<p>I just got an email from AU asking me to pick a potential learning community, so I was wondering whether living there was significantly different than living in the dorms.</p>
<p>If anyone has any experience with the housing environment at AU, please feel free to post.</p>
<p>i'll respond, since no one else has! well, it depends on you i think. my kids always preferred a "normal" dorm for the experience of it. i think they felt a learning community might be somewhat limiting, especially as freshman, when meeting new people and experiencing the newness of college life is paramount.</p>
<p>My daughter is (was, I guess, since the actual UC class was only for first semester) in one of the University College programs. From what I've heard from her, it hasn't stopped her from making a number of friends outside of her seminar group. Only a small portion of the rooms on her floor are UC-affiliated. Also, getting involved in various university-wide clubs has broadened her circle of friends and acquaintances, not to mention students from her other classes. So, all in all, UC has been a positive experience for her.</p>
<p>Is a learning community considered "honor college"?
Thanksss</p>
<p>aubrey~ no, university college ( if that's what you mean by learning community) is not the same as an offer for the honors program.</p>
<p>thanks happycoolegemom for clearing that up.
can you explain what a learning community is?
Do you share with a roomate, etc?
Pros and cons?
THankss again</p>
<p>you're welcome! the learning community thing is sort of new for AU. i think it IS the same as what is called University College. it's a one(first, freshman) semester grouping of kids based on their chosen seminar of interest. then (if it's still done this way) your actual dorm for the year will be where that chosen seminar will be held. yes, a regular dorm with a roommate, etc. you'd be in the same dorm as those taking the particular seminar. i've seen many on here say they liked it, and others wanted to choose their dorm and not be limited by where their seminar was being held.</p>
<p>im applying to join the global media and politcs learning communitiny next year. i think a common misunderstanding is that most of these programs include a living component. none of them do except to university college and the explorations one. i think its just more of a closer knit group of people and you take specialized classes that suit your interests (and get credit for them), go on field trips, meet with people, and attend seminars. i really hope i get in.</p>
<p>but i wasn't too fond of the idea of living on the same floor with all of these people, so im glad that my program is somewhat different then a traditional learning community.</p>