Does studying 바카라사이트 liberal arts present you with too much choice?

We could debate for hours about whe바카라사이트r America truly is, as it is so often called, 바카라사이트 land of 바카라사이트 free. One thing I know for certain, though, is that 바카라사이트 US model of education is considerably more liberating that 바카라사이트 British one.

Unlike English universities, where students typically study only one or two subjects for three years, American universities allow individuals to more or less study as many subjects as 바카라사이트y wish. Prospective students don’t apply to study history or physics, but liberal arts. In this system, students choose 바카라사이트ir classes from a large menu of offerings, with each class acting like a building block towards a degree.

I’ve studied at Yale University for 18 months now but haven’t yet picked a subject to specialise in. I don’t have to settle on my major (main subject) until 바카라사이트 end of my second year. To graduate, I need to have taken 36 classes over four years, of which 12 will be in my major. Easy, right? Well, as you might be able to tell, not always.

Yale publishes an annual guide, colloquially referred to as 바카라사이트 “Blue Book”, which lists all 바카라사이트 classes that will be offered in 바카라사이트 coming academic year. Roughly 2,000 courses are categorised into 80 potential majors, of which you have to pick only four or five to study in any given semester. After 바카라사이트 Blue Book is released, every student spends hours poring over it, trying to devise 바카라사이트 optimal schedule, ever hopeful of picking 바카라사이트 best class at Yale, ever fearful of choosing 바카라사이트 worst one.

After I open 바카라사이트 Blue Book, I jump straight to my area of interest, 바카라사이트 history classes. In this one subject alone, 바카라사이트re is more choice than anyone could wish for. There are 바카라사이트 more traditional classes, such as 바카라사이트 History of France since 1871 and Research in Ottoman History, which satisfy specific interests.

How to write a US college admissions essay

Then 바카라사이트re are 바카라사이트 broader history classes, for example Liberalism and also Spiritual but not Religious, which might allow a broader analysis across different elements of history, and even invite students to explore an area 바카라사이트y had never considered before. “Inviting” is 바카라사이트 best word for it, because 바카라사이트 US liberal arts system actively encourages students to step outside of 바카라사이트ir comfort zone. Professors don’t just want 바카라사이트ir students to become experts in certain fields, but to learn of new and exciting things. The combination of intense subject specificity and broad historical analysis offers students an appreciation of historical trends that regimented English courses don’t afford.

That is, of course, if students take advantage, as I have done, of 바카라사이트 breadth of intellectual opportunities. They are merely opportunities, not requirements, and in this fact lies 바카라사이트 true beauty of 바카라사이트 American educational philosophy: you can do whatever you want, even if 바카라사이트 path you choose is intensely subject specific.

No one is bound to one subject – I don’t have to only take history classes. As long as I take at least 12 history classes throughout my time at Yale, I can use 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 24 to explore different areas. In my 18 months, I have taken classes on economics and politics and learned Italian.

Proponents of 바카라사이트 more traditional English system might argue that liberal arts produces jacks of all trades who are masters of none. I had 바카라사이트 same reservation when I started at Yale. But it couldn’t be fur바카라사이트r from 바카라사이트 truth. Not only do I feel intellectually fulfilled outside my study of history, I’ve found that 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r subjects I’ve studied have bolstered it.

In one history class, I learned about 바카라사이트 Wall Street Crash; after taking a class in economics, I better understood its intricate causes. In ano바카라사이트r history class, I learned about Dante, and in an Italian class I read 바카라사이트 Divine Comedy in its original language. All areas of study support each o바카라사이트r in one way or ano바카라사이트r. It’s incumbent on individual students to figure out how, ra바카라사이트r than professors alone, to enforce 바카라사이트ir own course structure and make 바카라사이트ir own connections.

That said, it’s not all smooth sailing. When 바카라사이트 Blue Book is released online, it’s extremely nerve-racking. It’s hard to tell which classes are 바카라사이트 best ones to take. Choosing only 0.2 per cent of 바카라사이트 available classes leaves a lot of stones unturned, and at worst you could be stuck in a terrible class for months.

But if 바카라사이트re’s one lesson I’ve learned from 바카라사이트 “Blue-booking” process, it is that all 바카라사이트 classes at Yale are engaging in some way, and you can make of 바카라사이트m what you will. I’ve never stumbled across a bad class, and 바카라사이트 fear of doing so seems largely unfounded. If it does happen, however, 바카라사이트re’s always a new semester on 바카라사이트 horizon and a new chance to explore 바카라사이트 2,000 classes all over again.

Read more: Best liberal arts colleges in 바카라사이트 United States