<p>I’m doing some preparation before heading over to Pomona this Fall, and I have a couple of questions that I hope the good folks over here can advise me on.</p>
<li><p>Would it be advisable to complete all my Gen Ed. requirements during my freshman year? I was thinking that I could do around 2 or 3 courses in the first semester (and then another 2 or 3 in the next) to find out if I’m really interested in my prospective majors through these intro courses, as well as completing the requirements.</p></li>
<li><p>I know there are many amazing professors in Pomona, but it would be great if anyone could tell me which professor really inspired/amazed you with their teaching abilities. Or famous ones, like in academic circles.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>"Philosophy through its History" is being offered next semester with Erickson (I think Monday and Wednesday 11:00-12:15) This course is excellent, and the professor is a department chair/one of the stronger professors.</p>
<p>You should definitly take four courses your first semester</p>
<p>Thanks! Yeah brassmonkey, I'm definitely taking 4 courses in the semester (in fact I want to take 6), but I was wondering out of how many should be made up of Gen Ed courses.</p>
<p>Yeah Philosophy through its History sounds great...Thanks for the reply too Irene, anyone else? :)</p>
<p>I've finished all but one of my gen ed requirements after one year. The main thing that you want to do is get them done before junior year or whenever you go abroad. You don't want them lingering senior year. However, it might be nice to spread them out during the first two years, so that you will have some diversity the whole time.</p>
<p>Also, I wouldn't recommend taking 6 courses, and especially not first semester. In the spring you could always try 5, but I'd settle in first before upping it. You can always drop stuff though.</p>
<p>Actually, freshmen can only taken 4 courses during their first semester, and only this past year were the rules changed so that second semester freshmen can take five courses, provided they are "in good academic standing" - no grade lower than a B from fall semester.</p>
<p>I recommend Green in the Philosophy Department. He teaches social and political philosophy, and actually he'll be teaching a freshman seminar/critical inquiry (familiarly known as ID) this fall. I think it's called "In the Image of God." You should look for it in your ID selection course descriptions. I've also heard really amazing things about Menefee-Libey in the Politics Department - he teaches an intro American Politics and a course on Congress.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ratemyprofessors.com%5B/url%5D">www.ratemyprofessors.com</a> (taken with a grain of salt) is something I've found very helpful (and when I blatantly disregard it, results have NOT been good). I recommend looking through a course catalog, seeing what courses catch your eye, and looking them up here to end up with a good blend of required, desired, enjoyable, and do-able.</p>
<p>Menefee-Libey picked up the Wig award this year.</p>
<p>Along with J. Raymond Buriel, Robert Gaines, Fredrick Grieman, and Jerry Irish. (The Wig award is voted on by students for excellence in teaching, and is considered one of the highest honors a Pomona professor can receive)</p>
<p>Kassam in the religious studies department is amazing. Englebert in the politics department is fun. My favorite classes were actually at Scripps though, Golub and Weinberg.</p>
<p>What are you interested in exploring?</p>
<p>Don't feel like you have to finish your GE's the first two years. I am definitely putting off the science requirement until the last semester of my senior year. :) I'm enjoying my major classes so much, so why wait?</p>
<p>Also, don't feel like you have to overload on courses. There are so many opportunities in terms of extracurriculars that to overload on courses may put you at a disadvantage. At Pomona, 5 is the max I believe. I took 5, and having 5 midterms in two weeks was exhausting. I dropped the fifth class.</p>
<p>I tend to agree with some previous posters, particularly the mchllhcm. I also spread my GEs throughout all four years (at Scripps, they're all supposed to be done first semester senior year, which is when I took my last one--also science!). You hear about so many wonderful professors outside of your degree departments that it's nice to be able to take their courses for GEs (esp. off-campus). Once you have an idea of what you want to major/minor in, you can also double-count certain GEs (i.e. take a course that counts for a GE as well as something in your degree...although you could also probably take one that counts for two GEs), freeing up time for electives. I don't know Pomona's double-counting policy, but I assume this is possible.</p>
<p>GEs are a great place to start choosing classes and a good way to get exposed to new departments, but don't worry about pounding through them. They'll get done. I would recommend that if there are certain classes that really build on high school knowledge (i.e. a math course or a foreign language), that you get that out of the way while stuff is still fresh in your head. </p>
<p>And definitely take 4 classes your first semester. You might be just fine with five...some people are. But some people also go crazy when they overload, so if you're one of those people, you don't want to spend your very first semester finding out. Plus, first semester is the best time for meeting people, exploring SoCal, and trying out new activities. If four courses leave you with lots of free time, you'll find no shortage of ways to fill it :)</p>
<p>I'd also caution you against taking courses with 'famous' professors without knowing too much else about them. Without naming names, some of the worst experiences I've heard have been from people who've taken these classes just for the professors (even within their departments). Certainly there have been positive experiences, as well, but ask around if this is your primary reason. I'll PM you soon with professors recs. Good luck!</p>
<p>For my interests, I'm planning to double major in econ (mathematical - which is Plan 2) and either English Lit or Philo (leaning towards Lit)</p>
<p>Econ is definitely something I will be taking, although I'm open to more possibilities for my second. That is why I'm more keen towards taking my core requirements in the 1st year so that I can decide on the second by sophomore year.</p>
<p>I'll check out more about the double counting policy and stuff. Haha but there's no way I'm missing out on the fun in SoCal and the activities on campus. ;)</p>
<p>Still waiting for my Pomona email though...zzz</p>
<p>Likens for econ. He's funny. Take a philosophy class with Weinberg! Her courses are fascinating, Ethical Theory and Philosophy of the Beginning and End of Life. I took Ethical Theory.</p>