Washington College

Class of 2015

Course Selection

In selecting your Fall 2011 courses, focus on what combination of courses will allow you to make a good adjustment to college academics and get off to a great start at Washington College. Don't worry too much about fulfilling graduation requirements; you will find that almost all of the courses we recommend for first year students will fulfill graduation requirements.

First, go for a good balance of courses: a combination of courses that make different demands and require different talents is usually best. You might take a course in an area you might major in, one in an area that's completely new to you, one in an area that you find challenging and one that just seems interesting. Or you might try to balance courses that require more reading and longer papers with courses that require more, shorter readings, frequent homework and in-class exams. Or consider a combining courses focused on contemporary issues (political science, economics, or sociology), courses with a focus on the past (history, history of art, some philosophy and literature courses), and courses with a hands-on component (acting, fine art, lab science or social science courses with field work). You can also check the College catalog or specific department's web sites for the requirements and suggested first year courses for majors that interest you.

Then consider which first year writing course—ENG 101 or GRW 101—you want to take. Read the descriptions of each course, consider your own strengths and weaknesses as a writer and, if you're interested in GRW 101, note several different sections that interest you.

Before you come to campus for your advising day you must complete your Summer Advising Course Selection Worksheet. This worksheet asks you to figure out several different combinations of four courses that you think might make a good first semester and will help your summer advisor give you good advice about course selection. Bring your Summer Advising Course Selection Worksheet to your afternoon appointment with a faculty advisor on your Summer Advising day. You can also ask your advisor any questions that you have—we expect you to have questions and we're happy to answer them.

Finally, remember that sometimes your first choice of courses is not available and you may need to modify your plan. Try not to be frustrated—since you are a first year student, you are registering after upper class students. You may not get your first choice for every course, but you will get a schedule of Fall 2011 courses that meets your needs as a first year student. And, as you progress through the years, you will move up in the registration sequence. As a senior, you will have first choice! So, if you miss a class one semester, try to have patience—your turn will come.