students that took ES classes and enjoyed them even not as concentrators. The ES department and its affiliated courses in other departments allow students to study not just the physical-sci side of ES, but also the sociocultural implications of various environmental issues, how what they are learning fits into the grand scheme of things. I imagine this is expected of an ES department anywhere, but studying something with strong scientific AND cultural implications at a liberal arts school as strong in as many supporting areas as Brown gives a student interested in ES a large advantage and an opportunity to get a truly global perspective of the discipline.</p>
<p>Hey M2M- Thanks for the info about the dorm. Just wondering, do you know what dorm single sex-dorms are usually or substance-free housing? When are you allowed to request a single dorm or live off campus?
Also, what comes with your dorm (basic things like a desk, lamp, shelf, bed?)</p>
<p>Dorm questions...not sure what dorm the single-sex or substance-free halls are in. Do not be confused, though--there is not an entire dorm that is one of those things. So for example, if the women's hall is in andrews, that's just one hall--and if you are a woman assigned to andrews, it doesn't necessarily mean you are on that hall (and, in all likelihood, you probably are not, unless you requested it). Often, the substance-free and single-sex areas are in pretty nice living spaces (i.e. Andrews, Plantations House) because, I suspect, the University would not want to make it seem that anyone was forced to live in a dorm that wasn't as super duper just because they didn't want to drink. This is a huge overstatement because most all of the dorms are nice in their own ways and most dorms do not contain slews and packs of drunken kids; I'm just hypothesizing as to complaints that might come from extreme parents and why it would be to the University's advantage to put these specialty halls in nice places.</p>
<p>As Moat explained about the housing lottery, you can shoot for a single (and, in all likelihood, have a very good chance of getting one if you play the lottery well and are flexible) for your sophomore year and on. All freshmen live in doubles, but from then on, where you live is up to you. Yes, you are partly at the mercy of your or your group's lottery number (or theme house/frat if you choose to go that way), but other than that, you research your own preferences and, in lottery rank order, pick the exact room that you want to live in. If you'd like a single, that is your choice to go for that.</p>
<p>Until very recently, you were not permitted at all to live off campus until senior year. You have to request off-campus permission during the spring semester prior to the year you want to move off. Over the past couple of years, they have been granting off-campus permission to a limited number of juniors as well, partly because Brown has guaranteed housing and needs to make sure there will be room for all the underclassmen. It is always a delicate balance for them to make sure they have as many people living on campus as they can but not too many such that there is a housing crunch. Long story short, if you get your paperwork in on time, you are guaranteed to be allowed off senior year, and there is a small chance of being allowed off junior year, but that is uncertain. About 80% of seniors choose to live off-campus. I did, and I thought it was a great transition between dorm living and "real world" living. You are still somewhat protected by the University community in that there are lots of other students around and housing resources to help you, but you are responsible for handling things like rent and utilities on your own, which is good "practice."</p>
<p>To every freshman dorm room there are the following:</p>
<p>Two beds, two dressers, two desks, two places for internet hookup, one phone line but two voice mailboxes, two closets. Some dorms come with shelves built into the walls, others don't; others just have shelves built into the closet. There is also generally space for other furniture. My freshman year I lived in Keeney, whose doubles are pretty standard size for freshman doubles, and we had all of the above plus a fridge, a microwave, a TV on a furniture stand, two nightstands, and a large butterfly chair, and we still had a (small) middle-of-the-room clear space. Lamps and other accessory furniture do not come with the room, although there is of course a basic ceiling light or other light fixture in every room.</p>
<p>One more question. Again thanks to lisa2005 & M2M for answering the questions. This might be a stupid one but her it goes:</p>
<p>About requirements. One of my friends (well she's in her 30's) says she is sure that Brown has some course requirments for earning a liberal arts degress. Such as a semester or math, semester of English. Is she right because I thought you absolutely don't have any requirments at Brown.</p>
<p>Sorry, but how easy is it to avoid kids that are coming from your high school? Is it a big enough school were you will rarely have to see them (maybe once every few months, if that?)</p>
