Hey, so I’m majoring in a foreign language as an incoming college freshman next year (Fall 2015) and have tested into a 3000-level class in this language, which means I’ll actually be taking two 3000 or generally junior-level classes, as a freshman.
I’m worried I might be the only freshman in a room full of juniors or seniors. I already look way younger than I actually am. Any tips on what to do/not to do? I don’t want to make an idiot out of myself making the same old freshman social faux pas with people that have been here for two or three years already. I want to be taken seriously and not treated too much like a kid, but I’d like to make friends too - that’s just a really big gap from a new freshman to an experienced junior-level class.
My 16 y.o. D was in a 4000/5000 (senior- graduate cross listed) level class, had no problem socially. I am sure you’ll do fine. College can be very much a meritocracy, take good notes, offer thoughts if asked.
It’s different if you’re in an engineering class when people have been in college for 5-6+ years and they’ll be jumping on you for claiming to be the freshman that plans to get out in 3 years (~2% make it out within 4 years).
If you constantly ruin the curve in multiple classes, the upperclassmen will recognize you. Be motivated and bold and you won’t be treated like a freshman when you first start college. Haha I still like feeling as if I was a freshman because it’s fun being the young one to upset things.
People probably won’t notice you or care. Age becomes less and less important, the further up in schooling that you get. Students of all ages and “grade” levels take all different sorts of classes. Placement in classes is much more about your experience level than about what year you are in college. Some students come in with more preparation in a foreign language than others and might place into a higher class level. Some students want to start a new language and might start at a lower level. The same goes for other fields of study. Some students come in with more preparation and others with less. It’s not a big deal.
I wouldn’t be surprised if you have other freshman taking the same course as you. It wasn’t uncommon at my school. The lower levels are generally for students starting a new language, and many students continue a language they took in high school or one that they learned as a child.
For that matter, there are students in many of those classes that are in their later 20s and in their 30s and even well beyond that. For a lot of them, the majority of the students are much younger. It’s not a big deal though. Age ceases to be much of an issue in college. It’s not like high schools with stereotypical freshman initiation and stuff like that…lol
This is not an issue. I was one of three freshman in my math class and comp sci class last semester and aced the math class and did very well in the comp sci class (im a grader for it this semester, yes a freshman grading a class composed mainly of sophomores). It wasn’t really any different than my classes that were primarily for freshman. I was treated any different, in fact, I doubt many people in the class knew I was a freshman. My math class this semester, I am the only freshman, but a lot of the kids were in my math class last semester, so its not like im ostracized or placed all by myself. In fact, some of them I would consider friends. Again, I doubt most of the people know im a freshman (except the ones that I’ve told).
In college it is much more difficult to tell what grade someone is in unless you explicitly say it. Most people have hit puberty at this stage and all look adult-ish. You’ll be fine. The only thing I’d recommend is to talk to other people in the class and more importantly MAKE FRIENDS. Freshman dorms are really convenient because first years tend to mingle and study with one another, but it’s harder when there are mostly upperclassmen who have possibly known eachother for a while. So don’t be afraid to break into those social groups or even start a new one because having a friendly face or someone to form a study group with is undeniably helpful.
Also, in something like a language, there will be all sort of people in that class because people will have a bunch of different levels of experience coming from high school. It could be possible that there are quite a few other freshman in there as well. I wouldn’t worry about it for another minute.