One of the most important courses you will take in your first year at Bates is your first-year seminar, a small class for first-year students offered during the fall semester.
Each seminar studies a unique topic, focusing on improving your writing and critical thinking skills. First-year seminars are designed to help you make the transition to college-level academic work. Each first-year seminar fufills the requirement for a writing-attentive course [W1] in the first year. Some are also part of a General Education concentration. The Bates faculty strongly recommends that you take a first-year seminar. Be sure to see the first year seminar listings at: http://www.bates.edu/first-year-seminar-list.xml
Your first-year seminar professor also serves as your academic advisor, a person you can talk with about your academic choices and direction. We’ve learned that students feel more comfortable asking for advice from a faculty member they know through a class.
