<p>Could somebody just explain to me exactly what people in learning communities do? Is it more than having study groups? I'm thinking about joining one in college and I am just trying to decide if it's worth it. Will somebody please list the pros and cons? I'm sure that it's different at all colleges, but could you give me an idea of much of your time it takes up? I just don't want to be too busy because I already plan on being a work-study and of course I need study time for other classes. </p>
<p>My son was in a learning community JMU freshman year. They lived in the same dorm, along with other non learning community students, and the learning community students had two classes together. Maybe two Saturdays a semester there was mandatory participation events, no other requirements. He did get a nice dorm assignment freshman year because he was in the learning community. </p>
<p>At big universities, it’s a good way to meet people and make friends, because you live together and take classes together - instead of meeting interesting people whom you never see again 
(that happens to most freshmen!) Often, you actually win time-wise, especially if you have classes back to back in the same building or even, in the same building where you dorm (depends on the college). You all share an interest so there’s a built-in commonality. At some, you get to have some perks like field trips, meeting someone interesting, or having nicer dorms.</p>
<p>As others have said, it’s a nice way to build a sense of community. It may range from simply having a couple of classes with the same people to sharing a residence hall with those folks and/or others who share your interest to a living arrangement with some joint projects (my D lived on a “community service” hall her first year) to something really exciting like taking an international trip together. </p>
<p>The upside: builds community, lets you share an interest with others, can be a nice anchor at a larger school</p>
<p>The downside: if you don’t like someone in the group, you’re stuck interacting with them for the term/year.</p>