<p>Ok, we have a tentative schedule (with options) made out for early honors orientation Friday. Just for grins and giggles, I’d love to hear some input on favorite honors classes. Just in case 1 of DS’s doesn’t open up…Lots of classes are showing closed right now. Hope it is true that they open some spaces during orientation!!!</p>
<p>My son would say Alabama Action – he loved it. So much so that he’s in Costa Rica with Alabama Action. The program will continue next spring with another trip somewhere and he’s already planning to go.</p>
<p>The Common Book Experience class he took was awesome. He read, Confederates in the Attic. Loved it. Loved the small class size. One of his classmates was Sea_tide. Don’t know if the honors college will do more Common Book Experience classes, but they were very well received by the students.</p>
<p>Of course, CBH classes are way cool. Lots and lots of work (one of his friends just told me that he did not sleep for three straight nights as he finished the final project), but it’s an awesome class.</p>
<p>He also took the IHP 155 class. Enjoyed it a lot. There will be plenty of sections of IHP 105 and 155, so encourage your student to take the class this fall if he or she is in IHP.</p>
<p>BTW, one of his roommates just messaged me and said that there should be plenty of sections for lots of great classes open when you get to Bama Bound.</p>
<p>Certain honors classes will likely continue to be full (if they’re showing 15 students, then they’re full).</p>
<p>However, freshmen classes will be released in blocks. </p>
<p>My son’s fav honors classes have been:</p>
<p>Fine Arts and Parody with Louise Cary. Super popular and the only way to get it is once you have at least soph standing.</p>
<p>First Person writing with Carolyn Mason</p>
<p>That IHP Culture class (forget the real name) with Frannie James</p>
<p>My kids have not yet taken Arts of Tuscaloosa, but that is also super popular.</p>
<p>You really should ask me, mom, before you give my opinion.</p>
<p>The first two are correct; I did very much like Fine Arts and Parody and the First Person writing seminar. I did not, however, like the IHP course with Frannie James, particularly because I didn’t care much for Frannie James.</p>
<p>Also, avoid the Arts of Tuscaloosa class like the plague. I know a couple of people who took that, and they had to write a billion essays for that class. It sounds like way, way more work than what a class like that should be.</p>
<p>My D1 took Arts of Tuscaloosa her first semester and really enjoyed it, but she is an arts type of person. She went to galleries, theater, dance, and music performances, and wrote a short response paper to each. It helped her to realize what is going on in the arts community beyond what is offered on campus. She loved her visit to the Westervelt Warner Museum of American Art, one of the country’s finest private art collections. If you do the papers and participate in class sessions, it’s not hard to get an A.</p>
<p>My D2 just completed her Bama Bound session on Friday. We were told that they are holding out sections of Arts of Tuscaloosa for freshmen only, since it is a very popular class. She won’t be taking Arts, instead opting for another interesting freshman seminar.</p>
<p>I did not, however, like the IHP course with Frannie James, particularly because I didn’t care much for Frannie James.</p>
<p>LOL…</p>
<p>explanation…DS didn’t really “dislike” Frannie James. She is a nice teacher. However, my son is a fabulous and gifted writer, and Frannie really isn’t the best judge of that, therefore son got an A on a couple of papers where he knew it was really A+ work. To my son, that is a gross insult. LOL </p>
<p>On the other hand, Carolyn Mason (First Person class) is a professional writer/editor and a qualified judge of writing skills.</p>
<p>*Also, avoid the Arts of Tuscaloosa class like the plague. I know a couple of people who took that, and they had to write a billion essays for that class. It sounds like way, way more work than what a class like that should be. *</p>
<p>I have no idea how many papers the above class requires, but I take other kids’ criticisms about writing papers with a “grain of salt.” Some kids come from high schools where little writing or little quality writing is expected of them. Therefore, writing is such a drudgery for them and a reasonable expectation of essays seems unbearable.</p>
<p>Perhaps someone who has taken the class can (honestly LOL) inform us of how many essays were required, the length, and expected quality. </p>
<p>And, if AoT does require a lot of high quality writing, perhaps the Honors College should be requested to make it a 300 level course with a W designation. However, if all that is required is for kids to attend an event and submit some kind of short essay about their experience, then no big deal. LOL</p>
<p>Arts of Tuscaloosa requires two one-page essays a week. Two pages a week for a 3-credit course is absolutely nothing. (For example, another honors course had me writing 5-10 pages a week last semester.)
Especially for out-of-state students, though, Arts of Tuscaloosa is an excellent experience, and one that greatly develops your sense of Tuscaloosa beyond the usual shopping/eating most students spend their time in town doing.</p>
<p>Other Honors Classes/Teachers I liked:</p>
<p>-Marion Steinfels: great political science courses; “Communicating Effectively” (yeah, an awful title) was a good foray into speechwriting and other forms of political communication</p>
<p>-Steven Black: pretty much anything he teaches is a good choice; I took Moral Forum (a debate-based seminar) 1st semester and worked with his SaveFirst initiative (basically, dozens of students help low-income families prepare their taxes and gain several tax credits). Both were educational, challenging, and a great deal of fun as well- I’d recommend either.</p>
<p>-Dr. Robinson: I took “Entrepreneurial Leadership” with him; the course was a rather hands-on and introspective look into my motivations for entrepreneurship/business management. Even though I’m a pre-med, I think that course helped me further develop my leadership skills well- it was a great experience.</p>
<p>I recall somewhere there was mention of Honors Connections but can’t locate now. Wondering what this class is about.<br>
Pulling information on electives to go over with S. He’s an EE major, just finishing IB english and hoping to avoid massive essay required courses, at least in his fall semester. Checking out the CBE titles for interest, he does love to read.</p>
<p>I think that Honors Connection is the peer mentoring thing. The older peer mentors sign up for Honors Connection, while the Freshmen sign up for below… </p>
<p>HONORS EXPLORATIONS (1 credit)
Honors Quest: Cultivating Academic Excellence
Navigating through multiple opportunities provided by the University can be both exciting and challenging. Through a combination of discussions facilitated by leading professors and UA administrators and small group meetings, students will gain the insight and skills needed to maximize their college experience. The small group meetings will be led by UA student leaders who will serve as peer mentors. Designed to be a launching pad for the college years, this class will meet twice a week for the first eight weeks of the semester only.</p>
<p>Thank you m2ck. This may be a good filler, won’t take time from EE courses but be informative. Doing AA and this may help him aclimate particularly being OOS and hoping to maximize his 4 years.</p>