<p>I will most likely go to Boston College if I am taken off of the waitlist and receive some financial aid. I really like the school, but I am turned away by the large core curriculum. I have AP / college credits already, but most of them are in science and math. I will probably major in physics and math if I go, so a lot of the courses such as theology and modern history don’t pertain to my concentration. Is there any way to get out of taking these?</p>
<p>nope, no way out. the point of the core is to get a well-rounded education. everyone, in every concentration, has to do it. its really not that bad.</p>
<p>it doesn't seem that bad at all. i was so psyched when i saw how many things you could be exempt from through APs. =)</p>
<p>jench820, is there a list anywhere that lists BC's exemption from core courses through AP exams?</p>
<p>The core courses were actually one of my favorite things about BC. They forced me to take classes in subjects I probably wouldn't have taken on my own, and opened my eyes to a lot of things I would have otherwise missed. I think it's outrageous that people are walking around with B.A.s who have never taken even one philosophy course and don't have the slightest familiarity with Plato. Why are you guys so eager to avoid the core courses?</p>
<p>Because they'd rather take something else related to their major or maybe something else that they're interested in.</p>
<p>Yikes. Go to Northeastern or something if you just want vocational training or a narrowly focused curriculum. There's a lot to be said for being broadly "edumucated".</p>
<p>"Go to Northeastern or something if you just want vocational training or a narrowly focused curriculum."</p>
<p>Ah, no, Northeastern has strong core curriculum (healthy dose of liberal arts courses).</p>
<p>Tun, you mean things they probably already know a lot about? That's the point...to take you out of your comfort zone and expose you to things that will round out your education. Everybody shows up at college having taken US history. That's why the core courses focus on European history, etc. You will have PLENTY of opportunities to take courses related to your major.</p>
<p>When i started university i wanted to make up some random classes before i started on my major so i took some philosophy. Now i want to double major in philosophy and history. Sometimes you may suprise yourself and actually enjoy things that you would not otherwise seek out :) (or you may hate it... but at least you have choices with CORE dont you?)</p>
<p>TourGuide, I was talking more about stuff like taking a foreign language that you've always wanted to learn for fun or something like that.</p>
<p>I absolutely hate BC's core curriculum. People talk about european history as a core, but I've been learning about US and European history all of my life, so coming to BC, I thought I would be able to choose something more interesting. Everything is so westernized and it ****es me off that this school wants you to be more worldly, but we're learning westernized teachings.</p>
<p>If the Core is 15 courses out of the 40 you can take without overloading, that still leaves you 25 courses to devote to your major and electives. At a lot of comparable universities, they only take 4 courses per semester, so they take a max of 32 courses. If they have even a few required courses, then the number left over for major courses and electives would be just slightly more than you'd have at BC.</p>
<p>When I took core philosophy courses, they included several types of Asian philosophy, so it's not as Western as it might appear. But even if it is very Western, BC isn't the sort of place that is going to apologize for it. If you wanted a breezy, free-flowing, and non-Eurocentric curriculum, you should have picked Wesleyan, Vassar, or scores of other colleges. It's a little arrogant to think that BC should adapt to your wishes, rather than the other way around. I'm assuming you applied to BC, rather than them coming to you and begging for you to attend. If you don't like the Core, then quit b1tching about it and give up your spot to one of the thousands of people on their wait-list.</p>
<p>thank you tourguide.</p>
<p>does this mean that we will have to take 5 courses each semester for at least most of the time at BC? =(</p>
<p>Go to the BC website and download the catalog. You need 38 courses to graduate. Typically you take 5 per semester (for a total of 40 courses), and along the way you drop 2 because you're lost as hell. So (5 courses x 8 semesters) - 2 courses = 38 courses = bachelor's degree. Of course if there are labs or other non-3-credit courses it adds a wrinkle to the arithmatic. But in general it's 5 courses per semester.</p>
<p>When I went there a while back, I always tried to take one course per semester at night...they met once per week for about 2.5 hours. That made the rest of the week a lot simpler--just 4 daytime courses. The night courses also had an interesting mix of people...more older adults who worked during the day. I'm not certain it's as easy to take night courses now as it was back then, but it's worth checking into.</p>
<p>:gasp!: taking CLASSES?? at college?! the horrors...</p>
<p>Jench, i understand the hesitation at doing 5 classes every semester. It may seem a lot but i guess people manage it. From what i have heard taking 5 classes per semester is quite common at US colleges so you may not be able to easily escape it.</p>
<p>Haha, I know. =)</p>
<p>is there any way you can validate BC core classes by taking equivalent courses at other accredited colleges and universities?? For example, can i take summer classes in History, Calc, Philosophy or Biology in order to get my Core done?(i'm aware i wont get credit, but i can take them and get them out of the way right?)</p>