Programs let frosh explore science, humanities

Directed Studies: it's you versus The Western Canon

Ah, the wonderful world of D.S.! And what a world it is, for you're never in control of your life freshman year. But fret not; you'll be infinitely more conditioned to deal with the hectic realm of upperclassmen papers and seminars than most other sapient and sentient beings. Sure, plenty of people complain about D.S., but none of them are in it. Still, beware of heavy reading and overachieving peers—some so intense that you'll come to truly understand the meaning of the term "mental masturbation."

The workload, though, isn't as bad as it's cut out to be; three weeks of papers and one week off isn't much more than the average workload. On the other hand, freshmen in D.S. receive the kind of attention from professors that rodents receive from rat specialists. Only in D.S. does the world's expert on Kant introduce you to the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. And only in D.S. do you learn to crank out a 10 page paper in three hours while hung over on a Friday morning.

Try to keep your papers concise, but don't be afraid to push the page limits. Amazingly, five pages invariably turn into 10, which turn into 15, and so on. It's better to go longer than to give the impression of incompetence through truncation. Know your professors well, for classes often lead to friendships.

And the exposure to the Canon! Despite insufferable guest lectures by Sterling Professors of English, you'll learn more about the Western intellectual tradition at the end of D.S. than you ever thought possible. By sophomore year, you'll have the confidence and know-how to look anyone in the eye and declare, "Marx is right!"

—Elmo Hope

Perspectives on Science: too hot even for Group IV

Perspectives on Science consists of a series of bi-weekly lectures about "hot topics" in science, ranging from recent developments in artificial intelligence to new ideas in molecular biology to cutting edge in biomedical engineering. In the weeks without a lecture, the class breaks into sections to discuss the previous week's topic—a few professors participate in each section, but the actual discussions are student-led. There are short readings for each lecture, and students are expected to co-lead a section and write a paper each semester.

Since every lecture is given by a different professor, some classes are incredibly interesting, but some simply don't lend themselves to group discussion—especially on Friday afternoons. And in finding a balance between speaking to an audience not familiar with their field and trying to include enough detail, some lecturers inevitably fall into the trap of boring those familiar with the subject and confusing those who are not. But since the lectures change yearly, it is difficult to draw conclusions from the past.

Perspectives gives students a chance to meet professors in a range of Group IV disciplines and to meet students with diverse scientific interests. The class has a low-key atmosphere; the workload is miniscule and discussion sections tend to be fairly informal.

For many students, though, the best part of the course is the opportunity to conduct research on campus the summer after freshman year. While not all Perspectives students stay on campus to do research, the course still helps students find positions, and even pays for part or all of their summer stipends.

—Jason Freeman

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