<p>I’ve been looking into summer programs for this summer (after my jr year) and I’ve heard nothing but great reviews from Brown. So I looked into it and there are 2 courses that I really want to take during the same three weeks. One is from 9-11:50 am and the other 12:45-3:35 pm. I’m not worried about being able to handle it, I’m more just wondering if it’ll ruin my social experience at Brown. So… </p>
<p>Do you think having twice the work and twice the class time will ruin the experience?</p>
<p>How much time is actually spent doing homework/reading for one class?</p>
<p>Is a laptop necessary?</p>
<p>Any tips, regrets, experiences, etc you want to share?</p>
<p>I did Summer@Brown this past summer (I took the course “Techniques in DNA-Based Biotechnology”) and I absolutely LOVED it. There was probably around 2 hours of homework a night, although homework length obviously varies depending on the course. The girl who lived in the dorm room across from mine took a philosophy class and from what I remember, she had a lot of reading to do each night. Whether or not she actually did that reading is another story though, haha.</p>
<p>While I think taking two courses during the same few weeks is definitely doable, I don’t think that you should take them both if you want a fantastic overall experience. If you’re only concerned about the learning aspect, you’ll probably be fine. But having to worry about two classes does limit the free time you’ll have, and exploring the city of Providence (Thayer Street and the mall in particular) with friends was easily the highlight of my Summer@Brown experience. If you don’t have a preference between the two classes, I’d probably recommend that you take the earlier one just because my class was 12:45-3:35 pm and it somewhat limited the time I had with friends (although most of my friends were actually from my class). If you take the morning class, you’ll have the rest of the day to do whatever you want.</p>
<p>In regards to laptops, I brought mine and it was incredibly useful. If you have one, I’d definitely bring it. While the SciLi and the Rock are open during the summer, it’s not as convenient having to walk to either library if you need to use a computer. I never actually used one of the library’s computers at all during my three weeks. With that being said, if bringing a laptop would be difficult to do, maybe consider emailing your teacher about it and seeing if it’s truly necessary. I never used my laptop in class to take notes, but all of the assignments had to be submitted online, so that’s where mine came in handy.</p>
<p>As a last little note, my three weeks at Brown were ****ing hot. JESUS it was so hot. My class took place during mid-July to early August, I dormed in an AC-less grad center, and it got to the point where it was surprising to see anybody outside who DIDN’T have sweat permeating through their clothing I’m pretty sure that this summer Providence just had an awful heat wave, but regardless, bring a fan or rent one because it will be one of the best decisions of your life.</p>
<p>I’m considering summer@brown and want to know how easy is it to switch classes once the program starts? If you are taking one course but realize you don’t have much free time to spend with friends, is it possible to switch out to something else?</p>
<p>I think it would be very difficult to switch once classes were underway and in some cases the more popular courses will be full.</p>
<p>Brown summer courses are mostly either morning, after lunch or late afternoon. My D preferred morning class because it gave her the most flexibility to use the rest of her day to study or socialize as she liked - she had the whole day-night after lunch. I think there is a tendency to sleep in if you don’t have one, and not a ton of socializing going on in the morning if you do get up and out. She also said her friends who did “So you want to be a doctor” spent the most time away from campus AND felt like they didn’t learn a whole lot…for what that’s worth.</p>
<p>From what I remember, it’s not all that easy to switch classes. It’s definitely doable because the lady leading orientation briefly mentioned it, but I’m pretty sure that there are some stipulations that need to be met (e.g. the class being switched into is during the same few weeks as the first, the class you want to switch into isn’t already full, your parents are okay with it, etc.). You’ll need a compelling argument as to why the class you initially picked isn’t one you want to stay in, which usually stems from not being terribly interested in the class’s subject matter. Not having enough free time to spend with friends probably isn’t the best reason to switch courses. Honestly, if you’re taking one class, you will have plenty of time to interact with friends. Don’t worry. Pick a class that you’re genuinely interested in and the rest will fall into place.</p>
<p>Parent here - kid is going to Brown-summer in a couple months. Question for prior students - did you eat in the cafeteria all the time? Was the pre-paid mealplan a good value, or should we just send our daughter with cash and a credit card? The meal plan comes to ~$40/day … thanks.</p>
<p>D ate in the caf 99% of the time, but also sometimes out to Thayer St, and on weekend trips (through Brown) to Newport and Boston, ate out when there, of course. I wasn’t aware that the meal plan was optional, but I’d think that most kids use it and so your kid may want to be able to join friends for meals. If s/he has the option to pre pay or pay per meal, that might be best?</p>
<p>For those who have been to the program, what’s the party atmosphere like there? I’m quite excited for my class and the academic aspect of the program, but I’d like to have some fun too. If you did party at all, was it easy to get away with? Thanks!</p>
I’m pretty sure that this summer Providence just had an awful heat wave, but regardless, bring a fan or rent one because it will be one of the best decisions of your life.</p>