<p>D1, an ED admit, is looking at the course catalog and taking a first stab at courses she'd like to take. She's interested in IR, possibly the Global Health, Nutrition and the Environment concentration. Some questions:</p>
<p>*She knows EPIIC is a big time sink, but does it really take the place of all other ECs? Is there still time for some level of casual involvement in other activities? She says it sounds like the kind of time commitment that Academic Decathalon team members make in high school, not that she did Acadeca herself. </p>
<p>*Is it most typical for students to take EPIIC as sophomores, or some other year? For that matter, do seniors ever take EPIIC? Do people tend to take it when it best fits their schedule, or do they sign up when the subject matter makes their eyes go wide with an inhaled "oooohhh"? :)</p>
<p>Thanks for any input, or for any interesting digressions :)</p>
<p>My son is taking EPIIC as a freshman. I’m no expert, but overall it’s been a good experience. </p>
<p>For him it’s been an enormous time sink and what social life he has often seems to revolve around EPIIC. (Things like going down to Harvard to hear a speaker at the Kennedy School on a Saturday evening.) He’s found time to cook a few pies, but he’s not doing any other clubs or sports. </p>
<p>There are students from every year in the class. For freshman that’s probably a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to papers and time management. I know my son got an A- on one paper though. No idea what his final grade will be I don’t think he’s gotten A’s on the exams. Everyone is warned on the first day of class not to take the course if they are expecting an A. He figured freshman year was probably as good a year as any not to get an A. The subject matter this year did make him go “ooooh” and he’s been incredibly engaged. He’s also going off overseas to do research over winter break. (Getting visas and travel plans together in the short time after it was confirmed they were getting at least partial support was not fun!) I think getting plugged into the Global Leadership Institute early is probably going to be a good thing. It’s certainly lit a fire under him. He was a bit of a slacker in high school, but now he’s worrying about grades and having good credentials for future internships. I never thought I’d worry about my kid not partying enough, but between EPIIC and Arabic (languages are not his forte) he’s been stretched pretty thin. Second semester is supposed to be less intense. </p>
<p>If your daughter like to email my son directly I’m sure he’d be happy to write back, though I’d suggest she wait till a little later in the year when he’s had some experience with Part 2 of the course.</p>
<p>This is a common sentiment amongst the freshman who take EPIIC, so it isn’t for everyone, but you’ll also have a hard time finding one who regrets the decision to do it early. My advice would be to not even think about doing EPIIC until the IGL decides on what next year’s topic is. The topics vary hugely year to year - [EPIIC</a> Archives | Institute for Global Leadership](<a href=“EPIIC | Tufts Global Leadership”>EPIIC | Tufts Global Leadership) - and even the most excited freshman shouldn’t spend a year on a topic that doesn’t sound compelling to that individual.</p>
<p>My impression is that it’s a time sink for everyone. It’s an enormous amount of reading and the exams are picky enough that skimming really doesn’t work. Having plugged into the IGL as his major extra curricular activity is not a bad thing. And it really looks like international relations (a major he only discovered through the college search process), really is his cup of tea.</p>