Freshman Year Courses

<p>Hey. So, I've been making up my courses for freshman year and thought it wold be a good idea to post them here to get other's suggestions on them. Feel free to do the same. </p>

<p>Fall
Math 21a (multi variable calc)
Philosophy 137: Metaethics
Physics 15a
Open class</p>

<p>Spring
Philosophy 137: The Later Philosophy of Wittgenstein
English 90xz: The Art of the Essay (seminar)
Physics 15b
Open class
Open class</p>

<p>The open classes are for freshman seminars and my expo class. The one thing I'm worried about is that by not taking econ this year I"m making it impossible for myself to ever major -- is this the case? I also wouldnt mind replacing one of my teo freshman seminars witha seminar course in another area, but it doesn't seem like there are very many seminar classes.</p>

<p>If you are taking the physics classes because you may concentrate in it, then you should shop 16 instead of 15a for the fall. You can switch back to 15a if it proves to be too much for you. My daughter found 16 to be very challenging, but also her favorite class.</p>

<p>1) re econ- did you take AP Econ and could you skip into 1010/1011? If not then yes I’d take econ first year if you are thinking about it.
2) you seem interested in physics; if so I would keep with the math after 21a. same is true to a lesser extent for doing econ.
3) maybe plan on 1 freshman seminar and not two?</p>

<p>I’m not completely certain about Spring yet, though I do have some ideas.</p>

<p>Fall:</p>

<ol>
<li>Spanish C or Spanish 30 - any suggestions about which is better?</li>
<li>Statistics 100</li>
<li>Life Sciences 1a</li>
<li>Open Class (perhaps Expos 10 if my advisor recommends it)</li>
</ol>

<p>Spring:</p>

<ol>
<li>Economics 1010a</li>
<li>Environmental Science and Public Policy 10</li>
<li>Spanish 40 (VERY tentative)</li>
<li>Expos</li>
<li>Open Course (I’m open to either a higher level Stats course or Life Sciences 1b)</li>
</ol>

<p>There is a very high likelihood I will take summer courses.</p>

<p>Casa - FYI, Ec 1010a is only offered in the fall.</p>

<p>Neither of those philosophy courses are being offered this year. Metaethics will probably be offered next Fall and the other will probably be offered the year after, though perhaps next year.</p>

<p>God damn it.</p>

<p>I’ll probably take Life Science 1a, either math1b or 21a, a freshman seminar, then something else that’s yet to be decided. </p>

<p>This was honestly the most helpful thread I’ve read on course selection so far: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/745174-current-students-easy-classes-harvard-3.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/745174-current-students-easy-classes-harvard-3.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Hmmmm… Still need to look at the q guide:p I think I’ll take life sciences 1a/1b, expos 20, Spanish, and a freshman seminar:) but there are just too many good ones to choose from!</p>

<p>I’m just curious - if one has already completed a watered-down substitute for Life Sciences 1a - which does not receive good reviews on the Q guide - and received a fairly decent grade on it, then would Life Sciences 2 be a better option? </p>

<p>To be honest, I’d rather take an anatomy-related course than study the stuff in the 1a/1b syllabus. I hated - or, to use a milder term, couldn’t stand - learning about those topics last year, as I was dreadfully bored.</p>

<p>^I remember reading somewhere that LS1a is not necessarily a prerequisite to LS1b… was it DwightEisenhower who said once that he took 1b without taking the other? </p>

<p>Do you have to take either of them to satisfy the general ed requirement? Because otherwise, unless you’re thinking about concentrating in something science related, I don’t see why you would want to take either of them, because both seemed to me like large, boring intro lecture classes that required a lot of work…</p>

<p>^Yes, I wanted to take the Life Sciences 2 course. There are no prerequisites for that course, either. While I’m not certain if I will be concentrating in a science, Environmental Science and Public Policy is currently the major most appealing to me.</p>

<p>However, student reviews state that the course is a lot of work, so I was just wondering if it would be wise to attempt it first semester freshman year.</p>

<p>Mmm, I don’t know… :/</p>

<p>Right now I’m debating on whether to take math1b or 21a. I took Calc AB last year in school but self-studied the C portion myself and got a 5 on the BC exam, but at the same time, I don’t feel like I understood the material very well---- I basically just read the last two chapters of PR the week before the AP exam and am practically clueless when it comes to series and polar functions. Any suggestion as to whether I should go ahead with multivariable or take math1b:/? How hard are the math classes in general?</p>

<p>sorry guys, I feel like such a spammer, but i really want to know… and since you’ve already been admitted :)</p>

<p>well, here I go!</p>

<p>hey guys! i’m going to be a sophomore next year too- chance me for harvard IF i end up with these stats? I’m pretty sure I can accomplish the following (hopefully… fingers crossed!)

  • captain of the current #1 Cross Country team in state, varsity runner
    -3 years of coaching tween girls and helping them overcome their self-confidence through running+ grant work for the program
    -president of my school’s science journal
    -president/founder of a club, helps special ability kids through theater
    -4.0 student freshman year, 4.5 sophomore year (i’m taking precalc honors, ap chem, ap world, english H, spanish 4, and ISPE), 4.8 junior year (ap bio, ap us, calc ab, ap spanish, ap lang, and intro to journalism) and senior year (ap physics, ap lit, calc cd, and 2 other classes?) basically, the hardest courses my school offers. I got all A’s and a few A+'s frosh year…
    -MUN 4 years
    -SAT over 2200
    -Science fair 2 years (it’s mandatory for ap chem students, so it’s for sure that i’ll do it, no idea how well i’ll do)
    -Indian classical dance for 9 years, i assist my teacher as well, as well as multiple performances around my community
    and -majoring in biology (I want to be a cardiologist!)
    Is this enough? If not, what else can I do? I’m entering my sophomore year, so there’s still time to add on Also, how many community service hours will I need, approximately? I’d volunteer near the local universities, but I’m still 14, so they won’t let me. I have absolutely no idea how many hours I’ll do once I get the chance. I’m doing the brain bee, so if I do well there, then I can add that as well.</p>

<p>I’ve wanted to go to Harvard my whole life because it’s all about excellence for me. I like to go into different fields and accomplish my best, and I think Harvard will help me accomplish that (I love running, biology, theater, and history. That’s a lot!) Also, they have a kick-ass medical program! </p>

<p>Thanks a lot!</p>

<p>i felt i should clarify- i know that schools in which you get your undergrad from are harder to get into for graduate school, but i’d love to be in that environment and surrounded by all that research. so yeah :)</p>

<p>does anyone know when exactly a freshman can register for courses??</p>

<p>i</p>

<p>Any thoughts on pros cons of taking advanced standing?</p>

<p>^^we can officially register for courses a week after classes start, I think. I’ll go look it up…</p>

<p>Aha, here it is, in the Guide to First Year at Harvard: “As a student in the College, you are required to choose your classes by the designated Study Card Day, which falls roughly five days after the first day of classes. During the days leading up to the Study Card Day you will have the opportunity to explore the courses that might interest you and talk with your adviser about various activities…”</p>

<p>So I guess we sign up for classes after the “shopping period” :). (Except the freshman seminars, which we have to apply for before the end of August.)</p>

<p>@2bornot2bivy: some of the old threads may help, like this one that I found: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/184293-how-beneficial-advanced-standing.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/184293-how-beneficial-advanced-standing.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I think if you post the question in the main Harvard forum you’ll likely receive more helpful answers from the '13ers :).</p>