The issue date of this paper marks the end of Bowdoin's two-week add/drop period, during which students had the chance to withdraw from classes without receiving a 'W' on their transcript.
For many, this deadline comes and goes with little fanfare. Like many students, Nancy Van Dyke '05 has never dropped a class. As a coordinate biology and environmental studies major, Van Dyke has little room to maneuver classes. "There are so many requirements I have in my major that I feel like every semester there are just certain classes I have to take and it is understood I'll take them," adding, "but I know a lot of people who sort of gamble with which classes they're going to try and get into because they are more competitive."
Dan Chaput '05, a government major, identified with the gambling process. "Sophomore year was a disaster trying to get into anything," he said.
Jack Piper '05 said he usually just sticks with what he has, but that this year he "actually did the whole switching thing." He explained his decision to drop a government class was "kind of a combination of things. First off, it was at 8:30 a.m., I am barely alive at 8:30 a.m., and the teacher was not too engaging?so it didn't really make sense for me."
Kris Salata, a visiting theater professor, said he "doesn't take it personally" when students drop his classes, "and I hope that I make it clear that I don't." Salata assured students in his Modern Theater class that he would not scowl at them in the gym if they stopped showing up.
Though students do drop classes based on their impression of the teacher, the decision is more often based on class content. Alex Knapp '07 expected Introduction to Religion to be a survey of the major world religions and decided to drop the class after finding it "too abstract," saying, "there are other classes I am more interested in taking." Lucas Erie '05 decided to drop an Asian Studies class because "the syllabus was really terrifying."
Sam Cohan '05 once dropped a class "way after" the add/drop deadline. "The course was giving me a nervous breakdown," Cohan said. He had to petition the recording committee and received a 'W' in the course for the semester. "Sometimes it doesn't always work out for you and I think you should be able to get out," he said.
But other students make dropping classes a policy. Singing up for five classes with the intention of dropping the least desirable one is a common practice among students. Informed of this strategy, Cohan showed some regret. "I wish I had thought of that," he said.
But the question remains, is this an abuse of the registration process? Given the difficulty of getting into certain classes, should students be signing up for a fifth class when they intend to take only four? Or is this just a smart way to ensure you get a schedule you are going to enjoy? After all, you are stuck with it for the next three and a half months.