Exploring Concentrations Should Be Fun

A concentration may only be the sum of its course requirements. But looking for a concentration — your concentration — should be so much more than that.

Since 2007, Advising Fortnight — the two-week, no-nonsense, see-as-much-as-you-can, head-down concentration blitz — turned freshman concentration deliberation into a serious and hasty, not to mention somewhat premature, affair. After all, students don’t have to choose a concentration until the coming fall. Much to our excitement, however, the Advising Programs Office has replaced Advising Fortnight with a new Exploring Fields of Study program. Under the new program, each department will host a variety of informational events and advising sessions throughout the spring semester.

While many, like us, have welcomed this new adjustment with enthusiasm, others remain apprehensive. In particular, some advisors have cautioned that the semester-long schedule of events may hinder students’ ability to directly compare the experiences of different concentrations.

Indeed, if the objective of the Exploring Fields of Study program is simply to engage in a direct comparison of concentrations in order to make a firm decision by its completion, then offering a two-week time frame to do so would prove most effective. But that’s not, or at least shouldn’t be, the point.

While freshmen will in fact be prompted to report the conversation events they attended and whether they are considering declaring it by mid-April, this report is not a binding agreement and need not be approached as such. Freshmen still have nearly two semesters, as well as an entire summer, before they need to make their concentration choices. Many students might use this gift of time by taking shot-in-the-dark classes, joining outside-the-box clubs, and exploring new environments that may help them gain clarity on the types of futures they envision for themselves.

Viewing the Exploring Fields of Study program merely as a concentration selection process deprives freshmen of the ability to benefit from the intellectual growth and personal development that the ensuing months should bring. There are many data points to be gathered about a given concentration, and we encourage freshmen to gather as many as possible before they declare their concentrations — at one’s own pace and with the least possible anxiety.

Perhaps a more concentrated fortnight should be offered at the beginning of sophomore year for the benefit of students who are making final comparisons and decisions at the eleventh hour. But for freshmen, that just isn’t necessary yet. In such a high-pressure environment, freshman concentration shopping should be one area in which to slow down and spread things out.

It’s also worth noting that choosing a concentration does not prevent students from pursuing interests in other departments and fields. It is an immense privilege to study at a university that is committed to a liberal arts educational philosophy. We encourage students of all years to continue exploring fields of study well past their concentration choice is made.

This staff editorial solely represents the majority view of The Crimson Editorial Board. It is the product of discussions at regular Editorial Board meetings. In order to ensure the impartiality of our journalism, Crimson editors who choose to opine and vote at these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on similar topics.