Western U - Written Communication Pre-Req

[mstweetie]

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Hey guys! Anyone else applied or attending WesternU that can help me out?

I thought I had read somewhere on SDN that someone fulfilled the pre-req for the written communication by using a "W-course," or a course that emphasized/taught writing. I've taken numerous courses in biology, and have written numerous papers in them, but it seems like the WesternU counselors are not counting take them to fulfill the pre-req...ahh! i've already graduated :/

what courses have you taken to fulfill the requirement?

good luck to WesternU applicants!

 

[Pomona2006]

I am assuming you are talking about the written communication in science/technology pre-req?

If that is the case, like you, I already graduated and was trying really hard to make sure my non-science related pre-reqs were already met at western (as I was a psychology major and am still working on completing my science classes post-bac). For that class, I was able to do a lot of digging around to get them to accept my senior thesis as a class. If you communicate with the admissions staff, they are incredibly helpful! I emailed my admissions counselor a copy of my entire thesis (120 pages) along with a lengthy description of the class, and a copy of a presentation I gave on my thesis at a national conference. I wasn't sure if they would take it as it was not a formal class, but I went through a great ordeal of proposals, drafts, applying for funding, and in the end wrote a huge paper that was in the format that one would submit to journals for publication. They agreed to accept it to satisfy the requirement. I was so happy! Of course my back-up plan was an applicable course at the local community college, which would have been pretty boring, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, right?

In any case, that is my experience. But, overall, the staff at Western has been incredibly helpful and accomodating! I suggest you communicate with them to determine whether the class you are thinking of will satisfy the requirement. They might just ask for a description of the class, but if the description isn't enough they'll ask for a syllabus or something of the sort (if that is the case you can see if you have the syllabus stowed away somewhere, or you can try emailing the prof/school to see if they have a copy of the syllabus around...that's something I've done too, but for a different class).

 

[mstweetie]

I am assuming you are talking about the written communication in science/technology pre-req?

If that is the case, like you, I already graduated and was trying really hard to make sure my non-science related pre-reqs were already met at western (as I was a psychology major and am still working on completing my science classes post-bac). For that class, I was able to do a lot of digging around to get them to accept my senior thesis as a class. If you communicate with the admissions staff, they are incredibly helpful! I emailed my admissions counselor a copy of my entire thesis (120 pages) along with a lengthy description of the class, and a copy of a presentation I gave on my thesis at a national conference. I wasn't sure if they would take it as it was not a formal class, but I went through a great ordeal of proposals, drafts, applying for funding, and in the end wrote a huge paper that was in the format that one would submit to journals for publication. They agreed to accept it to satisfy the requirement. I was so happy! Of course my back-up plan was an applicable course at the local community college, which would have been pretty boring, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, right?

In any case, that is my experience. But, overall, the staff at Western has been incredibly helpful and accomodating! I suggest you communicate with them to determine whether the class you are thinking of will satisfy the requirement. They might just ask for a description of the class, but if the description isn't enough they'll ask for a syllabus or something of the sort (if that is the case you can see if you have the syllabus stowed away somewhere, or you can try emailing the prof/school to see if they have a copy of the syllabus around...that's something I've done too, but for a different class).

Wow, I'm so glad they accepted your thesis paper! 120 pages! yikes!!! But, yes, the staff at WesternU are very helpful. It was strange though, because I had sent in an academic worksheet for review in July, but they didn't respond back. Turns out (as I found out yesterday), my academic counselor is not working anymore -- that's why she never responded to my emails! Anyway, the new counselor is really nice, and responded in a day. 🙂

Maybe I'll send in a copy of my paper...

Thanks pomona!!

 

[Pomona2006]

We probably have the same counselor then - Karen? She's great!

Glad I could help, and good luck!

 

[mstweetie]

We probably have the same counselor then - Karen? She's great!

Glad I could help, and good luck!

It's Tasha -- I've communicated with Karen as well, and she seems really helpful too!

How are you organizing the supplemental app? I don't want all the loose papers flying around, but would a binder be too bulky to send in?

 

[Pomona2006]

You raise a good point. I haven't thought too much about how I am going to organize it and send it in. I know that they are likely just going to photocopy everything in it and send it to 2 different profs to read, so I don't know that a binder would help them much (even though it would look organized and neat). I might use butterfly clips to connect various sections together (rather than staples) so that it will be easy to photocopy. But I should give this a little more thought. I've been too busy thinking about whether I've got everything and whether it's "good"

 

[Catnapper]

I think I just mailed mine loose in a large envelope last year. Then again, here I am!! Maybe I should really consider the butterfly clips! 😳

 

[Pennvet]

Does anyone else think that Western's admissions process is a bit insane? Endless pre-req's, but you don't necessarily need to do well, just as long as you take them...What's the point?

 

[mstweetie]

I received email notification from WesternU that my application is complete and interview are in late-January!! There are awesome with notifying/communicating!!

 

[rachroo]

I know that it's already been answered...but I had a similar question earlier this spring. Here's the thread; good luck!!

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=500897