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I'm an English major, so I may be of help.
1. What writing assignments have you had to do in a freshman English class
More often than not, the paper assignments have loose topics that you have to produce a thesis from yourself. Something like "discuss the use of objects in [Text A, B, or C]". Then it's up to you to decide which text(s) to use, which objects to discuss, and how it's revelant. It's not enough just to say "Eliot uses objects" or even "Eliot uses objects to suggest this..." but you also have to explain why and how it enriches the reading of the text as a whole.
You very rarely get too specific of topics like "Discuss the significance of Hamlet's speech in Act Blah, Scene Blah." You might get that on exams, but not for papers. So if you like wiggle room for paper topics, it's a good thing; if you have trouble deciding what to write on, you're out of luck.
2. What are some novels you have been assigned to read
Freshman year: The Picture of Dorian Gray, Frankenstein, Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations, The Moonstone, Jane Eyre, The Sound and the Fury, Meridian, The Things They Carried, and various poetry collections and plays
3. What are some writing assignments that you have had to do for other classes.
At my school (University of Wisconsin-Madison) they make everyone take at least one of what's called a "Comm-B" course, which is writing intensive. Essentially, this ensures that even if you're not gonna be an English major, you can still structure your thoughts into some sort of formal written paper. These classes can be anything from Jewish Studies to Geology. The topics there are a little more specific than English topics, but not that much.
4. What kind of reading did you have to do in other classes
Call me lazy, but in science classes I've never found the textbooks to be particularly vital; you can just kind of go through notes and do well enough. Of course, I'm staying the hell away from science aside from requirements, so it doesn't matter if I just take things at face value.
I take a lot of liberal arts credits, so I get mostly articles in a larger textbook to read in classes like poli sci and philosophy.
5. What was it like transitioning from high school to college
I like college a whole lot more than I liked high school. I have little trouble keeping my own schedule and showing up for classes.
6. The good, the bad and the ugly of college.
Good: More freedom, etc. Especially in upper-level English courses, you have people who actually WANT to talk about literature, whereas in high school for most people it's a requirement so you don't get much lively discussion.
Bad: I find either I have nothing happening in my classes, or too much all at once. I'll have no papers or exams for weeks at a time, and then suddenly I'll have two papers due and an exam. It's very choppy like that.
Ugly: It sounds bad for me to say, but a lot of Teachers' Assistants from out of the country don't speak English very well. I had real trouble understanding what my astronomy TA was saying through her accent, and everyone in the class was too embarassed to say anything.
Hope it was of help. If you want any clarifications, just let me know.
And if I've made any spelling/grammar errors after professing to be an English major, I'm gonna feel like an ass. |
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