What are freshmen seminars? do they do u any good?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Davis
1

<p>i see them in the general catalog, and i’m wondering what they’re really for?</p>

2

<p>Most people I talked to say they're taking it just as a filler to meet the 13 unit minimum for financial aid.</p>

3

<p>Freshman seminars are probably some of the only ways to have close contact with faculty during freshman year. There are also a lot of school of medicine faculty that teach freshman seminars that are in subjects near to their hearts that they otherwise would never be able to teach, given their teaching and clinical responsibilities with the health system. In addition, many of these have routinely received teaching awards through the school of medicine (which is saying something given how critical med students can be of teachers) so you are getting plum teaching on interesting subjects. What more could you want?</p>

4

<p>Don't take a freshman seminar unless you're really interested in it. I'd recommend you take a 1-unit seminar instead of a 2-unit, and a pass/no pass one over a graded because it's basically a BS class and if you're not interested in it and if you happen to get a teacher who thinks it's a real class, then you'd be in big trouble. Grad schools aren't going to consider it worth anything, so you don't want lots of work from a freshman seminar taking away study/hw time from other classes like chem or math.</p>

<p>on another note: I hear that the James Bond and SouthPark seminars are pretty fun :)</p>

5

<p>what do you do in it anyway. like.. really academic things? or fun things</p>

6

<p>Usually a discussion once or twice a week for about an hour. And then perhaps a paper due at the end of the quarter. Not much at all. Their suppossed to help freshman ease into the college climate, and provide an enviroment where they can approach their professors for assistance.</p>

7

<p>southpark seminars are only for summer.... =[
and i cant find james bond</p>

8

<p>I'm signed up for one to give me an additional unit, moving from 15 to 16 units. Taking it P/F so it's basically a free unit unless you really screw up - I like the idea.</p>