Dear Students,

Before too many more weeks pass, you will begin your first year of study at IWU.  In order to assist in your registration for the appropriate classes, we are sending you several preference surveys.  When we receive your reply, we will be able to enroll you in at least one, and possibly two or three, of your fall semester courses.  This pre-registration procedure will simplify your final registration once you arrive on campus.  Aside from the Gateway Colloquium, you will have an opportunity to change any of the courses in which you will be pre-registered, if you decide you would prefer something else.

Intended Major

When you applied for admission to Illinois Wesleyan, you indicated your intended major.  To assist in enrolling you in the proper courses, we want to confirm your choice of major.  Please note that majors in Music, Music Theatre, Theatre Arts, Art, and Nursing all require special admission procedures (e.g., auditions, portfolios).  You can not change to one of these majors without consulting with the Program Director for that program.  Additionally, due to space limitations, if you were not admitted as a biology major, you may not shift to biology at this time.  With those qualifications in mind, please confirm your intended major.

Gateway Colloquia Preference

Included with this material you will find descriptions of the Gateway Colloquia to be offered in 2009-2010.  The Gateway Colloquium, a course designed to develop writing and critical thinking skills, is required of all students, and must be completed in the freshman year.  Please review all the course descriptions for Gateway Colloquia, and list seven choices in order of preference.  We will make every effort to enroll you in one of your seven choices.  Although some of the Colloquia are offered in the fall semester, and some in the spring semester, choose simply on the basis of topics that seem to be of most interest.

Second Language

We would like to find out about your initial preferences for study in a foreign language. IWU has a three-semester foreign language requirement for a BA or BS degree and a two-semester requirement for a BFA or BM degree. Students seeking a BME or a BSN are encouraged to include language study in their degree plans as well. You may complete the requirement in several ways: by receiving a high score on the AP test; by taking the basic sequence in a single language; or by taking IWU's placement examination during the Fall Festival and receiving a passing score. Placement examinations are also used as an aid to placing students in courses within and beyond the basic sequence, according to their abilities. Most high schools provide students with a limited set of opportunities for foreign language study. We recommend that you continue with foreign language learning in college for the enormous benefits such study provides. Your abilities in English will improve as you study another language, and you will broaden your cultural awareness. Don't hesitate to consider learning a different language from the one you began in high school. We offer six different modern language areas: French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish, as well as, Ancient Greek and Latin.

Mathematics Options (information only; no form needs to be returned)

Some students will decide to enroll in mathematics as part of their studies. If you choose to enroll in mathematics, there are many options to consider. We have enclosed information about placement recommendations which we would like you to review. Students who typically enroll in mathematics their first year do so in preparation for their major (i.e., Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics, Physics majors). What if you don't need mathematics for your major or don't wish to continue studying mathematics? The General Education Program has a Formal Reasoning requirement that you will eventually have to meet over the course of your undergraduate study. While this can be met with Math 106, 110, 135, 161 or 165, this requirement can also be met by successfully completing other courses in other departments. So if you are not planning to enroll in a Math course, you may consider electing at some point in your education Computer Science 126 or 127 or Philosophy 102 to complete the Formal Reasoning requirement.

In addition you will find information for taking a Math placement exam if you took the AP

BC test and scored a 4 or 5.  Therefore, not all students will take this test.  If you have any questions about the test, please contact Professor Lawrence Stout.  His address is on the information letter.

Parent Name/Address Information

Enclosed you will also find a form with your parent information.  If you need to make any changes to this please do so and return to our office in the envelope provided.

If you have any questions about any of these forms please contact the Registrar’s Office at (309)556-3161 or at iwureg@iwu.edu