<p>I have been stalking these boards for quite a few months and I have noticed that bernie is very helpful. do you work at emory? based on your posts, I assume you are a student due to graduate in 2012, who has many friends with many different majors in many different schools.
But I can't help but notice that you seem to have a lot of time to write very long and very detailed responses, so that makes me wonder if in fact you are an employee. I also notice that you write your posts at all different times which leads me to believe that if you are in fact a student, that for this summer you do not have a job or internship or what not. That in turn leads me to believe you are an employee. I am very curious to know and thanks again for all of your insight!</p>
<p>haha i love this post. I was curious also.</p>
<p>To be blunt and honest:</p>
<p>Hell no, I’m a senior in the college. I’m a chem/bio double major. And no one has employed me this summer so I have lots of time on my hands. Last summer, I had summer classes and a job (also started up my research project) because I stayed in Atlanta (and frosh year, I actually returned to Savannah, but ended up in Tampa Bay, Fl. helping run a summer camp), but this summer I went back to Savannah (as it will probably be my last time here for a summer in a long time, and I really wanted to spend it w/my family). Got down here, and the job market was too tight (summer jobs I qualify for down here were primarily taken b/c I got here kind of late. Other college students who got here earlier filled the positions. Savannah does not really support youth aspirations). I wanted to stay in Atlanta to seriously progress my research project (was also considering taking Diff. Eq and multivariable at Georgia Tech), but I didn’t want to go through SIRE so needless to say, it was too expensive to do so. At least last summer, I had a little fin. aid, but it still required a huge loan as Emory summer aid sucks. I receive full tuition and fees during the year and then suddenly I got less than 1/2 during summer. Needless to say, I wouldn’t risk it again (I’ve learned from that mistake, even though I had a good time and did well in the courses I took) and could not afford another such loan (seriously, that completely screwed me. I went from about to graduate w/no debt to having a lot) or situation. </p>
<p>So now, all I do I sit here and read things for myself (mainly chemistry literature, so that I can really get going in the fall as I need an abstract done by November to go to ACS. Presenting my research at ACS and proposing something like an ideajam or an invention competition at Emory are my personal senior capstone projects) and other times I’ll do random research in highered (observing Emory and this site has gotten me interested in how highered works, particularly, elite institutions) and Emory (or w/e other institution) and try to inform you guys when relevant. I actually love mentoring and teaching (I am interested in research but I would love to teach at the collegiate level one day. In the sciences preferably. I want to employ some of the different techniques I’ve seen more effective, yet unorthodox profs. use here. I’ve been inspired to help improve science education on a wider scale. Was shocked to find that it could use as much reform at the university level as it could in k-12) and should have probably tried harder this summer to get such a position emphasizing that passion in Savannah (YMCA or other summer camps/school). </p>
<p>I honestly can’t wait until fall starts so that I can continue full productivity (seriously, I actually love being in a more intellectually vibrant environment of my peers, where I can share and receive ideas from them. I’ve even come to like the classroom) and mentoring in person again. I really miss it, which also partially explains why I am so into this. I can help mentor people away from a collegiate environment, even if it’s something as little as helping people choose a college on criteria that make sense or choosing course/profs. If I’m going to be bored and unemployed and essentially waste a summer away, I might as well, waste it like this, and working on my chemistry.</p>
<p>May I also note that my sleep schedule has been altered (almost null, I maybe get 4-5hrs and 6.5 if lucky) as of last year because I went a little overboard on caffeinated drinks.</p>
<p>what are some things you wish you have done/not done or done differently freshman year/college in general?</p>
<p>I don’t know my frosh year went quite well. I some family issues that began that summer coming in so the transition was tougher than it was for some people, but I connected w/my hall and made many friends and did pretty solid in my courses which were pretty rigorous. </p>
<p>If anything, first semester, my woes were academic wise. I could have gotten higher than solid Bs in orgo. and biology first semester if I realized that studying a little everyday is better than waiting 3days-1 week before an exam to begin studying, and then only then, doing a type of marathon studying. Also, I let biology stress me out a bit too much. It was one of the courses where I feared the qualifications of my peers even though the course was not even graded on a curve, so up until bio II, I would study for it alone. Kind of idiotic that I thought it was me vs. everyone else in that class. Perhaps I could have also grabbed the bull by the horns and have learned to work in a group. My inability to tolerate it screwed me in an upperlevel course (genetics) where I essentially was too shy and bashful to reign in my group when I was essentially granted a leadership position (because the other 2 were not doing the work), and even after reminding them, or doing my version of pressuring them, I still ended up essentially doing the whole project myself. Needless to say, this was extremely difficult w/the numerous and tiring problem sets and exam prep (at least these were fairly easy-moderate, but the problems were extremely hard). Lesson learned: I’m simply not agressive enough in that environment. Luckily, sense then, I’ve come out of the shell. Hopefully, you won’t have these issues as you are a prospective B-school applicant (and thus will probably already know how to handle groups).</p>
