<p>nobodyknows--
I will be going to the Annapolis campus... Did you say you were going to NM or MD?</p>
<p>Aporia--
Thanks for answering all of the questions. I too am anxious to hear about the workload whenever you have time.</p>
<p>Megan</p>
<p>hi, im just a junior so i still have another year to work things out. As far as campus at first i was set on santa fe because of the mountains and the sky; i like 2 run marathons and i think all the trails would make a beautiful training environment... but, I really love artsy stuff 2, winter is really depressing for me, but I think I am going to visit both this summer, I will see what I like then. They both look so great. I am so pumped for sjc!!!!!</p>
<p>After spending the weekend on a 15-page behemoth of an essay, I guess it's time for me to finally answer your question about the workload....
There is a lot of work. Reading, writing, practicing Greek grammar and translation, preparing geometry propositions for math--the list goes on. However, it doesn't tend to be overwhelming, if you plan ahead. Time management is key. Also, there's a good deal of time between classes during the day to get things done. It's hard to say how long the work "usually" takes--it varies immensely; we've had 10 page seminar readings, 100 page seminar readings, and everything in between. But there?s plenty of time left for a job, extracurriculars, etc.
As for classes, there are three tutorials (lab, math, and Greek, in case anyone isn?t familiar with the system) during the day, and seminar from 8-10. Lab and seminar meet twice a week, Greek and math three times, and chorus once. A large portion of work will be reading, but we had to memorize vocabulary and grammar for Greek in the beginning, before moving on to translation later in the year. Math was the most difficult for me at first, since it was completely unlike any math class I'd had--we spent a semester and a half doing geometry propositions in Euclid, which has a tendency to shatter any complacent preconceptions. Luckily, study groups are available, as are math, Greek, and writing assistants in the coffee shop--they're very helpful. Also, we have 2-3 essays per tutorial each semester; for seminar, it's just reading assignments, except for an oral examination in the fall, and the aforementioned GIANT ESSAY in the spring.</p>
<p>Anyway, I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.</p>
<p>How long are the tutorial essays? What is the work like for lab? Thanks again!</p>
<p>i'm visiting annapolis this weekend :)</p>
<p>You are?! Are you excited? I am going the weekend after this one (Apr 19-21). What is the reading assignment? If you don't mind, will you tell me/us how it went when you get back?</p>
<p>Have fun!
Megan</p>
<p>Anyone know anything about what the fencing club is like?</p>
<p>I'm so sorry for taking so long to get back to you--things have been a bit hectic around here.</p>
<p>Derek--Tutorial papers are generally 4-5 pages. Occasionally, for math or lab, there will be additional proofs or word problems to do, or assignments to write a one-or-two paragraph explanation of a concept or argument, but these aren't particularly frequent.</p>
<p>Lab assignments mostly consist of readings from the manuals, or from the book you're reading at the time. (There are three manuals--one on biology, one on weight, measurement, temperature and other physics-related concepts, and one on chemistry, which contain various scientific essays. We also read excerpts from longer works by Harvey and Lavoisier.) The classes are twice as long as other tutorials, so generally half the class will be discussion of the assignment, and half some sort of experiment, dissection, or demonstration related to it. From dissecting cow hearts to setting fire to magnesium, an entire world of glorious discovery awaits. But don't attempt to set your cow heart on fire. Just...don't.</p>
<p>DramaPrincess--I'm afraid I don't know much about the fencing team. I know a couple of people on it, though, so I'll ask them about it.</p>
<p>booklet0519 and Capella--I hope you enjoy your visits!</p>
<p>BTW- Other schools that offer Great Books Programs are Thomas Aquinas and St. Mary's College of California. At St. Mary's, they call it the Integral Program, but it is based on the Great Books Program of St. John's. I don't know if you could get better financial aid packages there or not, but it might be worth a try.</p>
<p>Thanks Aporia! How was the visit, guys??</p>
<p>I had a really great time, thanks for asking! I should be posting a visit review within the week...</p>
<p>Now that I visited, I am practically going crazy wanting to go back!</p>
<p>Megan</p>
<p>Hey Megan! Are you gonna post your report? I'm curious!
Hope your doing well.
-derek</p>
<p>hey.. thansk for reminding me derek.. im gonna try and post mine riiight now</p>
<p>Great report! Thanks for posting!</p>
<p>anytime.. hope it was helpful!</p>
<p>I just found out about St. John. It seems so perfect. But I hv some worries. Do they give out good scholarships and aids? My father is not alive and my mother is too sick to work. Without a good aid or scholarship, I am just too poor to get into college.
I want to enter med school one day. Are any St. John's kids/ prospective students here considering med school?
I dont know a word of Greek. Would tht hurt my chances of applying?</p>
<p>Actually- I'm concerned about St, Johns as well. I am interested in going- but it is rather small (in a nice city and location though :D) And there is a lot of lecturing and essay writing and reading, which are what I look for in life. The subject matter is what one of my favorite teachers told me to read if I'm not going to college right away. ("travel and read great books- might learn more than if you went to college- useful stuff, at least") ("Great books"- she is university professor material- she needs to go get her grad degree! She is amazing, especially her level of interaction and teaching ability- but she says she is spoiled :-D) </p>
<p>I think St. Johns wants you to learn French and Greek while there- or at least thats what I derived from the site...I loved the video talking about where graduees went though :-P (Time editor, nuclear physicist, business managers...you name it)</p>
<p>St. John's is VERY good for graduate training (which is what I want to go on to study)- 90% plus :-D It is ranked 3rd tier in U.S. new report because it doesn't collect info :-D (high peer-score though)- But the estimated avg. SAT levels are high...and it is a highly comprehensive, close-knit program. </p>
<p>One of the oldest Universities in the U.S. as well...and I met an alumnus who praised it immensely and know someone going for fall (he got in as a junior but didn't go till now due to cost) </p>
<p>There is still "time" to apply!</p>
<p>Thank you Terra-cotta fren. I love to read a lot too. Is their application process tough? I really want to go there now but my biggest worry is financial aid stuff.</p>
<p>I would have loved to go to SJC.But my family's EFC is too high, and since I have younger siblings we just can't afford it.So I'm going in-state.</p>
<p>SJC is small on purpose… so that everyone can really form a bond with the rest of the school. There is minimal lecturing at SJC…. I personally find it easier to learn in a discussion format, which is why I love SJC and am going to apply in September. There is only one lecture on the entire campus every week- almost none of the tutorials are, and certainly seminar isn’t!! The books they read are not the only Great Books, but they are some of them. But I don’t think it’s a program that you can do because someone else told you too.. this is a program that seems to come from inside. </p>
<p>St. John’s teaches French and Greek—they, like every other class at SJC- are required. Greek is used for reading the Great Greek works, and French for the “more modern” French ones. … </p>
<p>Yup… St johns sent me a brochure listing all the cool things Johnies have done... it’s really pretty exciting :)</p>
<p>Keep in mind that it’s an SAT-optional school, so the avg. SAT doesn’t actually reflect the entire student body… It is one of the oldest universities in the country, but it has changed its name and its structure- the great books program is only around 50 years old. And despite being old, it doesn’t have the reputation among normal people that, say, Harvard or Yale do. </p>
<p>Sorry if that’s a lot of facts to spew at you.. I think this whole thing is so cool… Everyone interested in St John’s should really visit the campus they’d ideally like to attend. I was on-the-fence-ly in love with SJC before I visited, and now- I could really see myself as a student there.</p>
<p>Hope that helped…</p>