<p>I got a GT for one year which makes me really happy that I;m going to Cornell but i'm a little concerened about taking my freshman year elsewhere. The part the concerns me the most is te freshman writing seninars. I've heard good things about them and i feel as though they are important and very Cornell specific. I'm wondering if i should take more writing classes at the other school that I'm going to to make up for the classes that i won't be taking at Cornell. Can anyone help me out with this delema?</p>
<p>I don't believe you actually have to be a freshman to take the writing seminars. In my writing seminar, there were non-freshman so it is possible for you to take them after you've transferred here.</p>
<p>ok that's good... the way i heard it, it sounded like those clases were the base for all kinds of writing that you would be doing at cornell</p>
<p>I probably shouldn't be saying this but most of the writing seminars are crap in terms of teaching actual writing skills. Most of them are taught by grad students and most of the grad students aren't even from the English department. They're interesting and all but you can get an A in most writing seminars with subpar writing skills. I'm taking a 300-level English course right now and the depth of analysis and writing required is way way beyond what was required for writing seminars.</p>
<p>not true---some of the writing seminars ARE INSANE</p>
<p>u have to WORK hard, some of these teachers have standards that are unbelievable high for freshmen...its all relative</p>
<p>i had a fairly easy teacher last semester, my teacher this semester while she gives MUCH LESS WORK, is MUCH harder with the grading</p>
<p>I qualified my comment with "most" specifically because there are writing seminars that are tough.</p>
<p>I only took one writing seminar (placed out of the other one). The teacher was an extremely tough grader. He told me I was one of the top three writers he's ever had and then proceeded to give me B+'s on half of my essays. On many of the essays, B+ was the highest grade he gave out (I would know since I sat next to him and saw his gradebook). In fact, he even kept one of my essays as an "outstanding" example to show future classes. I received a B+ on that essay.</p>
<p>But nevertheless my experience wasn't typical.</p>
<p>Both of my writing seminars were tought by regular professors, and both professors had big egos. I was able to get the highest grade that they were willing to give to students...B/B+. The courses didn't teach actual writing skills. The goal of my courses was to write persuasive papers and then have the professor subjectively grade them.</p>
<p>Right. A lot of the writing seminars (particularly the ones not in the English department) emphasize content over style. Consequently, they do not improve the writing skills of students.</p>
<p>my friend is in one this semester, the guy gives pratically everyone an A, he got a B- last semester, and this semester, is getting an A</p>
<p>go figure</p>