<p>How do you get accepted for directed studies?
Was I supposed to fill something out with my application?
So...is it too late to apply or has the application not begun?</p>
<p>thanks,</p>
<p>They will either send you a letter saying you were accepted right before Bulldog Days (you don't have to do anything to get that, its just based on things they notice in your application) or you can apply once you commit to attend Yale. If you don't get accepted when you apply you will get wailisted, but don't give up hope. Just keep pestering Jane Levin so she knows that you still really want to do DS. Many of the people who are accepted to do it end up dropping it once they arrive at Yale and realize what DS completely entails opening up spots for the waitlistees. This year I don't think there was anybody who wanted to do DS that wasn't eventually accepted.</p>
<p>what's directed studies again? I've only heard that it's been nicknamed directed suicide or something similar...;)</p>
<p>Well, I know a little about the program, but could anyone plz clarify why is it so sought-after?</p>
<p>Gives a pretty detailed description of directed studies. If you click the syllabi three long lists of books appear..</p>
<p>I want to major in bio and maybe literature/philosophy and I'm not sure if directed studies is the right thing for me. It sounds like a lot of fun (and work) .. something I would really enjoy. But would it get me too behind in bio?</p>
<p>is it a very difficult course of study in terms of grading? Looks very interesting, but I'd be going premed, so would it be possible to still do directed studies?</p>
<p>Grading is actually one of the best things about DS. Most people don't get lower than a B+ and a B- is generally the worst grade you can get.</p>
<p>so, essentially, its like a reading intensive course for yale students in their freshman year, grading consists of writing papers (are they difficult) every other week or so. </p>
<p>Is it feasible to do directed studies as a pre-med? I'm looking into majoring in MCDB, MBB, or History of Medicine. </p>
<p>Thanks for your help, btw, chasgoose. I really appreciate it!</p>
<p>It sounds like you might rather apply to Perspectives on Science:
"Perspectives on Science is a lecture and discussion course designed for a limited number of freshmen who have exceptionally strong backgrounds in science and mathematics. The program aims to reveal the excitement and interdependence of the various scientific disciplines by addressing major questions in science and by providing close analysis of specific instances in which these questions arise. Students in the program attend lectures and seminars with faculty members from the science departments. Recent Perspectives on Science topics have included computers and imaging in modern medicine, putting behavior in an evolutionary context, cooling and trapping atoms with laser light, and the greenhouse problem in different time scales." (From the Admissions website)</p>
<p>And for more detail:
<a href="http://www.yale.edu/yser/perspectives/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.yale.edu/yser/perspectives/index.html</a></p>
<p>hey thanks vivaldi, ill def look into it!</p>
<p>No problem - if I were going into a scientific field, I would definitely apply. Paid research immediately after freshman year? Sounds good...</p>
<p>I am not sure whether I would want to go for Directed Studies or Perspectives on Science. I'll be a science major, but I also love literature and philiosophy, and I want a broad based education. DS sounds like a wonderful oppertunity to pursue the humanities. Besides, it would leave me one more slot for a chemistry course. But then Perspectives on Science would be better for getting research oppertunities and building relationships with science professors. Both sound like wonderful, wonderful programs that I would throughly enjoy. But actually, I'm still not fully sure that I'll be matriculating at Yale just yet, either. Can you tell I'm the sort who can't make up her mind about anything? :)</p>
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<p>In addition to Perspectives on science, I noticed there is also a course, Sci 130 - Current Topics in Science, open to Freshmen who do not intend to major in science, but who DO have a "strong preparation in the mathematics and sciences" - what constitutes strong preparation? </p>
<p>Additionally, how difficult is admissions to DS if you don't get in as the lucky 25 invited by Bulldog days. Does knowing profs at Yale and such things make a difference?</p>
<p>They invite more than 25 people by Bulldog Days. I personally know more than 25 people that were invited. I think they invite the full 125, knowing that some will choose not to attend Yale and others will drop out once they get here. </p>
<p>Don't worry about getting into Directed Studies. If you aren't invited the application is a pain, but even if you get waitlisted, you will probably get in if you keep pursuing it and pestering Jane Levin (the coordinator of Directed Studies and President Levin's wife). Just make it clear you want to do it. Many people drop it once they get to Yale and by the second week of shopping period it is filled only by people who want to be there and the waitlist is eventually closed.</p>
<p>This is for mr_sanguine and tallyrand, but others might find it helpful too:</p>
<p>If you're committed enough, it would probably be possible to major in science/be a premed at the same time as doing DS. However, I wouldn't recommend it.</p>
<p>The problem is that most science majors have a ton of prerequisites that you need to start on during freshman year. For MCDB and MB&B, for example, you really need to take at least chem + lab freshman year. Now, you can do this as your fourth course alongside DS (I have a friend who's doing exactly that), but it leaves you NO time for anything else.</p>
<p>Yale's English, Philosophy, and other humanities departments have a ton of amazing courses outside of DS, and unless you have a deep need to study the topics covered specifically in DS (and are willing to take on the workload that comes with it), you'll probably be better off creating your own program of humanities courses that interest you. This year, for example, I'm taking/have taken: 2 semesters of chemistry, 2 semesters of physics, 2 semesters of the most amazing history classes I've ever been in, 1 semester of English ("advanced writing of nonfiction prose"... that class was really fun :-P), and 1 semester of German. I could have done DS, but by choosing not to, I've been able to take the science courses I need as well as several humanities classes that I love. Tallyrand, no need to worry about not getting a "broad based education" - Yale will make you do that no matter what you major in :-P If I were you, I'd take a look through the english/philosphy courses (the course catalog is online at <a href="http://www.yale.edu/courseinfo%5B/url%5D">www.yale.edu/courseinfo</a>) and see whether you'd be happier with DS's set coverage of western literature/philosophy/history or with choosing your own courses that more specifically target your interests. </p>
<p>If you don't do DS, though, definitely consider taking perspectives on science, if you're a prospective science major. I'm not in it (I forgot to apply last year... whoops!), but according to my friends who are, it's got a relatively low workload, exposes you to lots of different areas of current research, and does bring along some pretty cool research opportunities summer after freshman year. Of course, if you're driven enough, you can find these even if you're not in Perspectives, but Perspectives sure does make it a lot easier :-P</p>
<p>Hope that's been helpful for those of you who are science majors interested in DS... if you have any questions, PM me or something. I'm here to help :-D</p>
<p>thanks athena! That was very helpful!</p>