- #1
sshai45
- 86
- 1
TL;DR: in over my head with study abroad program
Hi.
I have been doing a Physics + Computer Science Double Major at a college and right now I'm in the 2nd semester of my sophomore year. However, I'm wondering about this. One of the things I had wanted to do when at this college was to do a "study abroad" program in China, as I've always wanted to go to China ever since I was younger, I've had an interest in the Chinese language too, and I wanted to see an interest contact there (a businessman named John Lombard, nickname "Wolfman".).
So I managed to get myself into this "intensive" study abroad foreign language program ("Langauge and Culture Program") to China for this semester studying Mandarin, so right now I am doing the study abroad program and writing this message to you from China. But the problem was that I got the language course I was not fully and thoroughly briefed on just exactly what an "intensive" program meant, and I had never done a foreign language course before, much less an "intense" course. I discovered rather rudely that an intense course means four 3-hour lectures a week with homeworks due every next lecture period and brutal rote memorization sessions rotememming Chinese words to be listened to and recalled the next lecture. The program goal is to cover 3 semesters of Mandarin in 1 semester. So about 3 month-long courses, actually, each one a full semester's worth in terms of content.
But I found that as I go through the program, I managed to do well on the assignments but I started to fall behind as the course was so intense. I was allowed to drop the 3rd course in Mandarin but still have the option to take it (if I don't, that is 2 semesters of Mandarin equivalent, not 3). I just finished my first course and got A- for the grade, but I don't think I'll make another A for the second course. In everything I studied back at home I got As -- all my physics, math, computer science, even general ed courses. I also have been involved in physics research at my home college (got started in the 3rd semester, i.e. the first of my current, sophomore year and continued over the summer) and have done well so far. It's just this intense study abroad language program that's proving the stickler.
Which raises the question: If I do not get an "A" in the Mandarin course I am currently on, but I keep getting "A"s in all my physics, math, computer science and other courses from here on out, how may this affect any prospects for graduate school in a good physics or computer science graduate program down the road? (I guess I'm thinking about this early, but better to be ahead of the game, no? Next semester begins my junior year.) While the study abroad program was not at all mandated by my major and does not cover major content, at least some of it can be used to fulfill general ed requirements but other things could have been used as well.
Hi.
I have been doing a Physics + Computer Science Double Major at a college and right now I'm in the 2nd semester of my sophomore year. However, I'm wondering about this. One of the things I had wanted to do when at this college was to do a "study abroad" program in China, as I've always wanted to go to China ever since I was younger, I've had an interest in the Chinese language too, and I wanted to see an interest contact there (a businessman named John Lombard, nickname "Wolfman".).
So I managed to get myself into this "intensive" study abroad foreign language program ("Langauge and Culture Program") to China for this semester studying Mandarin, so right now I am doing the study abroad program and writing this message to you from China. But the problem was that I got the language course I was not fully and thoroughly briefed on just exactly what an "intensive" program meant, and I had never done a foreign language course before, much less an "intense" course. I discovered rather rudely that an intense course means four 3-hour lectures a week with homeworks due every next lecture period and brutal rote memorization sessions rotememming Chinese words to be listened to and recalled the next lecture. The program goal is to cover 3 semesters of Mandarin in 1 semester. So about 3 month-long courses, actually, each one a full semester's worth in terms of content.
But I found that as I go through the program, I managed to do well on the assignments but I started to fall behind as the course was so intense. I was allowed to drop the 3rd course in Mandarin but still have the option to take it (if I don't, that is 2 semesters of Mandarin equivalent, not 3). I just finished my first course and got A- for the grade, but I don't think I'll make another A for the second course. In everything I studied back at home I got As -- all my physics, math, computer science, even general ed courses. I also have been involved in physics research at my home college (got started in the 3rd semester, i.e. the first of my current, sophomore year and continued over the summer) and have done well so far. It's just this intense study abroad language program that's proving the stickler.
Which raises the question: If I do not get an "A" in the Mandarin course I am currently on, but I keep getting "A"s in all my physics, math, computer science and other courses from here on out, how may this affect any prospects for graduate school in a good physics or computer science graduate program down the road? (I guess I'm thinking about this early, but better to be ahead of the game, no? Next semester begins my junior year.) While the study abroad program was not at all mandated by my major and does not cover major content, at least some of it can be used to fulfill general ed requirements but other things could have been used as well.
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