Hey OUSchweiz, are you applying for the February intake for Foundation?
Foundation year was really fun, you meet heaps of new people from all over the world (in my stream of ~15 people there were students from the Philippines, Thailand, Sweden, Fiji, China, Malaysia, and of course; New Zealand), the staff there are excellent, and the teaching/course formating was great.
Chem, Physics, and Bio each provided 2 lectures a week and Academic English and either General Skills Math or Advanced Algebra/Calculus in semester 2, which is swapped for Epidemiology in semester 1, each provide 1 lecture a week. So all up, 8 lectures a week.
For tutorials you have 2 for each: Chem, Bio, Physics, per week and 3 for each, Academic English and Math (in the first semester). Just one tutorial per week for Epidemiology in the second semester.
You also have a ~2 hour Chem or Bio lab per week (these rotate every Friday) and a ~2 hour Physics lab every 2nd week. These were really heaps of fun. ^_^
In Physics, according to our past tutor/lecturer Stan (he sadly passed away during semester 2; crushed between 2 trucks) we covered the content of HSFY PHYSI191 over the year with our 2 papers: FOUN040 Physics: Mechanics, Electricity, and Waves & FOUN041 Physics: Thermodynamics and Modern Physics.
Biology consists of FOUN005 Human Biology & FOUN004 Biology, pretty obvious which is more heavily human Bio content; focusing on the human body systems, reproduction, genetics, applied genetics, and evolution. The other paper caters for both Life Science and Health Science streams, with topics like Cells (structure/division/processes), Inorganic/organic molecules (see carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins), Photosynthesis, Respiration, DNA replication, Protein synthesis, Mutations, Classification of organisms, Relationships between organisms, Bio-geochemical cycles, and Plant structure.
Chemistry content strongly overrides all NCEA level 3 content, maybe missing out some non essential for HSFY parts. There's FOUN008 Chemistry: Reactivity, and FOUN007 Chemistry: Structure and Bonding. To reinforce the fact that we're doing content from Yr13 Chemistry; you're given the Year13 Chemistry workbook "Continuing Chemistry" (I think that's it's name), and just in case you need some support to get to that Yr13/Level 3 stage- you're also given the Yr12 book (no idea what it's called).
Academic English is fairly self explanatory lol, the first semester is mainly for the students who haven't been raised with English as their first language. With assessments such as "Article Summary" where you address your class and explain an article that you have selected from a list, along with General Skills math, it's definitely a walk in the park. Semester 2 Academic English is where you will definitely need to keep on top of things, instead of the article summary you have a "Group Seminar" when you're randomly allocated a partner from your class and required to present a seminar together, following this, there is also the "Discussion Essay" where you need to go further in-depth into your seminar topic and present it in a discussion essay form. Really easy if you keep on track and don't get too easily distracted.
Epidemiology, "FOUN014 Epidemiology", easily the most deceiving paper. You might get confused with some of the learning outcomes/assessment guidelines but if you ask the lecturer; Barry, he'll be happy to help. There's also a ~2 hour lab every week which is done in the computer block next to the common room (under the reception floor). The lab helps with using statistic programs like excel and another more specified program which I can't remember the name of, so it can't be that important for now.
Math... Not really much to say... Oh, the General Skills and Advanced Calculus classes both count for an equal grade value, so if you're going for that 10.0 GPA just take General Skills.
That's pretty much everything, content-wise.
Foundation Year also hosts events for their students, the most prominent one that comes to mind was the Quiz Night, which was... intense. There was also a trip to Queenstown, A skiing trip, and heaps of others which involve touristy activities- although these were costly, there were plenty free or cheap >$10 events like Painting, and the Food Festival.
At the end of the year there's the Completion Ceremony which is pretty much a prize-giving but with food (and free alcohol).
h34r:
The least I could do for Foundation was to give such a detailed and appreciative review (plus now that it's summer and everyone's gone home, I've got nothing better to do than answer questions with overwhelming answers
), it was definitely a really great decision enrolling and I kinda wish it wasn't over (if I didn't want to get HSFY done already).
just to see how well you all go. Maybe I can make friends that give me a little help in 2012 hehe 
