<p>Well, I'm making my schedule for next year (Fall, first semester of freshmen year). It's 15 credits, but it doesn't seem like much at all...I mean Monday and Wednesday I'm out by 1045. Not to mention, I've taken AP Biology and AP Chemistry already and received a 5 on both tests, but because I'm planning on med school I've been advised not to take the AP credit. Am I wrong in saying this needs to be toughened up a lot? My undergrad adviser says 15 credits is plenty.</p>
<p>Online Course:Into to Basic Programming (Roommate is a CS major, already an excellent programmer)</p>
<p>Mon
Principles of Chemistry 930-1045</p>
<p>Tue
Great Books I 11-145
Principles of Biology 230-345
Principles of Biology 4-6 LAB</p>
<p>Wed
Principles of Chemistry 930-1045</p>
<p>Thu
Great Books I 11-145
Principles of Biology 230-345</p>
<p>We're talking third tier, lesser state U...but if even at that level it's not specific enough, I guess I'd be smart to take the advice of my advisor.</p>
<p>Alas another arrogant entering freshman.
Intro bio and chemistry will be much different from your high school APs. Getting a 5 on the AP does not mean you will get an A in the class. I suggest you follow your adviser's advice.</p>
<p>What you're missing is that in college you are expected to do more work outside of class than you did in high school.</p>
<p>Some of that work is <em>only</em> done outside of class: the readings may not even be discussed in class (though I imagine that most of the readings for these classes will be discussed in class), and even if they are, there will be things not discussed that show up on exams.</p>
<p>Great Books I is likely to involve a lot of reading, and probably a decent amount of writing. And much closer reading than many high school students ever do. If the instructor focuses on close reading, only some of the reading will be discussed in class, and you'll be expected to achieve that same depth with the rest of it on your own. Your science classes are likely to have a lot of technical information that is covered quickly in class, and you'll be expected to master that stuff using the books.</p>
<p>Every college professor I've dealt with that said anything to me about how much work is expected has used the formula of 2 hours outside of class for every 1 hour of class. So if you're in class for 15 hours a week, your total workload can be estimated at 45 hours of work a week. Some classes (the computer class in your case, probably) will take less; others (quite possibly the great books class) will take more. Depending on your aptitude for science, the biology and chemistry classes may be a lot of work for you.</p>
<p>So yeah: that's a decent workload to start with. You may discover that you are able to handle much more (when I first went to college I was quickly doing 7 or 8 classes a semester), but most college students find 15 credits a semester to be a good load, and I'm increasingly hearing about people who are struggling with 12.</p>
<p>College is REALLY not like high school in terms of course load. 8 classes in all different subjects works great on the high school level, so looking at 4 or 5 classes and much less time in class looks too easy. Until you get there. Trust us, it's a whole new ball game.</p>
<p>That said, if you want a challenge, try taking a class in a subject you're NOT already very familiar with. That's probably part of your problem, you stuck to your strengths.</p>
<p>Also, take advantage of extracurriculars and/or work study!</p>
<p>Yes, I've heard the 2 hours outside of class for every 1 credit thing, and I don't think I was underestimating the work load, but as someone pointed out these classes are all in my strong areas. It appears that 15 credits per semester is on par for graduating on time, so I'll take a semester with 15 and adjust accordingly.</p>
<p>We encouraged our D to take it easy the first year......there will be plenty of semesters that are killers. That said, she was actually bored during her first semester (as an astrophysics major!!). 2nd semester, she ended up dropping one class that was basically a repeat of one of her high school classes, and sought out and obtained an undergrad research assistant position. Follow the advice of your advisor, and appreciate the extra time (if you have it)....you won't have it later in your college "career".</p>
<p>Take it easy your first semester. You can always pile on later, but don't just throw yourself headlong into a situation where you could get in too deep, very quickly.</p>
<p>Remember that college isn't supposed to be like high school - you're not supposed to be locked in classrooms all day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. That's not the point of college.</p>
<p>Find extracurricular activities, socialize, get an on-campus job and make some money on the side... you'll find that your days go by a lot quicker than you thought they would.</p>
<p>It sounds fine to me. You might actually be quite surprised at how much work can go into some classes that seem easy in the beginning. However, advisors don't know how you can handle the schedule so maybe you'd be able to, but I really advise against adding more because you will want to have time to do ECs and meet new people and have fun.</p>
<p>Are you sure you are taking the right chemistry? At all the schools I've seen, principles of chem is a entry level class for non science majors, and the actual pre-req required is [general] chem 1 & 2.</p>
<p>OKgirl, at my school Fundamentals of Chem is what most people take who are in science related majors. It's pretty much only honors kids or some sort of chemistry major who takes General Chemistry. Maybe kkei08's school is the same way with the Principles class. (Survey of Chem is the dumb people's chemistry here)</p>
<p>Also, to kkei08, I think you will find that this course load is PLENTY full. Having two labs in one semester is pretty tough. (many page lab reports due at the same time) Great Books is likely to require several papers and readings due almost every class.</p>
<p>Ditto what everyone else said - college is WAY different than high school, and you're still judging it by high school standards. Your course load looks fine.</p>
<p>He might not be arrogant, just misinformed.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, the 2 hours out of class for every hour in is nonsense. I spend about an hour out of class every week for one of my 3 credit biochem. Some classes you will have a lot of work, but the saying does not always hold.</p>
<p>Yeah, our intro chemistry is "Fundamentals of Chemistry" and GenChem is "Principles of Chemistry".</p>
<p>Another thing that I think mislead me is a class I took last semester at a local community college. I took Calculus II, and believe it or not I didn't do hardly any homework or study at all and still got an A- in the course. I was up until 5am the morning of the exam (at 8am)...it was easier than my average high school class. Hopefully the University isn't like that at all.</p>
<p>I took 17 credits my first semester freshman year (similar to yours-chem and bio plus labs, english, math, a required freshman intro course). Looking back on it now (from my senior year), it was just enough for me (with a job and extracurriculars). You need that first semester to get used to campus life.</p>
<p>If you still don't feels its enough, you've got many more semesters left to increase your workload. I always took more credits than that once I was used to college and had my time management down.</p>
<p>At the school I'm attending, they recommend 15-18 credit hours for the first semester. I might have to do a little more because I'm gonna double major.</p>
<p>Then again,, I'm going to a state school, so it'll be the equivalent of taking elementary school courses.</p>