<p>I suppose this is something that will be talked about during orientation, but does anyone know where there is a list of classes for next year? What do freshmen usually take??</p>
<p>Generally freshmen will want to take classes that satisfy distribution requirements.</p>
<p>See, freshmen register last, so often they don't have as much pick of classes. So instead of getting into that fascinating history you really like, you say "oh well, maybe i'll fill a science requirement" and sign up for a class like Environmental Bio or Plants and Humanity or Astronomy, all of which are like 150 people and you prob. won't have a problem getting into. Econ is a big lecture course, and IR, and Intro to American Politics. those are popular. If you haven't filled the language requirement, use either SAT II or AP scores or take the placement exam to find out where you should start. If you want to start a brand new language, sign up for Chinese 1 or whatever. It generally makes sense the first year to get your requirements out of the way by taking one of everything - a math, a science, a humanities, a social science, a language, etc.</p>
<p>If those are filled, you also need to fill Foundation requirements. World Civ, for example, requires a class in a civilization that isn't European - african, asian, latin american suffice.</p>
<p>If you want a heads-up to get an idea of what's offered, you can look at the department websites. Also, as bluirinka said, freshmen register last, so you generally get whatever courses are left over. However, don't get discouraged: if there's a class you really want you can usually add-drop your way in, though freshmen are not allowed in some classes.</p>
<p>At this website, you can see what's being offered and what's closed and open. You can't see how many spots are left because you have to log in to do that, and you don't get that information until you get to campus in August, but you can get an idea of what's open and available.</p>
<p>Can someone explain to me what "blocks" are? And under days does R mean Thursday?</p>
<p>yes, R is Thursday.</p>
<p>wrathofachilles, I'm not sure if that'll work anymore: add/drop is slated to be online next semester. BUT lots of classes will have spots open up b/c people will realize that the class doesn't fit into their schedule or something and drop it.</p>
<p>alanstewart, each class is usually during one of the blocks. There are some exceptions.</p>
<p>A regular block is generally 50 minutes, three times a week. A plus block is 75 minutes, twice a week. (sometimes three, but this is rare). Number blocks are about 3 hours, once a week.</p>
<p>The block schedule is pretty convenient b/c it's set up so that it's impossible to have class overlap. They even have an open block (12 - 1 15 on Monday and Wednesday) so classes like math that have more than one section but the same curriculum can schedule exams during that time, so it's impossible to have such an exam at the same time as a class.</p>
<p>The rule is, the bigger the number or later the letter in the alphabet, the later the class is in the day.</p>
<p>The link to the pdf is here:
<a href="http://studentservices.tufts.edu/block/BlockScheduleSpring06.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://studentservices.tufts.edu/block/BlockScheduleSpring06.pdf</a></p>
<p>A-block starts at 830 on Monday and Wednesday, and 930 on Thursday. A+ block starts at 8 05. B-block is 830 on Tuesday Thursday Friday. B+ starts at 8 05 on those same days, but it's prob. only Tues/Thurs.</p>
<p>The next time slot is 9 30 - 10 20.
On Monday, D block takes place during this time.
On Tuesday, it's C block. Same for Wednesday.
Thursday, A block fills this slot.
Friday, C block again.</p>
<p>Next is either 10 30 - 11 20 or 10 30 - 11 45.
Monday Wednesday Friday, this is E block or E+ block.
Tuesday Thursday is either D block (in addition to the slot on Monday at 9 30) or D+ block, only Tues/Thurs.</p>
<p>After that is F/F+ block: Tues Thurs Fri from 12 - 12 50, or Tues Thurs from 12 - 1 15.</p>
<p>Next is 1 30 - 2 20/2 45.
Monday Wednesday Friday, G block. (for the record, I have NEVER heard of a G block class. I think most profs would rather not teach on Friday, so they just teach for more time on Mondays and Wednesdays in G+ block.)
Tuesday Thursday @ 1 30, H/H+ block. On Friday, H block meets at 2 30 - 3 20.</p>
<p>See the pattern? Next comes I/I+ and J/J+ at 3. After that, K/K+ and L/L+ at 4. Overlap is possible only in these night classes, of which there are very few. But also, I have never heard of a J-block or K-block class - these are all plus blocks, so no overlap.</p>
<p>It prob. sounds super confusing, but it's actually really straightforward and easy to get used to.</p>
<p>Edited to Add:</p>
<p>It's possible to get free Monday/Friday. But free Monday means a ****load of Tues/Thurs classes, which prob. all follow each other. Sometimes it's better to not have a day off but only have a few classes a day so you can do less work for them.</p>
<p>well yeah a few ppl inevitably have to drop any class</p>
<p>how does class selection go for incoming freshman? Is there an order (abc, first come, first serve....)?</p>
<p>Each advising group is given a registration time. (Otherwise the system would crash if everyone tried registering at once). When it's your time, depending on whether you have an advising group or Host Advising, you register w/your group leaders or alone. At that point, it is indeed first come first serve. SIS will show you, next to the class, how many spots are left, so you can plan your schedule accordingly before it's your time to register.</p>
<p>There's another helpful tip i'll post in the 101 thread :-D</p>
<p>does anyone know of any easier classes (lighter load ones) ...I'm thinking of doing both EPIIC class and University college starting frosh yr and since that'll be a hard load i wanted to try to get one easier class in (i think ill be an IR major and Comunications/media studies minor)</p>
<p>in what area? I know some b.s. sciences and maths.</p>
<p>what are they? I hate science</p>
<p>^ Yeah, ditto, and if I don't get a 4 on stats I'll be forced into math as well I suppose... :</p>
<p>please share these...it appears im not going to get the math credit i was expecting from the IB</p>
<p>well, the maths are extremely hard to get into for obvious reasons, and you prob. won't get into them for a long time. But they're Math of Social Choice and Symmetry. I think also History of Math?</p>
<p>Don't be fooled by taking Logic (Phil department) to get out of math - it's supposed to be really hard.</p>
<p>Science - Environmental Bio, Astro, Physics for Humanists. Geology (including Oceanography), but it has a required lab. Some people think Plants and Humanity is, but others argue that that class is very hard b/c there's no textbook, and the tests can be difficult, with assbackwards, specific questions that require you to make inferences about what you've been taught. I feel like Physical Anthropology might be one too.</p>
<p>so if a class says TRF you can pick whether you want to take it on tuesday, thursday or friday right? It isn't for 2 or 3 days...</p>
<p>One piece of advice I have that may contradict other things said on this board is that you don't necessarily want to LOOK for classes to fill your distribution requirements. I did that freshman year 1st semester and I felt like I was in high school all over again, taking Calc, English, Bio, and Psych. The one uniquely university class I took (Intro to Community Health), was the best class I took and I resented my other classes. Take things you are interested in! Take classes that intrigue you! Often times you'll find that these satisfy requirements without you even knowing it. Also, you can take care of some of your requirements if you go abroad.</p>
<p>no...if a class is TRF then it's on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.</p>
<p>so if I take intro to biology and calculus 2 then I have class on monday, tuesday, wed, thurs, AND friday....OR class on monday, tues, thurs, friday.....that is terrible, I thought most people have class 3 days a week.</p>
<p>what made you think that??</p>