Popular precepts draw 3,500 applicants

Lots of students have trouble getting into popular classes. But whoever heard of having less than a 10 percent chance of getting into a voluntary, not-for-credit course? Due to overwhelming popularity, more than 3,500 students anxiously waited late Friday afternoon while a computer-generated program randomly selected students to participate in the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education's fall slate of 18 preceptorials. Only 270 got e-mails saying they had gotten into the class of their choice. Preceptorials are short, non-credit seminars generated by students and led by Penn faculty. The SCUE-initiated program limits most seminar enrollment to 15 students. Offerings for the fifth semester of SCUE's program cover subjects like the stock market, art and literature, health care systems, jaunts into Philadelphia and the drawing of live nude models. Finance Professor Jeremy Siegel will teach the most heavily requested preceptorial, "The Stock Enigma." Out of 565 requests only 20 students were accepted, exceeding the 15 student limit, according to SCUE Chairperson Rachael Goldfarb, a College senior. Siegel said he loves "being able to teach undergraduates," explaining that while some of his graduate courses accept significant numbers of undergraduates, most of his current students are graduate level. Wharton junior Amy Wan, who will enroll in Siegel's seminar, said she is eagerly anticipating the class. "I wanted to have an overview to go with my classes and gain a better understanding of what the stock market is through by talking with Professor Siegel closely and asking him a lot of questions," Wan said. The second most popular preceptorial, "Health Care, Health Systems and HMOs," was requested by 431 students. Medical School Professor Stanley Goldfarb, will explain why HMOs have risen in prominence and how they are affecting the quality of health care. College sophomore and pre-med student Amanda Tiffany was excited to learn that she was one of the 15 students admitted into Goldfarb's seminar. "It was my first choice," she said. "I hope to get a better understanding of health care and answer some questions about the politics of medicine. Other preceptorials will feature Glenn McGee and Paul Root Wolpe from the Center for Bioethics trying to answer the question, "Is Cloning the Same as Xeroxing yourself?" Ann Matter, co-director of Women's Studies and Religious Studies, will explore "Issues in Feminism" with 15 students. SCUE officials said they were pleased with the diversity of the 1998 course offerings, especially the strong student demand. Goldfarb said she was inundated with e-mails this weekend from students who had requested preceptorials. Due to limited space in the classes, the vast majority of the 3,500 applicants were not admitted. Admittance to preceptorials is governed entirely by computer and involves no credentials. Students request a course and a computer programmer randomly selects students.