<p>Just curious. I actually didnt understand any of this until you were kind enough to fill me in. My daughter (and very educated brother) have every movie and book, so I obviously dont believe they're a waste of time, Nor would have I spent a fortune (and stood in line at Barnes and Noble at midnight <em>numerous nights</em>) buying the books.
Even now, she plays the movies over and over. I guess it's time to watch myself :)</p>
<p>Note: Almost all my reading is non-fiction. It wasn't a slight to HP</p>
<p>
[quote]
That's interesting. Hmm, Riddell had my daughter bypass any form of intro course, suped-up or not, b/c of her IB bio and go directly to the dreaded Genes and Genomes
[/quote]
Interesting, two students, two different routes taken, with the advice of a counselor. My D scored a 760 on molecular Bio test and got a 5 in AP test, and was wondering about the same thing just the other night. She is seriously considering just taking intro bio at Smith; no harm, no foul. If it's easy, then there's an "A". If hard, she'll be glad she took it before taking others. Smart kid, as I wouldn't have thought of it that way. I'd have let my ego get the best of me and tried to start with an advanced bio. Go figure!</p>
<p>Interesting, two students, two different routes taken, with the advice of a counselor. My D scored a 760 on molecular Bio test and got a 5 in AP test, and was wondering about the same thing just the other night. She is seriously considering just taking intro bio at Smith; no harm, no foul. If it's easy, then there's an "A". If hard, she'll be glad she took it before taking others. Smart kid, as I wouldn't have thought of it that way. I'd have let my ego get the best of me and tried to start with an advanced bio. Go figure!]]</p>
<p>Keep in mind too that the earlier poster said that her daughter had scored highly in IB bio, and the IB program is tougher than the AP program (though high scores in either are excellent, and this is in no way meant as a dig to your D), so that may be why she skipped. Your D's got the right idea though, and besides, the first two weeks of the semester are shopping weeks, so she can register for intro bio, go to the class, read the syllabus, and if it's too easy, she can switch out to a higher class.</p>
<p>I think it is worth noting that Genes and Genomes is taught by Steve Williams (most years, I think), the highest powered research prof. that Smith has. It is extraordinary that someone of his caliber would be teaching firstyears at all, but not so surprising that he would expect an awful lot from his students. Hey, that's why we pay the big bucks....</p>
<p>IB bio, and the IB program is tougher than the AP program.]]]</p>
<p>I'm don't believe IB is tougher, but its a two yr program so the students have a bit more knowledge base. AP students take only a yr of bio, I believe.
The issiue with doing the IB program is it doesn't always leave room for Chem.</p>
<p>I would suggest thinking about what interests you so that you can sign up for classes concerning that particular field. The thing is, I took all different types of courses my freshman year since I had no idea what I wanted to major in upon entering college. </p>
<p>It's better to get the credits for your major or minor out of the way while you can because a lot of classes are either not offered during certain semesters or they get filled up easily.</p>
<p>Ahh so many fabulous options, so little time in which to take them : / Here is my (extremely tentative) schedule:
English 202: Western Classics in Translation, Homer to Dante or CLT 202 (gateway comparative lit class)
Calc 111 (or, if I can do this at community college/NYU over the summer, possibly 114).
Italian 111, French 101, or Spanish 112Y (I really cannot decide)
Phil 108 or Econ 213 The World Food system or Econ 250 Intermediate Micro
First level voice performance class, maybe the Five College Opera if it's being offered
Are there any "must take while here" classes at Smith? Who are the best professors you/your daughters have had? Thanks : )</p>
<p>Also, what do first-years usually do during interterm? I was thinking about maybe going to India for it, but is it good to get settled into campus a little bit more and just relax your first term?</p>
<p>Most first-years don't spend interterm on campus. My first year, I spent one week at home, one week on campus hanging out and working, and the third week I took a one-credit class. </p>
<p>My sophomore year I took a one-credit class and two non-credit classes and was on campus for all three weeks. </p>
<p>It's not neccessary to be there, as you'll already be settled in. I'd personally be bored to tears at home and I know that I can make more money on campus and see my friends (though not all of them were on campus for all three weeks).</p>
<p>D has split the difference, taking a one-week J-term course for credit each year at the end of the J-term, giving herself two extra weeks home.</p>
<p>She's already been thinking aloud about senior year, anticipating that she may be up to her eyebrows with a thesis and needing to use J-term to be on campus and work on that but to take something fun, like Jonathan Hirsh's class on bridge (the card game, not the engineering structure).</p>
<p>Finally I got the 2005-06 course catalog, and after crossing out all courses I don't want to take(a much shorter thing to do than high lighting all the ones I want to take), I was thinking about taking these classes during the first semester...
