<p>It seems like just about everyone on this board is going to take a freshman seminar, is anybody not planning to? So far the smallest class I’m interested in is AM0033, which isn’t particularly small, and certainly not a seminar.</p>
<p>i have no idea. so many options.</p>
<p>this may seem like a dumb question, but no one has yet to offer me a solid response... what's the difference between a seminar and a regular class? if seminars are smaller classes, then would a "capped off" class be called a seminar?? help!!</p>
<p>a lot of higher level classes are capped off...but not semiars. semiars are mostly, but dont quote me on it, discussion-like classes for freshman or seniors, while capped classes are simply, for the most part, higher level classes that are capped so that the students dont have to learn in an auditorium or the like.</p>
<p>yep, sounds right to me, seminars are about discussion, capped classes just have a limit. Also, very few non-seminar like classes are capped at numbers as small as seminars.</p>
<p>Many seminars are capped at 18, 20, 25, or 30, because these low number facilitate discussion. There are freshman seminars and senior seminars, but most seminars are open to all years.</p>
<p>Capped non-seminar classes might be capped at 30, 50, 100, 300, 500... it just depends on the class dynamic, prof preference, availability of TA's in a given semester, etc. All low-level language classes (through 60's in Spanish, not sure about other languages) are capped at 18, as are many "workshop" style writing classes.</p>
<p>how do you tell the difference between a seminar and a course that is predominantly lecture-based? if the answer is the seminars are called seminars, then there sure don't seem to be many courses that are mostly discussion...</p>
<p>Lots of classes that aren't called "seminar" and aren't capped actually end up being very discussion-based if they're small enough. For example, literature classes (including in foreign languages), many public policy / political science / international relations classes, etc. Also, even classes which are lecture based will often have a discussion section breakdown once a week, which the prof or a TA will lead. My discussion section for Ethics and Public Policy, a lecture class, was far more interesting and productive than the discussions in the freshman anthropology seminar I took first semester, even though it was run by a TA and not a prof.</p>
<p>How to find out if there will be a lot of discussion?
1. <a href="http://www.thecriticalreview.org%5B/url%5D">www.thecriticalreview.org</a> -- look it up and see.
2. Shop the class! See for yourself.
3. Ask other people who've taken the class.</p>
<p>I'm going to go ahead and sign up for the marine bio seminar (which I missed when looking over classes before), but with only 10 slots for what seems like would be a popular seminar to sign up for the odds don't seem too good</p>
<p>AM33?? Consider AM 35... It's not that much more difficult and it's worth it if you have got a brilliant prof. I took it last year with Gottlieb and she's just about the most amazing prof. I'm not sure whether she'll be teaching 35 or 33 next yr. Shop around...</p>