<p>My son will be an incoming freshman Fall 2008. He is a Kelly DA. We have been looking at the IFS programs for the summer of 2008. Did anyone take one of these classes last year? Do you feel they are worth the effort to show up three weeks early for school? I feel from the reading that it may be a good way to get a start at IU, any thoughts would be helpful.</p>
<p>My daughter did one last summer and loved it. It was an excellent way to get introduced to university life, earn 3 credits, and start to make the transition. The summer before college starts is just too long, and this worked great for her.</p>
<p>a couple of my friends did it in the summer. </p>
<p>First off, it's supposed to be an easy 'A" as long as you do the work. However, they say it's a dead credit.</p>
<p>In general, if your son wants to have a good time before summer and make new friends over the summer even before school starts, then it's a good program.</p>
<p>However, the price tag is a bit hefty.</p>
<p>The web site for the classes offered this year does not even have course numbers. This might indicate that the credit for these courses does not fulfill one of the three types of approved distribution courses, so it might be a waste to take them given that and the cost.</p>
<p>IFS 2008 classes
Intensive</a> Freshman Seminars - All 2008 courses and professors</p>
<p>Appendix II: Approved Distribution Courses
College</a> of Arts and Sciences 2006-2008 Online Bulletin: Appendix II: Approved Distribution Courses</p>
<p>Thank you, for the information. I am going to email the advisor and see if the credits count. We are leaning now toward him going.</p>
<p>I asked exactly that question last year (whether the courses fill requirements) -- almost all of the courses do fit the Arts and Sciences distribution requirements. They will tell you which ones don't.</p>
<p>Actually, most of these courses are in the Appendix 3 distribution courses (see College</a> of Arts and Sciences 2006-2008 Online Bulletin: Appendix III: Topics-Qualified Courses) -- they are the ones listed under the College of Arts and Sciences.</p>
<p>Is there a way to find out the course numbers for the IFS classes to see what part of the distribution option a course would go toward?</p>
<p>Well, here's a partial answer. Click on the Freshman Seminar links from last summer at Indiana</a> University Course Browser. From that you could pick out course numbers topic-wise, and compare to the Appendix III list. It is not a complete answer because last summer's courses are not the same as next summe'rs, but you could get an idea.</p>
<p>I participated in the Economics seminar last year and it was a great experience. My friend loved it so much, he is going to be the intern for the Econ seminar during the next IFS session. I would definitely encourage you to participate in any program (the topic doesn't much matter); you'll meet lots of great friends and be ahead of the rest of the Fall 2008 freshman.</p>
<p>Indy, thanks for the link. Looks like those will fill distribution option requirements just fine. We live 45 miles from campus, so I might see if son can get one of these classes without paying room and board. He is already taking W131 at his high school for credit and getting the grade on IU's transcript, which will probably be an A and be a great start on maintaining GPA for scholarship money. IU has a lot of good programs.</p>
<p>You're welcome bthomp1. It might be possible to do an IFS class as a commuter but if I recall correctly, they discourage it. I think the classes meet for 3 hours in the morning, but there are other activities they do as a group later in the day. It isn't just about getting started academically, it is also about getting comfortable on campus and starting to make the transition.</p>
<p>Yeah, it does sound like they would want you in the other activities, which would make commuting rough. Probably better to do a community college class.</p>