How hard to get into 130s Calc

unalove
Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:58:41 +0000

Playing it safe for the sake of your GPA is not the way to go. I could probably rack up a higher GPA by taking PhySci and Bio Topics (Rocks for Jocks) courses for all my electives, but that would show through, just like you didn’t get into Chicago by only taking Home Economics and Typing Skills 101.

Another technicality to consider: Chicago doesn’t offer an minor in Arabic-- they offer a minor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations on a language track. That minor is six courses-- it’s a year of a NELC language and a yearlong civ/culture course.

http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/pdf_09/NELC.pdf

You mentioned you were interested in poly sci-- if you want to study languages as well, you might consider the International Studies major. The IS major is similar to poly sci, only that it involves 2 full year of a foreign language and requires a study abroad.

http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/pdf_09/INST.pdf

These are probably petty points to consider (a rose by another name would smell as sweet, anyway) but I think it’s fair to point out that your degree will not declare you as an Arabic minor.

As far as the program goes, though, I’ve heard it’s excellent. Chicago is one of the few universities with a very developed program in the Ancient Near East, so I imagine that the Oriental Institute has something to do with the quality of Arabic language instruction.