TESC's Advanced American Lit I and II - How Difficult?

[birdandbee]

Hi All,

Thinking about taking Advanced American Lit I & II in upcoming semesters and I see that for both, your final paper (18-20 pages in length) is worth about 50% of your grade. Admittedly, I'm a bit intimidated by the paper length, but since I'm an English major (hoping to be an English teacher someday), I would imagine that it's in my best interest to take these courses (rather than opting to earn u/l credit through examination).

Has anyone taken either or both of these classes? Just wondering what the mentor is like and likewise the workload.

Many thanks in advance!

[frankiebleyes]

Ifound this one of easiest cleps to take. All I used was the Idiot's Guide to American Literature. It was right on spot for the exam questions, one of the easiest six hours I made testing out.

[af2012]

Hey Frankie, I think that bird is talking about the two upper level courses, not the American Lit class that you can CLEP out of.

Birdandbee, I'm getting my BA in English at TESC also & I'm not sure but I think we have to take them. They say that we have to have 18 credits in level 300/400 courses in order to graduate. From what I can see on the website that means we have to take the Capstone course, Am. Lit I & II, African Encounters, Jane Austen: One Writer's vision (the 3 credit course not the 1 credit J.A. course) and Non-Western World Lit. They really don't leave us with any other choice unless you take a level 300/400 class somewhere else & transfer it in. Also we still have to get Analyz & Int. Lit (which you can CLEP) and either American or English Lit class (which you can also CLEP). You can CLEP either one & you'll get the 6 credits you need. I'm planning on doing CLEP for all three of those classes & having one of them put towards my Gen. Ed. bucket. It's a quick 6 credits. :-)

[cookderosa]

Hi All,

Thinking about taking Advanced American Lit I & II in upcoming semesters and I see that for both, your final paper (18-20 pages in length) is worth about 50% of your grade. Admittedly, I'm a bit intimidated by the paper length, but since I'm an English major (hoping to be an English teacher someday), I would imagine that it's in my best interest to take these courses (rather than opting to earn u/l credit through examination).

Has anyone taken either or both of these classes? Just wondering what the mentor is like and likewise the workload.

Many thanks in advance!

I didn't take the classes, but those are hefty assignments, and heavily weighted too. I just finished a 20 page paper in my GRAD class, so I might be a little hesitant. That said, you are wise at practicing your writing now, because 100% for sure you will be required to do so in grad school. Good luck!!

[PonyGirl93]

Hi All,

Thinking about taking Advanced American Lit I & II in upcoming semesters and I see that for both, your final paper (18-20 pages in length) is worth about 50% of your grade. Admittedly, I'm a bit intimidated by the paper length, but since I'm an English major (hoping to be an English teacher someday), I would imagine that it's in my best interest to take these courses (rather than opting to earn u/l credit through examination).

Has anyone taken either or both of these classes? Just wondering what the mentor is like and likewise the workload.

Many thanks in advance!

I'm in week 5 of Advanced Am Lit 2. So far the reading assignments are simply immense, I'm lucky if I finish half of them each week. We're picking our final paper topic this week... if I weren't so exhausted I would be freaking out

I haven't gotten any graded assignments back yet, so I'll know more about the difficulty level when I start getting those back.

The good news is that my mentor (Pannullo) is flexible with assignment schedules; if you will be a day late she doesn't care, if you need more time than that you just have to email her. Obviously this doesn't work for the final paper, but it is a relief to have a prof who would rather have a good paper turned in late.

I'll certainly keep you posted on how the semester finishes up. To be totally honest though I won't have the best perspective on it because my schedule is complete insanity right now and I'm happy to finish my assignments each week :p However, I love the class. It is interesting, informative, and the assigned segments from the Anthology are great. I only read the Study Guide when I need extra info for an assignment.

[af2012]

I'm in week 5 of Advanced Am Lit 2. So far the reading assignments are simply immense, I'm lucky if I finish half of them each week. We're picking our final paper topic this week... if I weren't so exhausted I would be freaking out

I haven't gotten any graded assignments back yet, so I'll know more about the difficulty level when I start getting those back.

The good news is that my mentor (Pannullo) is flexible with assignment schedules; if you will be a day late she doesn't care, if you need more time than that you just have to email her. Obviously this doesn't work for the final paper, but it is a relief to have a prof who would rather have a good paper turned in late.

I'll certainly keep you posted on how the semester finishes up. To be totally honest though I won't have the best perspective on it because my schedule is complete insanity right now and I'm happy to finish my assignments each week :p However, I love the class. It is interesting, informative, and the assigned segments from the Anthology are great. I only read the Study Guide when I need extra info for an assignment.

Is this the only course you are taking right now or do you have another class as well? I'm trying to decide which two classes I'm going to take next semester. I was thinking Am. Lit. I plus either African Encounters or Non-Western World Lit.
Right now I've got another few weeks to go in the Children's Lit & J.A. One Writer's Vision classes I'm in. How intensive was Am Lit 1 and have you done either African Encounters or NW World Lit?

[PonyGirl93]

Is this the only course you are taking right now or do you have another class as well? I'm trying to decide which two classes I'm going to take next semester. I was thinking Am. Lit. I plus either African Encounters or Non-Western World Lit.
Right now I've got another few weeks to go in the Children's Lit & J.A. One Writer's Vision classes I'm in. How intensive was Am Lit 1 and have you done either African Encounters or NW World Lit?

I took Children's Lit and J.A. together as well! This semester I am taking Adv Am Lit 2, History of Art 2, and Research Methods. I started African Encounters one semester but dropped because I bit off wayyyy more than I could chew with 5 courses. I really liked the first part of it, but I also just love African literature. I didn't take Adv Am Lit 1, I like the writing from 1860 on better, so I just started the second one.