<p>Thx, everyone! What finally happened: ex-husband arrived and pronounced one of the end tables “junk” so we only brought the one and one futon. With the new futon cover and a pair of pillows we found at WalMart it looked fairly nice. Ex decided to contribute a TV table and rugs from IKEA, and DS arranged for the refrigertor to be charged on his bursar’s bill. (As expected, he collected the cash from his suitemates, but neglected to pass the lettuce on to mom who will pay the actual bill). This conversation overheard after Freshman Assembly: </p>
<p>“All the other common rooms have way more stuff than ours.”
“Definitely.”
“So I think this could sleep two people and then if it’s folded up…depends if it’s girls or guys”
“It could seat three people, maybe four…”
“Yeah but that’s got to be uncomfortable…”
“The rug is ok if we put it over here…”</p>
<p>End result:
The rest of the suite went out and bought a futon, coffee table, bean bag chair and lamp for the common room. The room looks very comfortable, though not as elegant as the L-Dub photo, and this family was able to make a contribution to the room without financial strain.</p>
<p>I drove up again last weekend to bring DS a hutch-bookshelf for his desk (there was only one bookshelf in the room and roommate has it, and DS has tons of books plus music stuff); I observed a spartan and institutional feel to the rooms so made another trip to IKEA where for less than $20 I picked up a huge bamboo plant and several smaller plants for the mantelpiece and desk tops as desired. DS has promised to see to their maintenance.</p>
<p>Great news, stringkeymom! Thanks for updating us. Your S’s suite is way ahead of my S’s suite three years ago–it wasn’t until Parents Weekend (when I did a major IKEA trip) that they actually got a futon and a few other things. Then it finally started to feel like a comfortable place to be instead of a big open space. Anxious to hear your S’s decisions regarding 6.5 credits now.</p>
<p>Thanks, Clarimom!
DS had to file his schedule today and reluctantly decided that he had to drop Latin. He knew he would drop one of his two foreign languages but it was hard making the decision. He placed into a higher level of Latin than he did with Russian, and if he had stuck with the Latin course, he would have completed his foreign language requirements after one semester. However, he is enjoying Russian a lot (and finding it less time consuming than the Latin). </p>
<p>I am a bit worried about 5.5 credits, especially as DS has dived into a rather extensive EC schedule. The Dean and Freshman Advisor seemed to think that the credit taken for private music instruction didn’t really amount to anything and that he could add the FL on top of that. His Freshman Advisor is Chair of the Music Dept., so I trust he is used to students carrying this type of load.</p>
<p>My son, another likely music major, is also taking 5.5 credits. For him, the half credit is musicianship. He (and we) had some trepidation about the load, but it really depends on what the courses are.
He also found that the rules about what courses you can take are more like guidelines–he had no trouble, for example, getting permission to take 2.5 music credits (almost certainly for both semesters) even though in theory you’re not supposed to take more than 4 in one department freshman year.</p>
<p>I think it does depend on what the courses are, and also who the Dean is. Son’s Dean signed off on 5.0 credits – would not let the extra .5 (Musicianship) in. But son is taking a heavy science load, and I think that may have factored into the decision.</p>
<p>Hunt, that is good news about leniency with the numbers of credits allowable in a single department; probably a slight excess doesn’t pose a problem. I agree that a lot of labs preclude a heavier course load. Frankly, I think being a freshman should preclude a heavier course load, but I guess Yalies like to challenge themselves and are eager to take as many great courses as possible (4 years not long enough). </p>
<p>I think I recall from the music major forum that your son is a composer? Is he taking composition this term? How has he found the composition at Yale? I understand there are many venues for new music.</p>
<p>So far, he’s liking the composition situation. He’s in the composition seminar, but he hasn’t had his first lesson with the professor yet. He joined a new music group, and is in the Concert Band (and the Marching Band).</p>
<p>Hunt, that sounds terrific. DS has Directed Studies and so will wait to take Composition, but he’ll keep composing in his (ha) spare time. Apparently, most of the ensembles premiere student compositions regularly so it’s a composer’s dreamworld. I’m sure our son’s paths will cross soon (if they haven’t already, does your son by any chance play trumpet?)</p>
<p>~~~ You do not have to be a music major; just audition!</p>
<p>No, they’re not like recruited athletes. For the undergraduate ensembles, including the Orchestra, Band, and Jazz Ensemble, they have auditions at the beginning of the school year. I don’t think there is any preference for music majors, and my recollection is that music majors are “encouraged” but not required to participate in some kind of musical ensemble.
