<p>I would be interested in hearing any info on the First Year Program that people are willing to share.</p>
<p>Here is a good overview:</p>
<p>Program Description:
The Holy Cross First-Year Program is for 1st year students interested in exploring the connections between learning and living--between what happens inside the classroom and the world outside the classroom. The program brings together 160 first-year students and a group of distinguished teachers from a variety of disciplines. </p>
<p>Each year a new faculty group designs the year's seminars and activities around the theme of the program. By tradition, that theme incorporates 19th-century Russian author Leo Tolstoy's question: "How, Then, Shall We Live?" </p>
<p>Program History:
Holy Cross’ First Year Program was created in 1992. In March 2006, Holy Cross voted to implement a universal program for all first-year students. Since 1992, the program has received national attention and achieved enormous success including, improved classroom performance, more campus leadership, more community service and higher retention and graduation rates. </p>
<p>Program Goals:
Tolstoy's question, How, Then, Shall We Live? is the heart and soul of the FYP and it is a question central to the educational mission of Holy Cross as a Jesuit, liberal arts college. Whether one is a student making college course and life choices, or a faculty member grappling with the demands of family and professional life, this is the question everyone in the FYP asks and works to answer. </p>
<p>The goal of the program is to make it easier for first-year students to discover they can believe that what they learn, how they think, and the way they live and how they are interconnected. </p>
<p>Program Layout:
There is typically eight year-long seminars offered per year, each taught on a semester schedule. Even though each seminar covers different academic areas, all FYP students read six common readings, three in the winter semester and three in the spring. All FYP members live within the same residence hall. The program also features many lectures, trips, and social activities incorporated with the year's theme.</p>
<p>The first-year program is actually being replaced by the new Montserrat program as of this coming year. Montserrat is a year-long seminar program involving all freshmen. There are five clusters under which there are a variety of different seminars, and students are housed together with their cluster. As an incoming freshman attempting to choose my seminar topics now, I am very excited to see how the program works out!</p>
<p>FYI Montserrat</a> | College of the Holy Cross</p>