Everything about Duke is welcoming, except for the classes.
When I first came to campus, I was treated to a warm welcome by almost everyone. The message came from wildly enthusiastic first-year advisory counselors, whose excitement was particularly noteworthy given that they were hauling luggage in the heat and craze of move-in day. I heard it from my resident assistants and resident coordinators in my dorm and from President Brodhead during Convocation.
For the most part, I have really felt very welcome here. Upperclassmen are enthusiastic about the organizations I’ve joined and I have almost figured out the bus system.
In the academic arena, however, the warm welcome seems to rapidly dissipate. Instead of enjoying my introductory courses and exploring new subjects, I’m just trying to scrape by with a semi-decent grade. In layman’s terms, the struggle has been very real.
I hear people use the term “weed-out” class all the time, especially for classes in economics, public policy and almost all introductory math. It’s worth noting that “weed-out” isn’t an official term that shows up on ACES while we register and book bag our classes, but it is true that some introductory courses are exceptionally difficult.
Basically, a weed-out class is a class that is designed to discourage students from further exploring that subject area, so as to ensure that the students who do actually pursue it are serious enough about the subject to stay. The consequence is that it also translates into creating introductory courses that are essentially designed to discourage students from learning more about that discipline.
While I understand why departments create weed-out courses, I think its important to factor in the impact that these classes can have. I find it shocking that here at Duke, a place that should be focused on encouraging students to explore their interests, students have to take introductory courses that are absurdly difficult for the sole purpose of discouraging them to continue to learn. Weed-out courses also discourage students from honestly engaging with the material and turn the focus on grades.
After all, universities are supposed to be places where students are encouraged to explore different academic interests and to approach learning with curiosity and excitement. In that sense, a weed-out course is against everything that a university, especially Duke, should stand for.
Students would benefit more if introductory courses were taught with the intention of exposing students to new material and not any other ulterior motive, like discouraging students from going forward with the major. If these courses focused more on introducing students to the material, then students wouldn’t just worry about their grade but also actively think about the concepts being taught.
It’s also worth noting that many weed-out classes are also introductory courses taken by freshmen. This is particularly harmful because many freshmen are still trying to decide what their interests are and want to take introductory courses across different disciplines to find what they enjoy. However, when basic introductory classes are made extremely challenging, students are advised against taking a variety of courses and don’t get to explore as much, which could be a huge academic loss. Weed-out courses are also often large lecture style classes which breed competition as students try to find their way to the top of the curve instead of fostering community and making students feel like they belong at Duke. Also, freshmen year is a big transition year where students deal with leaving home and their families for the first time while also adjusting to college life. The combination of unnecessarily difficult coursework creates a stressful experience, which takes away from the Duke experience.
I came to Duke to be exposed to new ideas and get excited about learning. Creating a rigorous academic environment is definitely important, but when it comes at the cost of students actually engaging with the material, it may not be the most productive style of teaching. Creating courses like weed-outs discourage actual learning and take away from our ability to build a thriving intellectual environment here at Duke.
Shruti Rao is a Trinity freshman. Her column runs every other Monday.
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