<p>and amidst all the anxious "hope I get in ED" threads, I want to add ....this place is hard. Not trying to be immodest, but I did pretty well on the standardized tests, did great in high school (breezed through in a pretty competitive high school) and now feel like a rag doll being swung around in the jaws of a tiger. Friends here have told me (and I have experienced it also) that high school classmates of theirs at other schools (Brown, for one) taking the same or a similar class is four or five chapters or concepts behind. Why is Swarthmore in such a rush? </p>
<p>I don't think that there is any grade "deflation" which is discussed a lot concerning Swarthmore. A "B" is a "B", not an "A" disguised as a "B". It's just that we cover so much crap in the class, the B that I get, IMOH, is a B. That said, if we covered the same amount of stuff as in a similar class at another institution, I probably would get an A. </p>
<p>I know that I am whining because I am not used to the mediocrity of a B (which I frankly hope I will get. Thankfully, this semester is P/F), but I just wanted to give the newbies a little of the flavor of this place. </p>
<p>So, to all the prospective newbies out there that will not exhale until Friday, I wish you all a lot of luck, not so much for getting in, but after you get in (jeez, run on sentences, spelling errors, my brain is fried).</p>
<p>I appreciate the warning, I guess, but did you really expect to get straight A's at Swarthmore? I'm sure that if I get in there will be plenty of times when I'm completely overwhelmed with work, but it's hardly a secret going in that that's part of the deal.</p>
<p>If I get into Swarthmore, I hope that grades won't matter so much. I think that college is more about learning things that you love, rather than trying to get the best grades and be the best student.</p>
<p>Also, I found that most of the content of Swarthmore's classes was not "crap" as Duhvinci suggested. </p>
<p>And Sozo, my experience was that you are right. Grades did not matter. I never knew what grades my roomate was getting or even my best friends in my classes. No one asks and no one really cares....</p>
<p>Also, the "hardness" of classes largely depends on what classes/professors you take. My second semester freshman year felt like a breeze becuase all my homework was reading. Granted, it was sometimes close to 1000 pages a week, but I love reading so it really didn't feel like work. Also, I was mostly able to do essays for my classes pretty quickly and do reasonably well on them, especially when they were on topics that interested me (Which was almost always, Swat profs seem to be very accomodating). First semester with math problem sets and bio studying felt MUCH harder.</p>
<p>I just thought that I'd point, so as to not drive people away, that my experience of first semester was that it was somewhat easier than I expected. I'm not taking the hardest classes, but I'm not taking the easiest either. That's not to say it won't get harder after we leave the shell that is pass/fail but rather I think that the first semester experience really depends on your background. This sentiment isn't exactly uncommon either from my conversations with my friends.</p>
<p>I'd think that you'd have to be pretty aware of the intellectual atmosphere and like it to go to Swat - I'm excited by the prospect of learning and not worrying about dealing with other people's grades. It seemed like such a non-competitive place, and...that really hooked me into liking it so much. <3</p>
<p>Well yes, Swat's hard. As a sophomore taking five credits I definitely have experienced the "rag doll" feeling that Duh Vinci has described. However, I know when I recieve an A on a paper or any other graded assignment, I've truly earned it, and that feeling is wonderful. One of my classes is at Penn this semester, and the grade inflation there is rampant, so that's been an interesting basis of comparison. I must say, I feel like, even though I've been put through the wringer at times, I'm getting a wonderful education from incredible professors and am getting something substantial out of every class. But, I feel like most people know about the workload and intensity of this place on the front end - so to be accepted, enroll and then complain about it seems a litte strange.</p>
<p>JP: Yeah, I did expect to get straight A's. Got them everywhere else.</p>
<p>Soza: Nice sentiments but a lot of knowledge and C's equal rejection from HBS</p>
<p>Banana: Noone said anything about knowing anyone elses grades. I have no clue as to how my roommate is doing. I hope he's doing well, but it's not really my concern. Don't think, however, that because I don't know my roommates grades, I shouldn't be concerned with my own.</p>
<p>Schoenhs: I'm taking what you're taking next semester. Classes and otherwise.</p>
<p>Forgetme: Why would you have to worry about other peoples grades? At Swat or elsewhere? Were you planning on taking exams for others?</p>
<p>Arti: The country knew it was in a bad war, we still reelected the current administration, now everyone in the country is complaining about how bad it is. So, tell me, what is so strange about complaining about the workload? Also, I don't find this place to be that intense. I will admit that there is a lot of work (especially for a pampered know it all like myself). Really cuts into the time I have allotted for sleeping, guitar practice, tv, parties, recreational drugs and so on.</p>
<p>Just a thought, remembering my daughter's first term. Though everything was P/F, she did see her grades posted at the end of the term. She did NOT keep a copy of them, and they would have been useful when she applied to grad school. All that shows up on the transcript is the P or F. Be sure to print, for posterity.</p>
<p>Echoing what momofthree said. My S, a senior, accidentally deleted one of the emails with his first semester "shadow" grades. He would have liked to have had it for his applications to grad school now.</p>