<p>is there a lot of extra work involved with participating in the focus group? Is it worth it? I'm not afraid of extra work, I would just rather take more classes in my major/double major and not "waste" them in a focus group. however, i have heard that people love the focus groups and they offer a great way to make friends. any advice on participating in general? any advice on particular focus groups?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>You have to do your writing requirement regardless…and you can knock off a couple other TReqs. The issue is do you like the idea of having one semester of related topic courses and dinner and access to professors with a possible field trip? Our son went to St Petersburg Russia courtesy of Duke but this sort of fab experience is sort of the extreme and not happening anymore. He is still friends with four of his FOCUS friends seven years later.<br>
Duke is great with or without FOCUS. Our son loved it but he was also very Liberal artsy and it was sort of like having a liberal arts experience for freshman year. The freshman campus is a friendly place with or without FOCUS. Take a chance and choose and then be happy …you can’t lose either way. Our son liked having his FOCUS group scattered in his dorm. Go Aycock…ha. Roommates are not in your FOCUS group so you will not be smothered and have to be in FOCUS 24 hours a day.<br>
be happy…you are a Blue Devil and have only good times ahead.</p>
<p>i guess i’m not clear on whether the two required courses will for sure count toward my GE’s. if so, then it makes sense to do it. if not, then i’m worried i won’t have enough time to complete my ge’s and double major in math/comp sci - i am not a liberal artsy person so i don’t want to take more of those courses than i have to. but if they do count then it seems like a cool way to take those classes. why wouldn’t everyone do it??</p>
<p>you can look all this up on the TReqs. Remember not all applicants to FOCUS will get a spot, nor will you necessarily get your first choice, so study up online. Most Dukies double major or get a minor or pick up a certificate. </p>
<p>some people prefer a more impersonal first semester and Duke is a mid sized university with plenty of large intro classes and study groups led by TAs. You will hit some of those no matter who you are regardless.<br>
One of my son’s Russia friends went on to a fine med school…and spent at least one summer at Duke doing scientific research. Some science math types like the science oriented FOCUS programs…or prefer not being in a preordained group of freshman. Keep in mind that your FOCUS group will have a couple of classes you are NOT in…and you will occasionally interact with all the related classes, have evening lectures etc. </p>
<p>Perhaps others will chime in. You will be getting on buses and going to West for many courses. A few departments are housed on East, History included. Plus rehearsals for most musical instruments are right on the East Campus domed central building. After freshman year, reversals…you get on the bus to take history courses on East…and carrying your instrument if this applies to you. </p>
<p>There are other ways besides FOCUS to have warm fuzzy instruction at Duke. Chat everyone up and you will get lots of ideas. Our son took a new language and went abroad in it. Plenty of departments are smaller and more intimate once you declare a major.
Others go to Dukes Environmental Coastal program, make proposals with the Gates Foundation for service work, sign on to do research in the summers, get internships with Public Policy groups, or do summer and spring service trips. </p>
<p>My son said the writing instructor was pretty tough in his FOCUS program…there are people in the beautiful library up on East several evenings a week helping freshmen write if you request assistance. My son didn’t need that but he hired a friend to tutor him in Calc. You have to realize that your peers will also be your teachers.</p>
<p>FOCUS is not your last chance for a small classroom at Duke. Not at all.</p>