School Rants Thread!

[TotallyUncool]

Although esm probably has more and better information about a lot of this, since she's been dealing directly with things like double majors, impending grad school, and career possibilities in terms of the requirements of the contemporary university system and the current job market, while my experience is from pretty far back (and I did a hell of a lot of things the wrong way around, which really isn't good at all ).

[esm]

Well then. I could... I don't know. In that case, I could double major in International Studies and Environmental Studies. I've always been interested in both.

But with the IS language requirement, I'll have to stay an extra year probably, and part of me just wants to do well in college, get into a good grad school, and worry about a career after that...

Damn it, lol x.x

If you're taking Arabic or Japanese, would there be a way for you to be placed above the very beginning level? I don't know how much you already know or how often they offer the courses at your school. At mine, other than Spanish, French, and German, they offer 1st semester language courses only during the fall semester, 2nd semester during the spring, 3rd during the fall, etc. so it's difficult to jump into, but with a quarter system at your school perhaps it's more flexible. Or if you know enough that you don't need the beginning level, maybe you can take a placement test and jump into something that's offered later in the year. Again, that depends on how the school works.

But if money is not an issue (I don't know how much your scholarships cover), I don't think staying for another year is a big deal. Actually, staying for an extra semester or year seems common at my college because people decide to jump into science later and it's pretty difficult to fit in all the classes.

[TotallyUncool]

Five years for undergraduate work was very common when I was at Cal Poly SLO. It just worked out that way if you wanted to get everything in -- particularly if you changed majors. And I'm sure it's even more common now.

[Bakajo Nono]

Well then. I could... I don't know. In that case, I could double major in International Studies and Environmental Studies. I've always been interested in both.

But with the IS language requirement, I'll have to stay an extra year probably, and part of me just wants to do well in college, get into a good grad school, and worry about a career after that...

Damn it, lol x.x

If you're taking Arabic or Japanese, would there be a way for you to be placed above the very beginning level? I don't know how much you already know or how often they offer the courses at your school. At mine, other than Spanish, French, and German, they offer 1st semester language courses only during the fall semester, 2nd semester during the spring, 3rd during the fall, etc. so it's difficult to jump into, but with a quarter system at your school perhaps it's more flexible. Or if you know enough that you don't need the beginning level, maybe you can take a placement test and jump into something that's offered later in the year. Again, that depends on how the school works.

But if money is not an issue (I don't know how much your scholarships cover), I don't think staying for another year is a big deal. Actually, staying for an extra semester or year seems common at my college because people decide to jump into science later and it's pretty difficult to fit in all the classes.

I have a sinking feeling that my college's system works the same way. Damn it... and it's not even offered in the summers so I can't make it up that way. Unless I want to study abroad in Fez, Morocco or something ._.;

I can read Arabic, but I can't understand/speak much that isn't like... prayer xD and I can't really write it. But I'd like to think I'm at least a little past the very beginning, so MAYBE I can jump into next quarter's class. But I doubt it.

Okay, well... okay. If I start Arabic next year, I can take the three basic level courses my junior year, and then the three intermediate courses my senior year. Yeah, it'll suck that I won't be fluent (or hey, maybe I will be. Two levels of college-level studying is... a lot? lol), but I just won't add it as a minor and I'll be able to fulfill the requirement for the IS degree. I can always continue studying it in grad school.

[esm]

Maybe there are language opportunities in other schools in Chicago. I don't know. If you're able to fulfill the requirement of the IS degree, then yeah, you could keep learning Arabic in grad school. With your background and interests, I feel like you'd understand the culture more than people that kind of just jumped into the field anyway. I mean, you'd have that advantage when you apply to grad schools.

I never took classes in a language where you have to learn a new writing system, but I'm sure they go a lot slower than French, German, etc., at least in the beginning.

[esm]

You know what I've never done in college? Talk to an academic advisor.

[TotallyUncool]

I don't think I ever did, either.

No... Wait. I think I had to once, to get into grad school. All I remember was that I asked some pointlessly complicated question (about how they calculated undergraduate GPAs for grad school entry) that she couldn't answer, and it made us both feel a little embarrassed.

[Bakajo Nono]

One of the best things about my college is that unless you're taking a language, you're almost always guaranteed 3-day weekends. I really do need that extra day to just kind of... collect myself. Also sleep. xD

But now it's early afternoon Saturday, and I'm already well into my homework. *hi fives self*

[TotallyUncool]

Which reminds me -- I have to take care of my Japanese homework and studying today.

[esm]

One of the best things about my college is that unless you're taking a language, you're almost always guaranteed 3-day weekends. I really do need that extra day to just kind of... collect myself. Also sleep. xD

But now it's early afternoon Saturday, and I'm already well into my homework. *hi fives self*

My schedule is as follows: http://www.schedulizer.com/22ca

So it's only the three days in the middle that are crazy. Friday is pretty much weekend already. Monday is almost an extension of the weekend because Swedish doesn't really add much to the load. I'm glad I don't volunteer anymore this semester because I need some time to study and work on grad school stuff. Work is like a minute walk from two of my classes, and I'm well ahead of the schedule there anyway.