Freshmen explore uncommon topics in transition from high school to college.

Most of the freshmen in Sara Raley’s Born to Buy seminar aren’t surprised to hear that Americans put a lot of emphasis on money. Still, as they examine the sociology of consumerism, the 15 students in Raley’s class also take a long look at themselves and at larger society.

That’s exactly how sociology professor Raley planned it. “Money, and how they spend it, is something to which all students can relate,” she says.

All first-year students at McDaniel take a freshman seminar during their initial semester at the college. Designed to help students make the transition from high school to college, the courses focus on developing writing and research skills and encourage teamwork.

First Year Seminar topics range from “Russia Yesterday and Today” to “American’s Game: Baseball,” from “Identifying and Avoiding ‘BS’” to “Virtual Worlds,” with courses in between such as “Malaria: Human Scourge,” “Reality Television: The Sociocultural Effects,” “Chemistry in Context” and more.