<p>I was wondering how hard the freshman/writing seminars I'm thinking about are. I'm considering these freshman seminars:
-Music and Film [LA]
-Theories of Reading/Reading Theory [LA]
-The Ghetto as a Socio-Historical Problem [SA]
-In the Service of All Nations?: Elite Universities, Public Policy, and the Common Good [SA]
-Listening In: Sound, Music, Noise, and Technology in American History [HA]</p>
<p>I have a question though. I'm a psych major, so many of my classes will be SA and EC. Would it be wise to fulfill another general BA requirement with a freshman seminar, even though that seminar may not interest me as much? I'm thinking about taking an EM/HA/LA seminar. And if you have any idea, does a freshman seminar that fulfills the LA requirement count as an English class by medical schools? (I'm premed)</p>
<p>Anyway, here are the writing seminars I'm thinking about:
-Culture and Human Body
-Rumor and Urban Legend
-The Future of Food
-Sacrifice
-Color</p>
<p>If you have any opinions about these freshman/writing seminars, let me know!</p>
<p>Freshman seminars are really a great opportunity to explore a subject you're interested in early on, in a small classroom setting. You can use them to fulfill distribution reqs if they happen to be fun and interesting to you, but I wouldn't advise taking a class that you're not as interested in just to fulfill a req. You'll end up doing a lot of reading/writing/discussing on the topic (and you're only a freshman once!) so take something you like. There are lots of classes that people typically take to fulfill certain reqs (like science classes for non-sciencey people) and you can PDF them so it won't matter if you're not that interested. </p>
<p>As for difficulty, I don't know about the courses specifically, but in general it all depends on the professor. Writing seminars are just tedious, not necessarily hard, and most people have positive experiences in their freshman seminars.</p>
<p>I actually would recommend using your freshman seminar to fulfill a distribution requirement. The courses are very engaging and well-taught. The professors try to use an interdisciplinary approach whenever possible, so the courses tend to be much less dry than the large lecture courses you might otherwise take to fulfill your requirements. I used a freshman seminar to fulfill a requirement in a subject that I had absolutely no interest in. The professor was great, and it ended up being one of my favorite classes. The "Elite Universities" course sounds really interesting. I know people who took the food and color writing seminars and liked them.</p>
<p>Also, I was wondering why people recommend taking writing seminars and freshman seminars concurrently. I was assigned a fall writing seminar, but the spring freshman seminars sound much more interesting!</p>
<p>I never knew it was recommended. :eek: Most of my friends took writing seminar one semester and freshman seminar the other semester so that they were guaranteed of having a small class each term. If you like one that's offered second semester the best, then that's the one you should take.</p>
<p>How about taking a freshman seminar both terms? Will taking one in the fall decrease your chance of getting one you also really like in the spring?</p>
<p>I have a spring writing seminar, and liked a fall freshman one which I plan on applying to, but don't want to jeopardize my chance of getting into a spring freshman sem that fufills a requirement but seems like it would be popular because it has a well-known professor!</p>
<p>I don't really know if (or how much) you'll be at a disadvantage, but I got into freshman seminars both semesters. Your best bet is to email who ever is in charge of the program.</p>
<p>I'd recommend taking Freshman Seminars both semesters if you find something that interests you. That is the only opportunity you will ever have to take those classes and some of them are little easier than the upper level seminars you'll be in later on.</p>
<p>If you really (I mean really) want to take that spring one, your best bet is to avoid a fall freshman seminar. Priority for spring seminars goes to those who didn't get one fall semester, so you're unlikely to get the popular spring ones if you take one in the fall as well. That said, I'm not sure that working so strategically is the best idea. oakey's right--FRS classes are very fun, comfortable classes that you probably won't be able to take in the future (upper level seminars are definitely less relaxed), and I think ultimately having one famous professor isn't worth it if you don't really like the class. You'll have plenty of time to see and take classes from famous people at Princeton, but you only have one or two freshman seminars.</p>
<p>I have question regarding the writing seminar. A friend of mine who is a sophomore at Princeton told me that usually, you get either your second or third choice for writing seminar so some people really put their first choice as their second choice. Is this true? I really want to take music and madness so I was going to list it as my first choice but now I'm wondering if I should make it my second.</p>
<p>I've never heard that...I think I got my first choice. But it all depends on how popular your choices are (take into account the time that it's held as well). There's really nothing you can do to make sure you get your first choice, but be sure to be prepared to take any of your choices, so don't list an 8:30am seminar thinking you're never going to get your 5th choice (it happens)</p>
<p>if you really want to take a certain seminar then you can list the same seminar at multiple times (ie 8:30, 11, and 7:30). The 8:30 classes are obviously the most popular, so if you really want to take the seminar and are flexible on time there is a good chance that you will get the subject that you want.</p>
<p>Writing seminar assignments are determined by computer. Each student is placed in the seminar highest on his or her list which is still available. So it's in your interest to rank your first choice highest. The error in your reasoning is that you implicitly assume that the computer sets out to place you in your second choice seminar, which it does not.</p>
<p>I took a freshman seminar in the spring. I would have liked to fall as well, but it didn't fit into my schedule. They're definitely easier than other Princeton classes so it's a good "ease-your-way-into-the-pool" option. If you can take 1 each semester, great. They fulfill requirements, yet are much easier than regular classes you would have to take later on to fulfill those requirements.</p>