<p>So, I dunno about the other entering/prospective students, but I have started religiously browsing the course browser and I have some questions. This can be a thread for those and anyone else who has questions. Also, if any current students/alumnae had a life-changing class, they could talk about that, too.</p>
<p>I’m looking to double major (Econ and CS, possibly), learn Spanish, and I know I need to take a first year writing course. So, I looked at the writing courses and the writing/art history one looked neat. </p>
<p>Can anyone comment on these classes? (Possibly my first semester schedule, if it all works out):</p>
<p>Econ 101
CS 111
Spanish 101
FYWriting/intro to Art History</p>
<p>Looks like a good, balanced schedule to me.</p>
<p>My D took the FYWriting/Intro to Art History and loved it. Art History is so strong at Wellesley, the Davis is so gorgeous, and no matter what your major is, you should take at least one Art History class if you can fit it in. It’s part of the Wellesley “thing.”</p>
<p>Another general recommendation is to keep up whatever math sequence you are on by taking the next course after your high school one while you are in your first year (i.e. Calc II if you have AP Calc AB score of 5; multivariable if you have AP Calc BC, etc.). If you can’t fit it in first semester, try to fit it in the second semester so you don’t forget the foundation material.</p>
<p>I ALSO took Writ/Into ARTH 100 and really liked it a lot. If I had another crack at Wellesley I would take more Art History and/or spend more time at the Davis. I took AP Micro/Macro and found Econ 101 pretty easy. Some WACKY huge amount of Wellesley students take 101–I remember my senior year I was looking at the class list for final exams and there were like, seriously 6 Econ 101 classes (at 25/class that’s a LOT of 101 students!!!). Depending on your background Spanish 101 might be either okay or pretty intensive. I agree, it sounds like a nice reasonable schedule to me. I also agree that if you haven’t completed the calc sequence and think that you might, it is better to take the next class sooner rather than later. If you have completed multivariable already I think it’s less pressing as math above that level isn’t as obviously sequential.</p>
<p>Looks like a really balanced schedule (though have backups in case timing doesn’t work out or you don’t get into that specific writ 125).</p>
<p>When choosing classes I liked to keep a balance of problem set classes (math, econ, cs) and writing/essay classes (writing, languages, polio sci, etc). I also liked to balance my classes across days, at least in my first few semesters so I didn’t end up with 4 classes on 1 day and thus, 4 sets of homework due that day too.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback, everyone!</p>
<p>I took Calculus my junior year, but I don’t feel like I have a really firm grasp of it. Should I take an intro calc class my first semester, instead of CS, for example?</p>
<p>The longer you wait between math classes, the more time you have to forget. If you are interested in economics, you should know that a econ major requirement is to have taken a calculus class at Wellesley. And in general, the more math background you have, the better off you will be in economics. In short, I think if there is any possibility you will need math for something in the future, taking it sooner is better than later. </p>
<p>I would also encourage you to have lots of back ups in case other classes get full. Also consider First Year Seminars.</p>
<p>Great advice. Thanks!</p>
<p>Can first years take 200 level classes?</p>
<p>In some cases, yes. It depends on the course prerequisites, which are listed in the course description.</p>
<p>The class I’m looking at doesn’t have any prerequisites. I emailed the prof and she said she put me on the waitlist 
(Though I’m not sure how there can be a waitlist if the course browser says 0/30.)</p>
<p>Can anyone shed some light on the 100, 200, 300 thing? I understand the basic idea, but if a 200 level class has no prerequisites, why not just list it as 100?</p>
<p>I don’t know if there is a formal definition, but I just always think of 100-level courses as foundational. I double majored in Econ and Math and in those cases, you do have to go through the 100-level courses to qualify for upper levels. Which makes sense, because you can’t do much in intermediate and upper level math without a good understanding of calculus. Or in Econ without understanding basic micro and macro. However, in departments where higher level courses do not depend as heavily on the foundational courses, then those foundational courses might not be prerequisites. For example, Art History 100 and 101 are survey courses that cover major art movements since ancient times (with 100 covering the earlier time period and 101 more modern times). These courses form a good basis for further study, but one can walk into a course on, for example, Art & Architecture in the European Enlightenment, without being seriously hampered by the lack of the foundational course. Yet such a course definitely doesn’t merit being designated a 100 level/foundational course. In the Art History example, the foundational courses ARE required for the major, so obviously the department feels that they have value. They are just willing to let schmucks like me enroll in their 200 level courses (I actually did take ARTH 100, though–in some alternate universe where I could lay around campus doing whatever I wanted, I would take a whole bunch more ARTH courses).</p>
<p>My daughter thinks Wellesley is a giant academic cafeteria and wants to put a little bit of everything on her plate. She honestly has no clue what she wants to major in yet. She has said she wants to take Numbers Theory, Environmental Science, some type of writing class (think this is required of first years), and I forget what else. I doubt she’ll get every class she wants or how many seminars she’s allowed, but I’m sure she can sort all that out with her advisor.</p>
<p>^^That’s fine! My first year I took courses in 6 different departments. I did have a lot less leeway in subsequent years in order to finish my majors and study abroad and finish everything in time, but that was fine, too.</p>
<p><a href=“Though%20I’m%20not%20sure%20how%20there%20can%20be%20a%20waitlist%20if%20the%20course%20browser%20says%200/30.”>quote</a>
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<p>It means that out of 30 seats, 0 are available; i.e. the class is full.</p>