More courses of varying difficulty.
For example, at Columbia almost all physics courses come in 4 types of varying difficulty. As far as I know (though I could be wrong) these are courses for the Columbia College, which has a lower undergrad population than Brown.</p>
<p>And what I’m doing here is called raising awareness I thought it’s a cool thing to do at brown. But I guess it probably is only if you’re raising awareness about darfur or burma, not realistic issues. Or israeli soldiers captured 1 or 2 years ago…and suddenly it’s the biggest hype, everyone is so aware and wears red on the main green for 2 hours, although the guys have been held captive for quite some time, and then in 4 days nobody cares anymore. But hey, now we have “Brown chapter” of that, we are so totally world aware.</p>
<p>If it comforts you any negru not all colleges and and places are like Brown. America has plenty of more conservative or less proactive regions where students may be aware of Burma/Darfur but they don’t stage spectacles or demonstrations for them because most people would think it was silly. I have lived most of my life in one such place.</p>
<p>So what exactly is your solution? Asking them to change the courses/levels? That could take time but is worth advocating if you feel a need and can get others to also advocate for it. But I don’t see that as an immediate solution for yourself. So, are there NO courses at all of Brown in Physics that would challenge you? It seems to me that you might get advising on an appropriate placement? If a course is too easy, advocate for placement in a course that is a higher level. I don’t know the Physics courses. However, changing what they offer is not an overnight solution and while you could be on a curriculum committee or on the DUG for Physics, that would be great…but for now, must craft your individualized educational plan with an advisor. Do you know about DUG? There is one for each undergraduate major/department. My daughter is a DUG leader for her departmental major. Meet with the DUG (undergraduate group leader) for Physics, as well as set up a meeting with the head of the department. Crafting a plan of study that suits your learning needs should be doable. Changing the curriculum offered is something you could also work on but is not the entire solution for you and may not happen. </p>
<p>Again, NOBODY minds if you have some things at Brown that displease you. You have mostly complained and not been willing to look into making some changes for yourself and claiming you had no time. Again, I have trouble hearing you don’t have time to meet with the appropriate people to solve your concerns, when my own kid meets with advisors, has a full course load, is a TA and leads two sections, has grad school applications, has humungous hours daily for her sport, is a DUG leader, is a Meikeljohn advisor, tour guide, and well, you get the idea. You said you only take courses and that’s it (and bemoaned the dumb athletes who actually juggle hard academics AND a demanding commitment to a sport). You also haven’t mentioned a single positive thing about your experience at Brown and so if you can’t change what dissatisfies you over the course of one year, you should transfer.</p>
<p>You also haven’t mentioned a single positive thing about your experience at Brown and so if you can’t change what dissatisfies you over the course of one year, you should transfer.</p>
<p>I don’t know what is the purpose of this thread. If you are serious on the subject, why would you rather complaint to us than to Brown? You are paying 45K per year. Brown may be a great university bit it is not for everyone. If I were paying this bill, I would either talk to the dean to find a solution or I would transfer out.</p>
<p>I agree that you should transfer out as soon as possible. You would be happier anyplace else. I would not pay 45K to suffer miserably.</p>
<p>well I’m not paying full cost just some of it</p>
<p>and</p>
<p>I didn’t start any thread to complain. This thread I started to understand where brown’s money goes.
but when the discussion begins about other things, i’m obviously going to state my views</p>
<p>I don’t mind if negru complains. Schools are not only not perfect, but may not fit what a particular individual wants in a school which makes picking a school a very important decision to match up factors with your own personal criteria and preferences. However, negru is complaining about his entire experience at school and I haven’t heard of anything he DOES like and so the solution seems clear to me…try to be proactive to make some changes by taking the initiative (a kind of student Brown values) and with help of advisors and seeing if the changes help increase your overall satisfaction at school, as it has only been a half semester so far. When I say changes, I don’t so much mean change the school but change whatever you are doing and seek out what is missing…be it more challenging classes, opportunities, activities, social situations, etc. IF after some attempt to resolve what is not working right for you, you don’t feel satisfied attending Brown, it makes sense to find a school that is more suited to what you do want and look into transferring. It doesn’t make Brown a bad place but simply it may not be what YOU want. Not sure how you know that so soon or that you have sought out solutions to make it a better experience, but if you are unhappy across the board, which you seem to me as you have not said one positive thing, either seek changes, or seek a school that fits you better. Good luck.</p>
<p>negru, i don’t understand how anyone could complain about going to one of the best schools with the best students and professors in the country. have a positive attitude! maybe if you stop searching for everything wrong with brown and start focusing on the good things about brown, you’ll have a better experience.</p>
<p>people, would you stop giving me advice about what to do to enjoy myself and find the good things at brown?
