Paideia Applications

:: frequent questions :: elements of the program :: links & resources ::

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Do I have to be an "A" student to be a Paideia Scholar?

No. A 2.0 gpa and being in good disciplinary standing are the only requirements. These requirements must be maintained throughout the three years of the program and will be verified periodically. We invite all students to think and act as scholars.

2) Can I join the Paideia Scholars AFTER my sophomore year?

Not at this time. We are pioneering this program with cohorts of sophomores (who apply in the spring of their first-year of college).

3) Will I have the same Paideia Professor each semester?

Yes. You will remain in the same cohort of up to ten students, with the same Paideia Professor. In rare cases, your Paideia Professor may be on leave or sabbatical one semester. In that case, you would engage with a new Paideia Professor.

4) How are the Paideia Program seminars graded?

The seminars will be taken on a Pass/D/F basis. Being a Paideia Scholar involves more than the seminars. The seminars are where all the major program elements are tied together through readings, reflections, and discussions. Paideia Scholars will need to show that they are progressing through the Paideia experiences in a steady manner.

5) How many Paideia Seminar classes will I attend each semester?

You will meet every other week for at least 8 hours as a seminar group. This may be structured differently from class to class although most classes meet Tuesdays at noon. Because discussion and interaction is such a critical component of the seminars, attendance is mandatory.

6) Do I have to know html or some other programming language to keep my electronic record?

No. The electronic format was chosen because it will make your work easily accessible and easily edited. We will provide the structure so that adding to, or taking from the portfolio will be relatively simple.

7) Is the Paideia Program a residential program?

At this time, no. However, one group of Paideia Scholars are all housed together in the same hall of a dormitory.

8) Do I get to select my Paideia Professor and my Paideia cohort?

No. The groups will be chosen in an effort to have as heterogeneous mix as possible.

9) Will receiving the $1000 Paideia money alter my financial aid?

No. Rather than a stipend, the program will pay expenses on your behalf. This should not influence your financial aid.

10) What type of intercultural experience will I engage in?

Typical experiences are those that earn academic credit, that occur in a country other than the U.S. and Canada, that are a cultural stretch for the student, that last a semester (or, if in the summer, at least 3 weeks), that occur during your junior year, and that are on a list of approved programs. Ideally your program would involve being immersed in a country where the primary language is not English. As part of your first semester in the Paideia Program, you will meet several times with the Director of Intercultural Learning in order to find plans that will work best for you.

11) How do the Paideia Scholars get to participate in shaping the program?

Paideia Scholars are always invited to provide feedback directly to their Paideia Professor and to the Director of the Paideia Program. In addition, each seminar section has an elected representative who meets with the Paideia Professors and the Director several times during the semester to provide feedback from the seminar section. In 2003-2004, the Paideia Student Representatives made many suggestions that were incorporated into the Spring 2004 syllabus. Students will also gain more and more ownership over the seminar in subsequent semesters. Students are also encouraged to create "Paideia-like" opportunities - like using the listserv to get groups of Paideia Scholars to meet informally to discuss a movie or a speaker- or suggesting an all-Paideia activity.