<p>This is one criticism of the D-Plan that I have often heard argued but never defended. What happens during sophomore and junior year, when your classmates are scattered, taking different leave and off-campus terms? Is it a real stick in the social system to have a new group of classmates every ten weeks, or does it just flow regardless?</p>
<p>I can only talk to it as it pertains to my child as everyone's situtation is different. From my conversation with her about this same topic over the weekend (because she is in the process of doing her enrollment schedule and putting in a prospective major) she has a lof of friends that are going to be leaving in at some point next year to do some type of study abroad. </p>
<p>One of her best friends (an 07) is now on a leave term this term (will be back for sophmore summer) and is going to do a study abroad for both fall and winter next year. At first she was a little sad, but she was happy for her friend. Right now they talk every day (perk of having free long distance in your room) and her friend lives close enough (MA) that she will come back to campus to visit (has already been back to visit). </p>
<p>Daughter said that she regretted not putting in for an LSA because she has about 4 friends who will be going to Spain next year for spanish and said it would have been fun to go with some friends. Her room mate got waitlisted for the Anthro FSA in New Zealand. Daughter has a wide variety of friends, so not all of them will be off campus. many that she is currently going through the pre-med grind will be on campus with her so it's okay.</p>
<p>Kelly, this is something DD and I talked about before she chose Dart. This is an opportunity to get to know many more people, but it is a challenge for first years to get off your duff and meet as many kids as possible, because you will be scrounging for roommates next year!
The D plan is what drew her to the university, you have to take the challenges with the opportunities and flexibility.</p>
<p>Sybbie, what I would like to see addressed, and want DD to look into while on campus, is the real scoop on the oversubscription of classes. THe real class size was a bit of a disappointment to me, but I know that small classes are necessarily a big advantage in all disciplines. What worries me is the continued stories of people not able to get basic classes in a subject they are considering for a major - the ones I've heard mentioned are government, econ and history - what's the scoop?</p>
<p>i asked her that this morning because she was considering taking a govenment class to do the london study abroad (big sigh I knov kid just has too many choices0 Econ and Government are hot majors for the law school crowd and those that are looking to get into banking. The intro courses are crowed and close out fast. She is taking Chem 6 (big course everywhere-2nd half of intro to chem) her other classes really are not large at all. Like everywhere else, when you get into the higher level courses they tend to taper off. I thing that some of it also depends on the type of schedule a person wants (some people only want to attend classes 3 days a week, other only want to go to class during certain hours.</p>
<p>If you check the median grade info by term, you can see the amount of students in each class and the median grade for that class. I hope this gives you some type of jumping off point.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7Ereg/courses/medians/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.dartmouth.edu/~reg/courses/medians/index.html</a> </p>
<p>attached please find the prospective of courses, which basically shows you what classes are being offered over the next 2 years.</p>
<p>you can look by course, term, time.</p>
<p>hope this helps</p>
<p>Yeah, Sybbie, I've looked at those, and it is a mixed bag of news. As I've tried to explain to DD - bigger science classes and math classes are not that big a problem, as long as you can see and hear, and someone answers questions, sometimes it is better to have a large number of people to study with. She has always done well in history, and this semester has really gotten turned on to econ, we'll just have to see.
It occurred to me reading your post, that kids needing pre-req for study abroad, may complicate matters as well - you need X class early in order to get Y study abroad junior year.</p>
<p>You can study abroad as early as sophmore year. It is all in the planning. Since you have to apply a year in advance (i think the deadline was feb 1 for study abroads for the next academic year-fall 05, winter/spring 06). Students found out at the end of winter term as to whether or not their study abroad was approved. you don't have to take the pre-recs before you apply, you just have to have them finished before you go on your trip. There are students that are not taking spanish 2 and 3 until fall 05/winter 06 for FSA in spring 06 (spanish is one of those that has a study abroad every term)</p>
<p>Cangel -</p>
<p>My daughter is an '08. She has had her 75+ person courses, but even as first year, she has had number of smaller (ie. 12 -20 person) courses. Daughter is doing an LSA (Language Study Abroad) in Spring quarter of her second year and, in line with what Sybbie has said, is deliberatly not taking her language courses until closer to the travel quarter. </p>
<p>LSA is distinct from FSP (Foreign Study Program) however, the latter seemingly being a program offered in a number of disciplines which, because of the various course distribution and major/minor requirements, may most often be taken in major or field. That definitely takes some course planning and can't really be factored into the tentative D plan students are required to submit until the student has a clear idea of his or her major. It has caused her some concern. I have, however, seen other threads or read some sort of communication from the Dean of First Years (can't remember which) from which I gleened that that it fairly typical, and apparently fairly easy, to change your D plan, even more than one time.</p>
<p>As far as the original posters' question about fracturing the sense of community of the class - I think some students would argue that it somewhat does. Potentially, even roommates change as a result of the D plan. You will not so much get a new group of classmates every 10 weeks as you will a new assortment from among the same group. </p>
<p>But as Sybbie posted, it is technologically easy to stay in touch these days. It seems that First Years get extremely close, and that the sophomore summer helps reinforce that. It seems also seems likely that as you get deeper and deeper into your ultimate course of study, interships, research, whatever, a good part of your satisfaction derives from your academics, great courses and professors, and also the various outside interests you develop. Alums seem to reflect so fondly of their days at Dartmouth. Likely, the social scene flows regardless.</p>