I am only talking about the negative aspects because there is no point talking about the good ones. I am not mentioning the positive aspects of my experience here because it is not my purpose. </p>
<p>My purpose is not to talk about my life, but the bad things about brown, nothing more nothing less.</p>
<p>If someone started criticizing the bad aspects of the political regime or health insurance system, what would you tell him? Transfer to another country? Smoke some weed and be happy regardless of all these issues? “But why don’t you talk about the good things in your life, don’t they make you happy, you only complain about these bad things, be more positive?” ??</p>
<p>I am still amazed no one recommended me to take some prozac or something to be happier. My happiness or fit is not the issue here, so stop talking about it or giving me specific advice.</p>
<p>Well no, it’s about some people saying why they think things are bad, others saying why it’s actually not so bad, others finding reasons why things are the way they are, others saying why it is acceptable or not acceptable, eventually coming with some solutions.</p>
<p>Not me talking about lack of diversity in courses of some department or their bad schedule, and people telling me, “but why are you unhappy, the food is great and there are so many fun people on campus”</p>
<p>You don’t need to like Brown but, for you to spend so much energy on grinding your axes against Brown suggests that you are unfortunately profoundly unhappy and that perhaps a different school would better suit your preferences.</p>
<p>trust me I would complain as much maybe even more at any other school. If I were at columbia I would complain that we don’t have 8 types of courses in physics. This is why it’s not the point.</p>
<p>okay so why are you complaining in the first place? are you just trying to inform prospective students on your experiences so far to help them get a better view of brown?</p>
<p>That too I guess, though my intention is to talk with current students, not influence prospective ones. Although I believe everyone should hear both good and bad. They get enough of the good from brown’s website. And since my views are very widely shared with quite some of the people I met I know I’m not simply being delusional. And actually I am one of the more moderate people who think this way. A few have big doubts about most of the professors. I haven’t reached that point yet, but probably only because I’m new to this system where professors are cool. Once I get used to that, I will be able to have more objective views.</p>
<p>hmm i feel like there aren’t a ton of current brown students that use this board… sure there are a few, but i think this board is mostly used by prospective students (many EDers) who are going to get ****ed when they hear one of the people lucky enough to even get accepted complaining about the school they dream of getting into. maybe you should hold some kind of meeting at brown with the many people you’ve met who feel the same way as you, discuss the issues you have, come up with some possible solutions, and present all this to people higher up. most of us on this board don’t really know how to respond to you because a. we don’t see it happening since we’re not even admitted to brown yet and b. even if we did see firsthand the things you see, we still can’t do anything about it since we’re not there yet.
if i am lucky enough to be accepted ED, and i get to brown next year and realize that you were right about everything you said on here, i will be happy to assist you in making brown a better place.</p>
<p>How much time have you spent posting on this forum, Negru? </p>
<p>What if you took that time and spent it finding more challenging avenues of physics and bettering other aspects of Brown. Perhaps talk to Jason (modestmelody) or someone else on the undergraduate education council (or whatever it’s called), or rally the like minded people you speak of and start a petition for change. Posting here is clearly not doing any good because all you are really meeting is opposition to your views. And I don’t think you’re going to sway any of us any time soon. </p>
<p>I think Brown is fantastic. I think it spends money on things it shouldn’t, but what school doesn’t? It has a smaller endowment than other schools, but what do you not have that you really need / want and have REALLY pursued to get. I don’t bemoan the fact that people smash bicycles; that happens everywhere. I don’t worry that I get $10 an hour instead of $12 (for the record, I will soon be getting $12). I don’t fret about the little things. I look at the overall picture and the overall picture is great, ESPECIALLY in comparison to a ton of schools out there. We really have it made and you just don’t realize it.</p>
I thought it’s a cool thing to do at brown. But I guess it probably is only if you’re raising awareness about darfur or burma, not realistic issues. Or israeli soldiers captured 1 or 2 years ago…and suddenly it’s the biggest hype, everyone is so aware and wears red on the main green for 2 hours, although the guys have been held captive for quite some time, and then in 4 days nobody cares anymore. But hey, now we have “Brown chapter” of that, we are so totally world aware.</p>