FAQ

Who is eligible to apply to the program?
All entering first-year students in either the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences (WCAS) or the School of Communication (SoC) are eligible to apply for the program.

Are there any prerequisites?
No.

What do I have to do to apply?
All you have to do, if you are a WCAS student, is list "HUM 101: The Good Society1" as your top choice when you sign up for a freshman seminar in May. (See below: How do I apply?) There is no application as such. Admission is then based on the student’s general application to Northwestern University.

What is the course load and how much credit do I get for taking the program?
Students in the program will receive credit for taking two courses in the Fall, and two courses in the Winter, for a total of four course credits. That means that the program will demand half of the typical first-year student’s work-load in the first two quarters. Students will therefore receive two grades for the program in the Fall, and two again in the Winter. Note that the work load and time spent in course instruction will be commensurate: with three hours of lectures and three hours of seminar meetings each week in each of the two quarters.

What Weinberg requirements does the program satisfy?
The program satisfies the Weinberg requirement that each student take two freshman seminars; hence students in the program do not enroll in one of the regular freshman seminars. Both the lecture courses will also count as distribution courses; one in Area IV (Historical Studies) and one in Area VI (Literature and Fine Arts). In taking this program, students will in not be delayed in the completion of their degree.

Who will be my freshman faculty advisor?
The student’s freshman-year faculty advisor will be the faculty member who serves as the student’s instructor in the fall quarter seminar, just as would be the case for students taking regular freshman seminars in Weinberg.

Can I apply to the program even if I plan to major in the natural or social sciences?
Yes. The program encourages applications from students from the full range of disciplinary interests, including those who are not planning to major in the humanities. But please be aware that the program demands that students enroll in two courses in the fall and two in the winter, and hence students will not have room in their schedule for the program if they are planning to take three other courses in either of those quarters (for instance, a science course, a math course, plus a language course). This is because the maximum recommended course-load for freshman is four courses in any given quarter.

I am a pre-med; do I have room in my schedule to take the program?
The answer depends on whether you plan to take two science/math classes plus a language course in either fall or winter quarter. If so, you will not have room in your schedule. However, many pre-med students have already satisfied one or more of these requirements; either because they have received AP credit for BC calculus and thereby already met their math requirement; or because they have received AP credit for Chemistry and thereby already met their Physical Chemistry requirement; or because they have already satisfied their language requirement through an AP exam or other test, or because they are willing to postpone their Northwestern language requirement until their sophomore year.

Can I apply if I am admitted to dual-degree or dual-school program?
Yes. Students can apply so long as at least one of their schools is either Weinberg or Communication, even though students admitted to HPME, MMSS, ISP, or the BA/BMUS dual degree programs do not typically enroll in fall freshman seminars. However, students should be aware of potential conflicts in their course schedules. For instance, music students in orchestra should be aware that their required ensemble practices may conflict with the times of the Kaplan courses (see below). Students should contact their school administration to learn about any possible conflicts.

When will the courses be meeting?
Course times have been chosen so as to minimize the conflicts with almost any other course a student might wish to take and meet in the afternoons, Monday through Thursday, from 3:30-5pm. Generally, lectures will be on Monday and Wednesday from 3:30-5pm, and seminars on Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-5pm.

I am a student-athlete; can I fit the course into my schedule?
Because the Fall and Winter courses will both meet on Monday through Thursday afternoons from 3:30-5pm, it may be difficult for some student-athletes to enroll in the program, but check to see if the course is compatible with your practice schedule.

How do I apply if I am in Weinberg?
Students in Weinberg interested in applying for the program simply select “HUM101: The Good Society1” as their first choice for a freshman seminar during the enrollment period that runs from May 15 and June 1. As a back-up, students should also then list their ranked choices for regular freshman seminars in slots two through ten.

If I apply but don’t get in, will I be disadvantaged in any way?
No. By agreement with the dean’s office, students who are not admitted to the Kaplan program are guaranteed to have an equal chance with all other students of getting into their next top choice for a freshman seminar. In other words, students are in no way disadvantaged in getting into a regular seminar by listing the Kaplan program as their top choice.

How do I apply if I am in the School of Communication or a dual-degree program?
Students in the School of Communication and/or in dual degree programs should indicate their interest in joining the Kaplan program by sending an e-mail to kaplanscholars@northwestern.edu by 5pm on June 2. They should NOT complete the online seminar ranking form.

When will I find out whether I am admitted to the program?
Students will learn whether they have been admitted to the program at the same time that they and all their classmates learn about their freshman seminars; that is, by mid-June.

Students with questions should contact the program office, at: kaplanscholars@northwestern.edu