<p>Bernie, are a lot of classes at Emory graded on a curve? Do you know about how many percent are?</p>
<p>Another fan of your thoughtful and informative posts here, Bernie.</p>
<p>Your discussion of how you could have perhaps been a little more aggressive in groups was interesting. Did you find, esp. in your first year at Emory, that it was necessary to be proactive/aggressive in getting to know professors? Or is that something that in your experiences the profs at Emory tend to welcome and invite? I’m wondering whether Emory is a good fit for a student who really enjoys getting to know his teachers, but might be a little reluctant to put himself out there without encouragement.</p>
<p>Thanks again for your insights past and present.</p>
<p>Actually, that was shockingly easy (I didn’t need to be aggressive in that area), but it may be because of the courses I took. The frosh seminar fosters this type of connection. I took a special one called ORDER where I was in close contact w/various scientists (David Lynn and several post-docs doing awesome work at Emory), some who I still have a relationship w/this day. Also, David Lynn, for such a high profile figure/scientist on campus, is very approachable. We went to visit Yerkes as part of the class and he drove me and my friend and my friend straight up asked him in the car if she can have a research position. Needless to say it was granted. He then would later tip me off about the grad. course I wanted to take (as in alerted me that it would be offered) and I’ve had conversations w/him on the Georgia Tech shuttle before. I established a relationship w/one the post-docs teaching ORDER along w/his mentor, which is a professor in the religion department ( Dr. Dianne Diakite, she is an amazing, extremely experienced teacher and scholar as many in the religion dept. Highly recommend her). </p>
<p>The organic chem. prof. is my biggest mentor. He tries to establish a community where he can have close contact w/students and foster group work and mentoring. He has assisted me in getting TA positions and research endeavors and is just an awesome person to get in touch with in terms of career plans. Also, pushes students beyond belief in his classes (will take an upperlevel w/him this fall). One key to him establishing effective mentoring (something rare among profs. at any college, especially science courses known for being “weeders”) is the fact that he broke away from Supplemental Instruction (and instead formed his own “mentoring sessions”) and has his own organic lab separate from the normal orgo. lab that he runs himself (no Grad. students teaching it. It’s more like the Oxford Emory experience and is inquiry driven). </p>
<p>Many of the profs (including this frosh orgo. prof). take you to lunch, dinner, and various special events when they get to know you via w/e venue (I even think there is a special fund for such things. Many prof’s take advantage of it. I’ve been to dinner w/many profs. Been to the house of a dean and a prof.). It’s simply a matter of trying the slightest. Those who find Emory profs. distant or non-influential really don’t try at all (because again, I didn’t even have to try hard). Admittedly, it depends who you choose. If you are the type that wants easier classes where demands on students are limited, and class section larger, expect to put out more effort to meet the prof. as there will be less faculty-student interaction in less challenging/workload devoid environments (logic is: “I made this easy for you, outside of office hours, or the writing center, you don’t need my help, this is what you wanted, right”). Less demands generally equal less effort on the teacher’s part (profs. with high demands find it necessary to have a solid/high level of involvement in the process). </p>
<p>Also, in the more distant classes, you can make yourself stand out to the prof. by coming to office hours, to not only inquire about material explicitly covered in class, but to express any type of intellectual curiosity. This allows one to start a conversation that interests both parties and the prof. will remember you. Avoid going in constantly asking: “will this be on the exam” or “what do I need to do for the exam”. Be deeper. Emory profs. respect inquiry, not grade grubbing, so this makes you stand out. </p>
<p>For example, here is how I established a relationship (in my grad. level course) w/what is normally a busy researcher last year. We had to present various papers in bio-organic chem. in class. One student had presented a paper, and I was curious about it afterwards. They were checking for activity in various mutants of a particular enzyme and I began to explore why they made certain mutations and started to work on it, and e-mailed Gallivan about my idea. Needless to say, he invited me to the office to discuss the issue (we also discussed other things. One thing, you’ll notice is that Emory profs. don’t hold their tongue, even on happenings w/in their dept.) and helped me to get software to help in the endeavor and point me in the direction of researchers on campus who specialize in enzymology. This was a great icebreaker. </p>
