Can anyone give insight as to how course selection works for first-years’ first semester? Are there any guidelines or help? Is it mandatory to take the first-year writing seminar in your first semester? Can you take lab classes and more difficult courses to take advantage of the pass-fail grading?
The first years just registered. You have to take a first year writing seminar but you can take it either in the fall or the spring. You can take classes with labs your first semester. The pre-med advice was to sign up for one lab only but my daughter was able to take two labs her first semester (and her advisor said she could). There is a placement system for math, the sciences, and foreign language so you will test into the level that is appropriate for you. They also have pretty strict AP/IB requirements (you basically need a 5 in most subjects to place out that way). You still have to meet your distribution requirements, however. It’s all on the Wellesley website.