INCOGNITO-WEEK:
Let the Mystery Begin!
Academics at Rice
Most likely, somewhere in the process of filling out a few thousand forms over the summer on Esther, you’ve probably indicated what some of your academic interests might be. While it’s great if you think you have a definite plan for what you want to do, it’s also totally fine if you have no idea about what you want to study. Regardless of where you lie on the spectrum, during O-Week, there’s going to be a ton of time set aside for getting into the ‘nitty-gritty’ of major courses and academics at Rice. (If you’re really anxious and you want to get a preliminary look at major requirements and other specifics, feel free to poke around on the General Announcements website, http://ga.rice.edu/. By no means are you expected to have visited the site and you’ll be able to get all of the information and advice you need during O-Week and beyond.
In addition to having depth in your major, Rice also wants all its students to have breadth in a variety of areas. The way Rice’s academic system works is designed to encourage students to explore. So, no matter what your major is, you’ll take a fair number of courses in all sorts of different subjects. During your time at Rice, you’ll have to take a few courses in each of these three major areas of study: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences + Engineering. There aren’t any set courses you have to take from each area. Instead it’s up to you to decide what classes you’d like to take! So, study a foreign language that you’ve been interested in, learn about new religious movements in Africa, or take an Astronomy class just because! It’s not at all uncommon for students to take a class on a whim for distribution credit and end up discovering a new passion.
Feel like you need a little bit of guidance? Don’t worry. Rice has got you covered. For starters, talk with some advisors – both inside and outside of your group, and especially with people who are heading down a similar academic path. Definitely feel free to get a hold of a Peer Academic Advisor and chat with them about what might be some good options, too. Meeting with a Divisional Advisor or two would also be a fantastic way to get a feel for what might be a good fit for you. And, the Center for Career Development also has a ton of resources available to help you get a sense of where your academic interests might lie. (And, yes, it’s totally fine to go as a new student.) College is all about figuring out what your interests are, and you’ve got your entire time at Rice to explore and find what you’re passionate about. So there’s no pressure to make up your mind the minute you step on campus. You don’t even have to declare your major until you’re a sophomore, and, even then, you’re totally free to change it. You’ve got plenty of time to figure out a plan, and you’ve got plenty of people (students and faculty!) trained, ready, and more than excited to help you along the way.
Courses and Registration
Throughout O-Week, in between cheer battles and scavenger hunts and all the other times designated for the sole purpose of frolicking, there’s class registration: one of the most important times during O-Week. You’ll be taking that first huge step in starting your college career, because you’ll be choosing the classes you’ll take for the first semester. It seems really overwhelming, but no worries: everyone here is a potential resource for you in making these decisions, including your advisors, the PAAs, and your divisional advisors. There will be plenty of time throughout O-Week if you have any questions or concerns about the registration process, classes, and major and graduation requirements.
A great resource to start putting your schedule together is Schedule Planner, which can be found at scheduleplanner.rice.edu. After you get your classes figured out, you will input them online on Esther. Then, the next day you will see which classes you got into. Because there are limited amounts of spots in each class, you may not be able to sign up for all the classes you want to take. Don’t fret! This happens to everyone, and you will be okay. There will be a time (called add/drop) when you are able to add more classes to get your schedule for the semester figured out. There is also a thing called special registration, where you can get professors to let you into classes that are possibly full or have another special requirement. If registration scares you, don’t worry! We’ve all been through the process, and everyone is here to help you succeed. This is a basic introduction to the registration process, but you will learn much more when you arrive for O-Week.
As new students you will have your own registration saving you from having to deal with competing with upperclassmen for classes to take. If you have no idea what you want to major in or what classes to take, it’s okay. Again, don’t be afraid to talk to us! Whether it is your advisors, faculty members, or any of the PAAs, we’re all here to help, and there’ll be plenty of time and resources for you to make your decisions. We are here to support each and every one of you; you are a Rice Owl now, just like us!