1.) Calculus III or Linear Algebra
2.) ARS 163 Drawing 1
3.) ARH The home as a work of art(WI)
4.) Engineering for Everyone
5.) Kickboxing, Horseback riding, or Tennis
Well, I guess I will change this schedule at least 5 more times beofre the beginning of the year.:-) I can't wait for fall!</p>
<p>As far as J-Term goes, most people aren't on campus. I went home and used the extra long break to work, and the money was well worth it. One bad move I made though, was to not get back to Smith until the day before school started again. I was way off balance and bewildered in the first few days of the semester because of that. Go away for J-Term, but come back a few days early.</p>
<p>5.) Kickboxing, Horseback riding, or Tennis
Well, I guess I will change this schedule at least 5 more times beofre the beginning of the year.:-) I can't wait for fall! ]] </p>
<p>Beware, Beginners tennis is already nearly full up, and kickboxing goes fast too. Horseback riding though is usually open. And Home as a Work of Art is supposed to be a great class.</p>
<p>[Go away for J-Term, but come back a few days early.]</p>
<p>One word of caution regarding returning too early during J-Term, the locks are changed.
Also, during normal breaks the locks are changed and most of the houses are closed. Only a few are left open to accommodate those that arent able to return home for one reason or another. E.g. students from foreign countries.
More than one woman has returned early and not had a place to stay. There are ways way around locked houses, but its imperative to plan ahead.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Finally I got the 2005-06 course catalog, and after crossing out all courses I don't want to take(a much shorter thing to do than high lighting all the ones I want to take)....
<p>usjo2- I looked up the course catalogue to see what you're talking about. I did Tom Rohlich's other course- Kyoto Through the Ages. (Personally, I think this new course is more appealing to me :)).</p>
<p>I did go to Japan for my J-term- it was quite an experience. I was literally implanted from one world to another. Everyone was able to go- I think quite a few asked for some sort of aid from the Student Aid Society to help with the expenses of the trip. In a nutshell with its finances, you're really only paying for your round-trip plane ticket to Osaka from Hartford while the grant covers everything else- including hotel and food and transportation (only limited to trip itnerary- not your free time). I was pretty satisfied and happy with the way things were taken care of (with the exception of a two-night stay in Chicago at the end due a storm). </p>
<p>The trip is really optional- of course the profs will want you to go but if you don't really want to go, just stand on your ground. Smith will try to help if you really need some aid :) It's quite well-worth it if you're interested in new cultures!</p>
<p>As boring my class was, going to Japan made all the grunt work worth it LOL</p>
<p>Are all FYS writing-intensive? I'm thinking about The Science and Politics of Food, Water, and Energy, with Leslie King and the only letter after it is E for experimental. Also, is it usually a safe bet to take an E course? How experimental are they?</p>
<p>No, actually they aren't all writing intensive. If they aren't denoted with a W or WI then they are not writing intensive courses. Most FYS are writing intensive, but not all of them. I'm guessing that because this one is "experimental" it is disqualified from WI. Sorry, I've never taken an "E" course so I can't tell you how it is. What I can tell you is this: if its of interest to you, then take it. You can always take WI your second semester, I did that, and it's a very do-able option. Take the courses you want to first and foremost, worry about fulfilling requirements second.</p>