<p>I think knitting is definitely not just for old people these days :) But I would suggested getting a job or volunteering somewhere, although it really is going to be a long summer - just try to enjoy it before your life gets really crazy!</p>
<p>fuzzylogic: Yes, it's possible! Just keep in mind that you don't have to play an instrument to join the LSJUMB. I already played an instrument when I joined, but ended up starting a completely new one when I joined the Band. Six months later, I wasn't stellar or anything, but I could hold my own.</p>
<p>
[quote]
i saw a YouTube video of 2005's big game. LSJUMB seems so disorganized compared to Cal's impressive marching band. ...was it wrong of me to say that?
[/quote]
Not really. Most college bands are marching bands, while the LSJUMB is technically a scatter band.</p>
<p>This is bad. The very worst thing you can do for our school in terms of diversity and race is create an unbalanced society where a rational person looks around him and eventually sees that the minorities he has met, while bright people, are simply, on average, not as intellectually qualified as their peers. It's true. Affirmative action is not some magical formula that takes equally-qualified applicants that are nearly identical, and picks the black one. That is a plain and simple lie. I have genius friends who scored high 1500's on their SATs, won national chess championships, started clubs, won big contests, and competed in varsity athletics all at once. And they did not get in, while black students who scored 1300 from a similar middle class background with a few clubs and sports and activities, did. They may be impressive given the racial norms, but their intellectual development is clearly not at the same level as these other students, who unfortunately happened to be geniuses born to middle class white backgrounds. </p>
<p>I found this both interesting and disturbing</p>
<p>I'm not quite sure I understand fully. Are you saying that this is happening at Stanford? Are you complaining about it? Regardless, why are you voicing this opinion in the course-related questions thread? I am by no means disagreeing with your opinion - I have also heard of that happening at various colleges - but I don't understand your purpose.</p>
<p>His purpose is to start a flame war.. duh.</p>
<p><em>Puts on flamesuit</em></p>
<p>Lookatme89: Your "genius friends" obviously didn't have enough genius to make the college pick them over the minority student. Maybe there's something about that minority student that qualifies him over the "genius friend" - something that the admissions committe is mature and intelligent enough to look for, and obviously something you haven't yet identified. The "black student who scores 1300" as you say, might've done so (I'm not saying this is across the board, but it is pervasive enough to make a difference; maybe not this kid specifically) with no prep at all, and a sub-par education, whereas the white genius could've gone to a 10k-a-year boarding school and taken prep classes to score his 1500 or whatever it is. It's not unreasonable to say the black student, had he been given the same opportunities as the white "genius," could've surpassed the white student (meaning affirmative action chose the student with more innate potential, developed or undeveloped). Then again, maybe the black student doesn't have more potential. It's up to the admissions committee to decide who's in - if they're wrong about who belongs at their university, then who could be right?</p>
<p>Universities don't claim to choose the brightest kids, ok? They decide what kind of kids they want, and we just have to live with it. It's not a I'm-smart-so-I-deserve-this kind of world.</p>
<p>EDIT: I know we should ignore the trolling. But I'm a sucker for things that **** me off...</p>
<p>This is why we need a moderator. :)</p>
<p>I contacted the CC folks about the possibility of having a moderator especially for the Stanford forums. No response yet.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Universities don't claim to choose the brightest kids, ok? They decide what kind of kids they want, and we just have to live with it. It's not a I'm-smart-so-I-deserve-this kind of world.
