Eager to register for Experimental College classes, droves of students packed the entryway of Miner Hall on Tuesday, creating long lines snaking through the building. Another semester of Ex College registration went according to plan - crowds, confusion, and chaos - as students took a break from the first day of classes to sign up for more.
Students pre-registered to take classes well off the beaten path, such as "The Art of Film Music," "Heroes and Villains in American Mass Media," and "Imagined Worlds: International Relations Through Science Fiction."
As usual, interest exceeded space and historically popular classes remained in high demand.
"It's been busy," senior Shioka Kudo, an Ex College board member working registration, said, seeming relaxed as she fielded questions from the waiting mob. "Popular classes stay the same."
Senior Nancy Leahy, signing up for the always popular "Understanding the Stock Market: History, Structure, and Impact" course, earned her place in the front of the line and asked incredulously if only 13 people, the number of students on the sheet in front of her, had signed up so far. Kudo replied in the negative; that was the fifth sheet completely filled, bringing the total of prospective students up to approximately 95 for a 20 person class. And there are still two hours to go. Leahy laughed, then noticed a class in Celtic mythology and decided to sign up - just in case.
Students filled pages and pages signing up for the most popular courses - at the end of the day, 119 people signed up for the stock market class, 87 signed up for the nearly-as-popular "Genetics, Ethics, and the Law," and 80 students pre-registered for the new "Public Relations/Marketing Demystified" class. Unfortunately for most, many classes are capped at 20 or 25 students. To slim down classes, professors use their discretion and techniques such as entrance essays.
In the Ex College, traditional rules governing class enrollment - such as seniority status - are thrown out the window. For instance, in the stock market class, Kudo emphasizes that the professor takes many factors into account, including major, gender, and an essay.
Since the Ex College values the small class sizes, other alternatives are offered to shut-out students. "We keep our classes small because we wanted discussion-based classes with 20 students or less," Administrative Coordinator Tracey Tebrow said. "We accommodate and get [students] into another course. We do everything we can to get people into an Ex College course."
Robyn Gittleman, Director of the Ex College, also said that the College might offer multiple sections for some overflowing courses. "If it's possible, we'll open up a second section if [the professor] has taught before," she said, adding that "if [a new course] is very popular and gets a good evaluation, we encourage [the professor] to repeat the course next semester."
Senior Andrew Lutin signed up for the genetics course after being refused entry last semester. "I'm not as nervous," he said of his chances of getting into the course. "[The professor] said that seniors have an easier chance of getting in and she also said it would help if you signed up before."
Freshman Victoria Tran, looking a little bewildered by the whole process, laughed about being on the third sheet of the stock market class' sign up sheet. Tran thinks the class would be interesting and she has some background knowledge in the subject from a high school economics course. However, she isn't getting her hopes up. "I'm going to take another class to fill one of my core [requirements]," she said.
Despite some students' trepidation, Gittleman said that registration went "quite well," which is not surprising considering the range of courses being offered. Notable classes this year include "A World of Bugs: An Introduction to Entomology," which will be taught by a professor with a Ph.D. from Harvard Medical School, where he conducted research on fruitflies to understand the biological development of the nervous system.
Another innovative course takes the classroom into a chat room. "Mental Health Treatment in the United States: A Computer-Based Learning Approach" will be taught primarily online through the use of e-mail, website interaction, and computer applications. To gauge whether the method is effective, students will be involved in an ongoing evaluation of online learning throughout the semester.
Gittleman said that the Ex College is supporting this venture to "test if online courses would be successful or if [students] feel they're missing something" from lack of a physical classroom experience.
Although it utilizes the same concepts as many other online classrooms and universities, Gittleman asserts that this class is different from distance learning since students live so close to one another and can easily access the professor when necessary. The class will also meet in person at certain times throughout the semester.
Despite the day's mayhem, most of the Ex College staff looked towards the new year with optimism. Flipping through the course bulletin, Kudo points out some of the classes that grab her attention as she ponders the course titles and professors. "There are definitely notable professors - they're all very qualified," she said.
