<p>@legofan101
Hey, I’m a junior here at DU. I am not a business student, my major is art history, but I can give you an overview. What exactly are you looking for from DU in terms of the academics, or social life? I can give you a sense of the what is expected from you in non-business classes, class size and general academic rigor. Social life, it really depends. </p>
<p>So an overview of academics, since you are a freshman, you will probably need to complete the undergraduate core curriculum. This includes 1 year of writing classes, including a Freshman seminar (FSEM) in a topic of your choosing that will be writing intensive no matter what the subject matter. You will also have to complete a advanced seminar (ASEM) that is writing intensive in your junior or senior year. You will also need to take two classes (that are marked AI) that fulfill Arts and Humanities requirements and the same with social sciences. Of these classes, you have to take 2 different disciplines. If you have AP or IB credit, it is put to use here. You will also need to take a math class and a year of natural sciences (NATS). These can vary in difficulty.</p>
<p>Class size is generally small; classes are usually around 15-30 people. Lectures, such as in the sciences, (I’m a chem minor) can be from 50 to 100 people, but labs will be back to 30. Some classes have TAs, which you can more easily access for help than the professors, but most of the time you are directly interacting with professors. Most professors can tell when you don’t care about a class, don’t do the reading, are texting or surfing the web in class, and some will call you on it. Others don’t care. Every class usually has a midterm and a final test or paper. Final tests and/or papers can count for 25 to 50% of your grade; midterms and smaller papers can count for 10 to 30%. When I say smaller papers I mean 5 to 7 or 8 to 10 pages double spaced. Final papers are at least 10, usually 10 to 15, but can be up to 25-30. If you struggle with writing there is a writing center on campus, as well as a math center where you can receive help.</p>
<p>Most professors in the liberal arts departments want clear, concise, creative arguments; some won’t mark you down for summaries/synthesis of readings but it is sort of seen as lazy or boring. Students generally ask questions or are expected to comment in lectures/seminars. Group work is occasionally assignment, probably more in the business school, but I really don’t know. </p>
<p>Socially, DU can be a party school if you want it to be. Most people don’t have school on Fridays, so the weekend starts on Thursday night. There are generally a variety of parties. Some students have fake ids or medical marjuanna cards, to get what they want.
Personally I’m not part of that scene. There are plenty of things you can do that are not attached to that social environment. Denver’s downtown/lowdo area is a great place to walk around, check out shops/museums/galleries/local music/movies/food. Skiing and outdoor sports are part of most students lives, but getting to the mountains can be tricky if you don’t have a car (there are buses/student clubs that make trips up there). Getting downtown or off campus is easy because you get free RTD transportation with your student id.</p>
<p>People are generally nice around campus. There is a stereotype that DU is a school for rich, white kids, and in some cases that holds true, but there are plenty of us who don’t really fit that. Tuition is high, and raises by 3 to 5% each year so plan for that. Try to get finical aid/merit scholarship if you can; it helps so much.</p>