[/quote]
Very well put. That's the somewhat sad but unfortunate truth at some institutions. (I won't say "many" or "all" or "few" because I don't know.) It's too bad that there isn't enough room for all the smart, driven kids at the places they want to go most. However, I have faith that they'll do well and learn a lot wherever they go. Some universities want to give those who have had fewer opportunities a push, a chance to do more with their lives. If you really disagree, write some letters, or make lots of money and establish your own college where you can decide what kind of people you think deserve the education you can provide.</p>
<p>/me is sad that this thread has gone off-topic. Please resume asking questions about courses at Stanford :)</p>
<p>I had one about foreign language actually... I speak Cantonese pretty well, enough to get around, but I don't read/write at all. Are there classes that focus only on oral communications, or is it always a combination of speak/read/write?</p>
<p>You may be looking for something like CHINLANG 20A,B,C. Advanced Cantonese Conversation, First Quarter. However, you'll be required to take a placement exam before you begin taking any language courses since you have prior knowledge. <a href="http://www.stanford.edu/dept/registrar/bulletin/bulletin06-07/pdf/LangCtr.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.stanford.edu/dept/registrar/bulletin/bulletin06-07/pdf/LangCtr.pdf</a> pg. 4 for more info. I am not sure if any reading/writing is needed for the conversation courses; the language center can help you figure out what's best for you.</p>
<p>july, I'm in a similar situation (I can speak/understand Mandarin, but can't read/write very well), although I got out of the language requirement with SAT IIs so I didn't have to take any language. I think Stanford offers Chinese classes for native Chinese speakers...refer to the course catalog if you're interested in learning more.</p>
<p>I have a question about the various physics series. I have read that the 60 series is recommended for those who have scored a 4 or 5 on the AP physics C mech exam and a 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam (and are planning to major in physics or in a related field). But, what about that student who is planning to major in physics and who has a 5 on the AP Physics B exam and 5 on Calculus BC? Would the 60 series still be the best choice?</p>
<p>what kind of course is sleep and dreams?? will it get rid of our english requirements that we need?</p>
<p>johnk, I really feel like AP scores aren't a great metric for which Physics series you should be in. I bet most of the kids in the 60 series have 5's on nearly every math/science AP as well as a bunch of other math/science ECs and awards (science fairs, math contests, etc). Heck, I bet a lot of kids in the 40 series have 5's on every math/science AP. </p>
<p>Just know that the 60 series is truly challenging physics, and will be hard for practically everybody who takes it. If you're looking for that kind of stimulation, then go ahead and take it. If you're unsure, you can shop the class (attend the first few lectures without committing to take the class), and then add it if you like what you see.</p>
<p>Magerie, Sleep and Dreams is considered a pretty awesome blow-off course. It's taught by a Dr. Dement, the guy who founded the field of Sleep Psychology. It's a popular class because 1) sleeping in class is encouraged, 2) the workload is not very difficult, and 3) it satisfies your natural science GER requirement.</p>
<p>I'm not sure what you mean by 'English requirement', but there are two classes that everyone at Stanford must take - IHUM (Introduction to the Humanities) and PWR (Program in Writing and Rhetoric). There is no way to get out of these. You must take 3 quarters of IHUM and 1 quarter of freshman PWR, and then 1 quarter of sophomore PWR (although the soph PWR can be replaced by an introsem).</p>
<p>ok...a note on my previous post...I did not write this...this was written by a stanford student and i was deeply offended that a future classmate could think this..celestrial i posted it here bc the other threads are not as popular and not many ppl would have read it...i didnt mean to stir drama...heres the link to the article if you want the full story.....</p>
<p>I understand that your intentions were not malicious, but you posted some very controversial material without any explanation in an inappropriate thread. While I don't have any moderator-type authority on this board, as creator of the thread, I would like to request that all posts here pertain directly to the topic at hand (courses at Stanford). I think that if you post the link in an identifiable thread and explain your thoughts/questions regarding the controversial article, you'll get lots of responses. I briefly gave my opinion already, and I'm not going to comment any more on the issue in this thread. :)</p>
<p>I know a person who took the 60 series without any AP Physics, since we don't offer it.
I'm pretty sure he did fine.</p>
<p>woahhhh......any love for any non science math majors!!!I think its great that you guys are really into that area cause i will prlly need alot of help with that area..but you guys can always hit me up for the socialscience/english dept!</p>
<p>johnk, you'll be OK if you're solid at physics and really love it (as I'm guessing you do if you plan to be a physics major). Like jimmy said, it is truly challenging physics (especially 61; Susskind will see to that!), and it will be hard no matter how good at physics you are. Also remember that you don't have to take 60 series to be a physics major. 40 series is just fine.</p>
<p>On a side note, I highly recommend forming study groups for common classes (math 50/50H series, physics 40/60, psych, whatever else) early on. It really helps you learn the stuff, and get the problem sets (in the case of math/physics classes) done, and it makes the experience of doing the p-sets much more enjoyable. This is especially true for the honors classes, like physics 60 or math 50H. I was lucky enough last year to have 5 people in my dorm in physics 60, and 5 in math 50H.</p>
<p>johnk I recommend that you talk to a 40 series prof and a 60 series prof. At admit weekend I talked to students at the physics open house. I also talked to one of the 40 series profs, Dr. Osheroff, who offered to send me a copy of an old E&M exam so I could see if the 40 series would just be a repeat of what I did in high school. </p>
<p>For the first week or two you could take both Physics 45 and Physics 61. You can decide which one will be more appropriate for you. By the second week you should have a good idea what the problem sets will be like. </p>
<p>Also, just fyi, I think it is assumed that you will be somewhat familar with (or can quickly self-teach) multivariable calculus, div, grad, curl, etc. in the 60 series. If you're not you can always meet with a prof/TA. There's not a whole lot of it, but there is a little of it at the beginning.</p>