I’m a bio major freshman and I want to be a vet and also want to study abroad to Germany in my sophomore or junior year. I’m an adult freshman so I’m eager to learn and get everything I can from university but I also don’t want to be too tough on myself and end up burning out of exhaustion.
I am taking
bio(4)+chem(4)+german(4)+philosophy(3)+fye(1) = 16 credits
The bio and chem were preregistered and I also think it’s important for me to learn both of them so I can be prepared for vet school. The German class is for me to prepare studying abroad to Germany later. Some people suggested me to drop German because I can still go study abroad there without speaking the language but I think I’ll have much more opportunities if I know how to speak the language. Also, I really want to learn it.
The FYE class is a First Year Experience class where they help freshmen transition smoothly to university so it will be an easy class.
Most faculties and students except some, tell me that I’m taking too much for the freshmen year when I need time to adjust in school. I didn’t even realize that it was a lot until people told me so. I still don’t see if it’s a lot. I personally adore my schedule because it’s everything what I really wanted to learn. I really wanted to take philosophy classes too. But if I’m overestimating myself and will end up being knocked out, I’d like to prevent that.
I’d like advices from bio or pre-vet major people! Thanks!!
It is 4 classes, plus FYE - I wouldn’t consider that too much, since FYE is 1 credit, and meant to help you adjust. When you say you are an adult student, I’m assuming you will be older an more mature than most of your classmates - that you simply delayed going to college. As such, you have more life experience, and have most likely experienced more transitions. Whatever you’ve been doing since you graduated high school (assuming you did in the “normal” fashion at 18 or 19), will prepare you for what might be a rigorous schedule. The biggest question I would have is how long has it been since you’ve taken a science class or worked with scientific principles?
To those telling you 15 credits is too much, perhaps they should consider the typical course load of an aspiring Engineer - a typical first semester courseload might include Calcusus (4 credits), Physics (4 credits), Chemistry (4 credits), computer science (3 credits) plus a humanities or social science class (3 credits), - that’s 18 credits!
15 is an average load to graduate on time (4 years). An extra credit isn’t that much. 16 credits is totally fine.
I’m 21 now and I took 2 gap years before before getting in this university. I took biology, chemistry and earth science in high school and during the gap year(I was living in Korea) I started studying science again while I was preparing for the SAT subject test and since then and until now, I’m studying general chemistry on khan academy during the summer because I want to be prepared and I have nothing else to do.
I know! I met very few people who would tell me that they’ve seen freshmen taking 17~19 credits and that it just depends on each individual. Honestly I have so much more I want to study like calculus and computer engineering but I’m resisting myself.
I think it is a good mix of classes. There should be some long reading assignments in philosophy, maybe a paper or two, some language lab time in German, and labs and classroom work in the sciences. That’s a good mix.
By starting with 16 credits, if you have to drop any one class, you’ll still be a full time student with 12/13 credits, which you need for full financial aid.
Enjoy.
This is similar to my son’s first semester. He is pre-vet. It was not a problem at all. His gf is a biology major and had a heavier schedule that was a bit much but yours should be fine.