If you’re an incoming freshman at UCR, you have the option of being in a learning community. These learning communities vary for your college, depending on if you’re in CHASS, CNAS, or BCOE. Although there are separate learning communities for each college, they all have the same goal - to prepare you for success at UCR and beyond. I personally was in a CHASS learning community my first three quarters here as a freshman, so this blog on the pros and cons of learning communities will be from that perspective.
Pros
1. Units
Being in a learning community means you earn additional units on top of your regular classes! I earned two units per quarter during my freshman year, which equaled to six units added onto my transcript at the end of the year.
2. Grade
In a learning community, you don’t earn an actual letter grade. It is basically a S/NC class (satisfactory/no credit), so as long as you pass (which isn’t hard at all), you will get your units. Your grade does not affect your GPA whatsoever.
3. Community
A learning community is really about the “community.” You are in a class where everyone is in the same college and possibly the same major (my class was full of Pre-Business students), and you are being taught by an older student(s) - your peer-mentor(s)! It is a great experience to connect with others and possibly make new friends. Since you guys will be taking similar classes, it is better to connect than be shy in a learning community!
4. Peer-Mentors
One of the best parts about learning communities are your peer-mentors. It’s comforting knowing there are students out there to help you and answer your questions, and being in a learning community gets you there one step easier. I am still friends with one of my CHASS peer mentors from my freshman year!
Cons
1. Time
Although learning communities are typically only one hour a week, this is time that you will have to commit to attending the class. Attendance in learning communities is one of the main contributors to you passing or failing the class (aka receiving the two units!) so make sure you attend the class. If you are unable to make it to class, always notify your peer mentor(s).
2. Meeting Outside of Class
Similar to the con about time, you may have to meet outside of class with your perspective groups in your learning community. This may only be once or twice the whole quarter, but you will have some short and simple group projects to present in class. These projects are pretty easy, and they’re geared toward making you a better public speaker and presenter.
There are more pros to learning communities than there is cons, so you should definitely give it a try if you are a first-year! For more information about learning communities, here are the links: CHASS, CNAS, BCOE.
