First-year Programs

Colleges and Universities A-Z Washington University in St. Louis
1

<p>So I am trying to decide between the International Leadership Program, either the Law and Society or Global Culture FOCUS programs, or the Bad Leadership or Bill of Rights Freshman seminars. These all directly relate to what I plan on studying (IAS or Political Science) and the first seems to be the best option; however, the first semester of the Leadership Program is a East Asia course - my interests lie along South Asia or the Middle East and I would like to take Arabic or Urdu/Hindi as a foreign language. Would it be a waste of time to take this course - and therefore, this program? Or should I not be so focused freshman semester?</p>

<p>Also, are there any benefits to doing the Leadership or FOCUS programs other than smaller classes? Do they help you with placement or anything? Or is it something that is not looked at after freshman year? </p>

<p>I am asking this because there are other classes in the catalog that have catched my interest and I want to make sure that by not taking those, I would be gaining something from the above programs. Or I were take those more interesting courses, the school would not consider it a cop out from something more "important".</p>

2

<p>Wash U doesn’t care what classes you take, as long as you’re taking at least the minimum number of credits to be considered a full time student (I think it’s 12), and you meet all your requirements before graduation. Taking one course over another has no impact on anything, except that some courses have prerequisites. Otherwise it really is up to you what you want to take, when you want to take it, etc. There is no “wrong” choice. Fill in your hours as you see fit. (of course grad schools like to see advanced courses).</p>

<p>As for your first question, again it’s 100% up to you. It will have no impact on anything. If you want to take the course take it, if you don’t you by no means have to.</p>

3

<p>^ Thanks.</p>

<p>I was also told by WashU that when registering for classes, you realize that a program conflicts with another class, the program is not binding so you can switch out. Anyone have this experience?</p>

4

<p>Don’t have experience with that per se, but Wash U in general is really relaxed about things like that. They know conflicts with other classes can arise. You can always back out of a program before the semester starts.</p>