<p>Your friend is 100% wrong. Brown has no general requirements. There are requirements within your major, so your major may requrie a semester of math or english, but no general requirements for everyone. the only thing approaching a general requirement is that when professors give you a grade they can also mark that your writing needs improvement. if you get more than two marks of this type, you have to take a writing class. i haven't heard of that happening to anyone yet though, as most people who get into brown are already good writers.</p>
<p>no one from my high school went to brown, but i did have a friend who was in my class. i liked seeing him and so sort of made an effort, and i saw him about once a week. if i hadn't made that effort, well, i randomly ran into him maybe three times a semester. so i guess thats about once every few months. then again, your schedules may work out that you NEVER run into each other, or that you constantly do. but i wouldn't worry about it too much.</p>
<p>ps. lisa2005 thanks for covering for me, i wasnt around a computer for a little while</p>
<p>i'll add to what lisa said with a fwe things. i believe that Brown either just ifnished or is in the process of building (sorry i cant be more specific) a Center for Environmental Change which should augment our already strong ES department. Additionally, Brown's geology department is one of our best, and handles several environmental science classes. Someone asked earlier about MCM and journalism. MCM is not a course that you can really apply to one profession. Its a way of studying how meaning is constructed in our minds and in society. Meaning is expressed through art, journalism, even sexuality, and the course studies all these things. Its incredibly interesting, but will not teach you how to write a convincing editorial. I highly suggest taking Intro to MCM once you get to Brown though, its an oppurtunity that few other college students would get.</p>
<p>Thanks very much to MoattoMoat and lisa2005 for the information. My daughter is very excited about the environmental science opportunities at Brown. She's also going to look at the geology and chemistry departments.</p>
<p>Sounds great. The new LiSci is also exciting.</p>
<p>I know I most likely have what's required to enter Brown but I am in a big dillema. I would like to major in Economics and my college advisor has told me that I better try going to Emory instead. Brown, I believe, has a more recognized name as an Ivy, on the other hand Emory is a great school with potential and tones of researching going in on. Which of the two schools should I choose according to my major?</p>
<p>They both likely have very good Economics departments. Choose where you want to go more. If you think you would rather go to Brown, then go for it, otherwise you'll always regret or wonder what would have happened if you tried for it.</p>
<p>Emory and Brown are both very good schools, but they are also very different schools. Many people who would be happy at Brown would not be happy at Emory, and vice-versa. (I, for instance, never considered applying to Emory.) The difference in Economics departments should not make the decision for you, as both are strong. The decision should come down to where you feel most comfortable and what you want out of a school.</p>
<p>environmental studies @ brown</p>
<p><a href="http://envstudies.brown.edu/env/index.php%5B/url%5D">http://envstudies.brown.edu/env/index.php</a></p>
<p>Great link, it actually helped me out too. Thanks.</p>
<p>Is Hope College one of the more desirable dorms for a first year?</p>
<p>Yeah its pretty nice. As I said it has a great history. And a perfect location, right on the main green. Also a good size I think.</p>
<p>Thanks for answering my previous question. just to let you know, I'm not trying to make a decision on colleges based on their grading systems, I'm headed to Brown this fall. Just curious about it, that's all. I've another question: I read in the back of the course bulletin (I think that's what it's called? It's the inch-thick book, but I dont have it with me) that there are some sort of examinations during the fall for incoming students in areas like the classics, math, and foreign languages. Apparently there are prizes involved for the top scorers. Do you know anything about these examinations- do they actually exist or is this just outdated information?</p>
<p>Yeah, I read about the Classics ones on the classics dept website, but it was vague. Any additional info anyone has would be great!</p>
<p>I have no clue about that sorry. I have taken several classes in the French department, and there are placement exams at the beginning of the year if you don't want to use your AP exam or your SAT2 for placement, but those aren't really contests... Sorry I can't help with this one. Math also probably has placement exams if you don't want to use SAT2 or AP.</p>
<p>About those placement exams: I have a 5 on French lang and an 800 on the corresponding SAT II, but I think that only qualifies me for credit for French 50. If I wanted to take French 60 or a 100-level course, would I need to take a placement exam? ~Merci.</p>
<p>No I'm pretty sure that a 5 on the AP would qualify you for French 60, as would an 800 on the SAT2. French 60 is the class that Brown recognizes you as having "mastered the language" after you pass it. However, if even French 60 would be too easy for you (if you're already fluent) you can take a fluency exam and get right into the 100 level classes.</p>