<p>what is this. Is it required. If it is required, how "required" is it. Does it suck a lot. I wanted to become an engineer so I wouldn't have to read crap like this. flame on you CAS english majors about how uncultured I am. whatever. Does anyone know about this.</p>
<p>Haha...welcome to Cornell!! I was a transfer and I also had to do the project...but got away with not doing the essay because I didn't have to take a writing seminar. I did enjoy the book very much.</p>
<p>So...over the summer you'll be mailed the selected book with the suggested essay topics. During orientation week there is a panel discussion about the book. During your first year writing seminar I believe you read your essay out loud to the class and submit them to your TA. Then there is a contest for best essay...or something along that line.</p>
<p>...it's just a book. god forbid you have to read a book as a cornell student!</p>
<p>you write a short response on it that you turn into a professor who will be holding a small seminar for people in your dorm/floor during orientation week. in the earlier years, it used to be good books, but recently, the books have been really bad and it'll prove to be something that your and your peers will bond over - how much you hated the book.</p>
<p>^yea, I like to read history books a lot. In fact, I am 427 pages into a 1300 page book in euro history. What I WOULD hate to read is some crap by nathaniel hawthorne, or moby dick or what is considered high "literature" that is just a bunch of thick bull crap. Oh god, moby dick suuuuuucked to read.</p>
<p>We were asked to read Lincoln at Gettysburg this past summer. I basically skimmed the book for relevant info and wrote a very short "paper" about one of the suggested topics. My floor went and had a discussion about the book with a professor from the vet school. She hated it as much as we did. The essay isn't worth anything and I don't think the previous post about handing it in at your writing seminar was accurate. I didn't attend the panel discussion, but I heard it was miserable, being the last week of August in a large auditorium with no AC in addition to the subject matter.</p>
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I don't think the previous post about handing it in at your writing seminar was accurate
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<p>I thought this is how it was when I entered Cornell...but that was a few years ago and I do tend to mix things up in my head. I apologize if I presented any inaccurate information.</p>
<p>I was a transfer this year and did not read the book or write the essay, though I was still "required" to go to the seminar thing. I was never asked later on about turning in an essay after going to that and not handing one in.</p>
<p>it is not required, you will not get kicked out if you dont read it. i skimmed it and wrote the essay cause its a long break and i didn't do much. i didn't go to the meeting though</p>
<p>At least its not War and Peace</p>
<p>Actually I take that back, the chunk of war and Peace I did get through wasnt half bad. One day I'll finish it.</p>
<p>just be glad that you dont have to read the pickup</p>
<p>rofl, I read moby dick in my english 11 class, horrid book!!!!!!!!!!!! eeeek</p>
<p>the book is moby dick this year? I'd rather have read that than Lincoln at Gettysburg.</p>
<p>anyway it most likely doesn't really matter if you don't read it or write the essay. You have to go to a small discussion with some people from your floor with a professor, but it doesn't count for anything and the essay is simply entered into a contest, not graded so you could hand in nothing. There is also a large panel discussion for the entire class, which I would recommend not going too, explore the campus instead and maybe visit the gorges or a waterfall, your time will be better spent. It shouldn't be mentioned at all in your writing seminar seeing as some non freshmen take them.</p>
<p>I personally loved Moby Dick, and I am an engineer.</p>
<p>personally, i think you are either insane or high</p>
<p>Isn't this becoming more common? I don't know of any big name schools other than Cornell, but a lot of smaller schools around where I live do (and have been doing) this.</p>
<p>yea I read half of pick up cause i kept falling asleep so many times that i Just decided to give up -.-</p>
<p>So let me get this straight: transfers "have" to do a summer reading project?? High school all over again...</p>
<p>wwhhhaat? it was a great book, why does everyone hate on it so much?</p>
<p>Given, Melville has a way of explaining in extreme detail scenery and boat terminology. But skip the few chapters explaining every part of a boat and how exactly they skin and boil down a whale, and you've got a really interesting story about a not so subjective third-party examiner giving his tale of a crazed madman sailor going after the phantom killer whale that ate off his leg(s? don't remember)</p>
<p>I like it. :D</p>
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So let me get this straight: transfers "have" to do a summer reading project?? High school all over again...
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<p>Yeahhhh.....I know that in my transfer group a few of us read all or part of the book but none of us went to the seminar or wrote an essay.</p>