Playing an instrument well may help with admissions–and music supplements can be sent in–but I don’t think it would result in somebody being “recruited” unless they were extremely unusual.</p>
<p>stringkeymom, my son’s a clarinet player, although he’s really more interested in piano and guitar. It’s a lot harder to get into the Jazz Ensemble than the Concert Band, though.</p>
<p>I’ve talked to so many fellow students taking five credits and can’t help but think “Why?” I’m quite content with taking four, and couldn’t envision giving myself another course. Not only does it let you adapt to the workload of college, but it helps you adapt to the nature of college schedules/classes, as well as residential life. It’s really weak, to be honest, how the deans and frocos tell you “Go light”, and then so willingly sign off on five credit schedules. (On the other hand, it’s funny when I can relax because I have no reading or problem sets due, and they have to worry about all the work they have to do or have procrastinated on doing.)</p>
<p>Here’s how my son got to 5.5 credits, if anybody’s interested. I think it shows how particular circumstances can drive decisions.
First, he wants to be a music major, and he wants to compose. As a result, he strongly wanted to get into the composition seminar as soon as possible. That’s 1.
Also, he didn’t place out of all of his music theory requirements, so he’ll have to take music theory (1 credit) and musicianship (.5) for his major–plus they’ll be helpful for the composition seminar. So he wanted to take them this year.
French–he wanted to take his one semester of required French as soon as possible, so he didn’t forget it.
English–he wanted to take a writing course as soon as possible to get prep in writing college essays.
Finally, he’s taking Statistics for three reasons: 1. he thinks it might help him with other subjects, 2. It satisfies QR requirement, and 3. The Dean probably would not have approved a 4.5 credit schedule that was 2.5 credits of music. If he had dropped anything, it would have been one of the music classes, which he really didn’t want to do.
I think it would be a nutty schedule if there were a lab science in there, or more intensive writing. Hopefully, it will work out for him.</p>
<p>Hunt, it sounds as though your son and mine faced similar challenges in their schedules.</p>
<p>In my son’s case, because he is in Directed Studies (3 credits) which he loves and wouldn’t not do, and because he intends to major in music and has as his main focus, violin performance, he had to take violin for an additional credit. He already has postponed taking music history and composition courses for DS. </p>
<p>Because of the requirements that freshmen must take one credit in each of two skills areas and Directed studies only fills WR, he has to take at least one more credit of either QR or FL, either in the fall or the spring. He could wait until spring, but in the spring there is a course in music theory he really wants to have the option of taking. </p>
<p>The Dean let him sign up for 5.5 credits (much to my amazement) but I think that is because one of the credits is “only” violin performance. I believe that there is a perception that taking an instrument for credit is less demanding than an academic course. It does depend on how much time is put into the instrument, though, in terms of hours of practice.</p>
<p>I agree with amciw and i wish my son could just do DS and violin. It seems to me that there is so much that is wonderful to absorb at Yale (the ECs, the lectures, the conversations, the concerts, the performances) and I would rather see him just focus on DS and his music. As a prof, I’ve noticed over the years that students with lighter loads (obviously) have more time to put into their courses and get more out of them. </p>
<p>For the record, however, he is thinking about dropping Russian (although he really enjoys it) as the work load has gotten heavier in the last two weeks. [I wish there was not a requirement to take one credit in each of two skills areas, or that it could be waived for DS students]. He asked his residential college “big sister” for advice and she had very wise words to say about not taking so many credits freshman year. I see this thread has gone way off topic!</p>
<p>What L of Russian is he in? If it’s L1, he is getting slammed with work (which I’d presume is difficult). Seeing my entryway-mates’ experiences with introductory languages has all but convinced me to relearn Spanish over the summer to place into L5 as a sophomore. I’m impressed that your son has handled DS, and language, and the practice requirements of violin at all - he must actually have good time management skills. I’ve noticed that the majority of fellow students are still hindered by the terrible habits of high school, and are forced use late nights and all-nighters to finish their work, most of whom are in merely 4 or 4.5 credits. With that said, I would encourage him to drop something, and Russian seems like a logical choice. The big siblings (or really any upperclassmen) tend to have sage advice worth following - I’d argue it’s the intelligent thing to do.</p>
<p>Hmmm. Mom of a 5-credit freshman here. I don’t think she’s dropping anything, and she would be taking 6 credits if she could. Also complaining bitterly about how hard it all is (which I’m sure is true - 1.5 of the credits are for Freshman Organic, and she is not a natural at that stuff). </p>
<p>Look, everyone’s different. I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t be taking 5 credits if I were a freshman at Yale, but I’m not…so anyway, I think she will learn from the experience (although what she learns might be that she can handle 5 credits, but it takes a toll on how much fun you can have, and you end up with a lot of stress.) Well, I wish all our freshmen lots of luck as they start taking their first exams/working on their first big papers etc.</p>