<p>If you have additional interests or a new angle on class material, don’t be shy, express it! I mean, even if you are going to the office hours or w/e to discuss material in class, but also had another idea, bring it up. This is an excellent way to gain the respect of the professor. </p>
<p>There are many more personal anecdotes that I have, but these are very memorable. One advantage to Emory, it seems, is that a huge amount of professors in larger lecture courses have learned (or merely desire to) how to deeply engage and reach out to students. If you are in a large lecture course, you are not doomed to becoming a number at Emory. So large or small class, it is possible to get a personalized experience (however, if you don’t take advantage of it in a smaller environment, something is wrong). </p>
<p>Hubman: I don’t know any classes are graded on a “real” curve. Classes graded on a curve generally only raise grades if they need to. You don’t have to worry about that. Emory has a grade inflation to help you out a little (not as much as high school though. Standards are, for the most part, much higher, even accounting for inflation). Seriously, this shouldn’t be a concern. Perform the best you can, and you’ll get the grade you deserve or higher in many cases. If you make the cutoff for a certain grade on the typical “93=A” +/- grading scale or an adjusted scale provided by your prof., you are guaranteed at least that grade.</p>
<p>Thanks again, Bernie. Very encouraging.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help Bernie. I’m also fan, but I’ll stop now because I know you don’t like being exalted. I’m excited now because I’ve never been a “grade gubbler,” and have always just been inquiry driven, and from what you described I feel like would be a atmosphere I dream about.</p>
<p>I also had a question about the office hours. About how many students usually attend? And are they generally certain hours or mostly need-based(I understand it will vary from prof. to prof.)?</p>
<p>Yeah, I really don’t like that (I feel things like this should come natural). Thanks, but avoid it lol. However, this past-time has given me an idea about fostering more peer mentoring (or mentoring in general) on campus like having a more informal mentoring service/network (as opposed to something more formal and perhaps more limited in scope like M.O.R.E or PACE) where students like you, the freshmen, can be in close contact w/more experienced students. I’d call you guys something like “pet freshmen” lol 
. </p>
<p>I’ve actually been doing this on my own at Emory since sophomore year and it seems beneficial and is a great way to establish a diverse network of friends and peers in terms of age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. I essentially meet freshmen (actually as of yesteryear, I also aid sophomores) via tutoring or even studying w/them for a class. I give them advice and eventually ask them to hang out or study w/me and some of my friends in similar classes (to my surprise, some of the freshmen actually know/or have met at least one student in my growing entourage, so that makes it less awkward). This means freshmen get to meet any sophomores I’ve befriended who then get to establish ties w/me and any seniors that I know. It’s quite an intricate network that could expose you to the in and outs of Emory while being exposed to many students of varying social and academic experiences at Emory. That way, it isn’t just me. You get input/advice from other students perhaps w/similar goals, but different paths. It’ll also lead to one perhaps being more willing to be more socially and academically outgoing (as in you’ll be less bashful and more willing to meet “strangers” and since we have so much experience w/various types of coursework between us, we can confirm your fears and dispell your myths. Much more effective than venues such as ratemyprof and class comments). Me and my senior friends have essentially been doing these types of things since we’ve been here (befriending and taking on students from lower graduating classes). This has been good since this place can use a little more community spirit and a little less self-segregation (seriously, what’s the point of Emory having so much darned diversity if we refuse to interact w/each other). It seems that academic interests have great potential to unite students when you make a social network out of it. </p>
<p>Anyway, most have specific hours where there door is straight up open. Outside of those, you can schedule an appointment to see them. I would say that most students use them. The amount of students certain profs. get depends on their popularity and/or perceived approachability. For example, with professors like Weinschenk and Edwards, you may have large groups who post up in and outside of the office. In fact some professors will hold group"ish" office hours. For example, doctor Roth for physics likes this method. At least one of her office hours days were held in a seminar room in the MS building basement (where the more “physics like” labs are), so it was basically like she was leading her own supplemental instruction session. Very efficient. However, some professors have very large offices and thus can fit several in (the physics offices are pretty large and so are the ones in Callaway and Rollins Research). Some professors aim for 1-4 at a time or appointment (people like Soria do this). Generally professors who will discuss material or other things for a longer period of time with students push for that.</p>
<p>one day, i’ll actually read one of bernie’s posts in its entirety…one day…</p>
<p>Yes, they’re long. No need to read the whole thing. Just read relevant portions.</p>