IU doesn’t have nearly as intense summer work as many other schools. Our only summer reading per se was a two page pamphlet about Herman B. Wells, a former president of IU who is credited by Wikipedia with the “development of Indiana University into a world class institution of higher learning.” We were told the reading would be discussed during our summer orientation program. It turned out that more than half of the kids in my group hadn’t done the reading, so the ensuing discussion was hardly thought provoking.
I actually think required readings such as yours, although tedious, are a good idea. Students going to places like Dartmouth are coming from all corners of the globe and have varying academic backgrounds. The summer reading gives everyone something in common to complain talk about.
Other than the reading, IU has had me take a few online courses and tests. About three hours of time went into each a financial literacy course and a drugs/alcohol/sexual health course. I actually found the financial literacy modules really interesting and informative. In contrast, the wellness course was quite boring in that it was just a slightly more provocative version of high school health class. I also had to take both a math and a world language placement test (I took Spanish) online before Orientation. I found the math test quite challenging but persevered through. I was disappointed that the score I received actually counted for nothing as we took our real (much, much easier) placement test during Orientation. It makes sense that the real test was in-person as it eliminates the chance of cheating and equalizes conditions for everyone. I don’t understand why we took the online version, though. I guess it helped me get back in shape mentally.
After Admission 