Sitting in on a Class
Sitting in on a few classes can be a good way to learn more about a major. If you decide to sit in on a class, here are some ideas for getting the most out of the experience.
- Check the Schedule of Courses for course meeting days/times, classrooms, and instructors.
- Go to the class and ask the instructor if it's OK for you to sit in on the class, or e-mail the instructor in advance. (If the class is very large, you may not need to check with the instructor in advance.)
- Ask a few students in the class about the course and other courses in the major that they might have already taken.
- Is this course typical of other courses in the major?
- Is this the typical size for a course like this? (Does class size matter to you? Would you rather have large classes or small classes?)
- Is this the way these courses are usually taught?
- What type of work is required in the class?
- Is the class based primarily on lectures or on discussion?
- How much group work is involved?
- How much Web work is involved?
- How is the grade determined? Is it based on multiple-choice exams, essays, papers, projects, class attendance, or class participation?
Be sure to sit in on introductory as well as more advanced classes in the area you're interested in. And remember that individual courses can be different from one semester to another and from one instructor to another.
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