<p>Anybody have any thoughts about or experiences with the Great Conversation program?</p>
<p>Our son, Ole Class of '09, is in his second year of Great Con. It has been an absolutely wonderful experience for him, allowing him to form deep friendships with many classmates and taking classes from some terrific profs. Getting into Great Con. was really the deciding factor in his choosing to attend St. Olaf and we have not been disappointed! St. Olaf is a fabulous place...</p>
<p>My son thinks the Great Conversation program sounds very interesting, especially the Asian Conversation. His high school curriculum was very Eurocentric, so he loves the idea of something completely different. I hope all of the Gr. Con. programs are equally good</p>
<p>St. Olaf's Great Conversation program was one of the main reasons why I decided to apply there last year. When I visited, I sat in on one of the classes; I remember they were discussing the Bible. I wanted to attend a school with discussions centered around the Great Books of the Western World -- just what St. Olaf offered.</p>
<p>While I ultimately decided against attending St. Olaf, their Great Conversations program made the school stand out in my college search.</p>
<p>Our D loves the Asian Conversation program, she is finishing her first year. It is limited to 20 first year students, so if your child is interested they should contact one of the Professors in the COnversation. Pull up the Asian Studies portion of Academics and you can get their names. Good Luck.</p>
<p>Do you think it would be too much to handle to do Great Conversation and a Vocal Performance major?</p>
<p>Regardless of your major, there are basic classes in various disciplines that you must take. Being in a 'Conversation' allows you to take a number of these requirements in an specific context. It should not conflict with your music major, that said, you should contact the Music Department and assure yourself of the lack of conflict.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>I am currently a first year in the Con program, and I must say that it has been a very rewarding experience. If you plan on applying for the program, be prepared to work - your Con professors are serious people. Reading is a huge part of the program, yet I see it as good practice for other courses. Yet, don't let this alarm you, for the profs are all brilliant and each contributes his or her own gifts to your Con experience. For example, my Con section has a witty Classics prof, a feminist History prof, and a Norwegian and Gender/Sex prof (who, in fact, is from Norway). I've enjoyed them all, and I'm looking forward to next year with them as well. They are very helpful and friendly people only wanting you to do your best.</p>
<p>So from a Conner's perspective, I highly praise the program.</p>
<p>Did I understand correctly that the Asian Conversation program will not be open to freshmen next year?</p>
<p>Lizzie1: According to the St Olaf site, starting with the Class of 2011 - it will be offered to Sophomores, that means you would take a class in each semester of the sophomore year, and one in the fall semester of the Junior year and then take the three week trip to China and Japan in the January (interim) term.</p>