18 units... Overload?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Davis
1

<p>I’ve signed up for 5 classes so far…</p>

<p>Chem 2A, Mat017A, Geology of National Parks (Gel 025), Wildlife Ecol Conserv (WLF 010), and SAS 004 (Water in Popular Culture)</p>

<p>Bringing to a total of 18 units for my first quarter in UCD. Is that too much? I know that Chem 2A and Mat017A are the tough (weeder?) classes, and I’ve heard that Water in Pop. Culture is mostly watching films, Gel025 is worth 2 units. My final exam schedule is pretty spread out, so there isn’t really a problem with that, but should I drop one of my classes? I actually want to have time for a job and a life outside of class work.</p>

2

<p>Why don't you just take out Geo 25 or one four unit?</p>

<p>I'm taking Geo 25...</p>

3

<p>Take a light load your first quarter in order to transition into college life. Light loads help you enjoy your first quarter better =)</p>

4

<p>u don't want to overload in your first quarter. They are many activities and its your time to meet new friends and find new club. I wouldn't suggest you doing that the first quarter.</p>

5

<p>I'd drop the 2 unit class. They can be a lot of work and an annoyance when it's another midterm and final. Just my advice, but I took a 2 unit class first quarter and i regret it. You don't get any GE's and it didn't do much...</p>

6

<p>i advice the same. i regret taking my freshmen seminar and ones without GE credit. take those when you have extra time after you finish all your required GEs.</p>

7

<p>if you do decide to drop one of your courses i would recommend GEL 25. I know someone who took that class and eventually had to drop it because he fell asleep in every lecture.</p>

8

<p>Yes, 18 units is too much for a first quarter.
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Suggest you go check out the classes, and then drop at least one 4-unit course and possibly also the 2-unit one. Quarters go by very quickly. Once you get the lay of the land, you can always have a high-unit quarter later on. It is too risky, and not really worth it for a first quarter.
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S2 is currently signed up for 17 units (including Chem and Calculus) and plans to drop one of the courses (after listening to sage advice from S1 and myself)
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good luck.</p>

9

<p>If he drops 6 units, he will only have 12 units. I thought you needed 13 each semester?</p>

10

<p>13 is minimum to be a full time student. 15 to graduate in 4 years.</p>

11

<p>Actually, it's 12 to be full time. Average of 13 per quarter to meet the minimum progress requirements.</p>

12

<p>i will also be taking chem and calc...plus psych...which is only 12 units but i will be getting one extra unit from my health science ATP seminar. being a freshman does this course load look ok?</p>

13

<p>freshmen seminar classes are really easy its so that freshmen can start getting use to the classes in university</p>

14

<p>Take a light load your first quarter so that you can get used to the way college is different from high school in terms of workload, etc. It may not seem like much work on paper (looking at how many hrs you're in class, vs. high school) but it is a lot of work.</p>

<p>Keep:
Chem 2A, Mat017A</p>

<p>Drop one of the following & take it later:
Geology of National Parks (Gel 025), Wildlife Ecol Conserv (WLF 010), and SAS 004 (Water in Popular Culture)</p>

<p>Chem 2a is not intentionally a weeder course (I'm a chem TA). With office hours, and co-courses & tutoring from the learning skills center, I don't understand how kids can just bomb general chem so badly. The tests questions are not intended to be hard or tricky. Like what is dihydrogen monoxide? It kills people daily! Major component of acid rain! Oh wait.. it's H20, water. <a href="http://www.dhmo.org%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.dhmo.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

15

<p>I basically agree with everyone above; 18 is too many. Keep the big ones (Chem, Math) and drop one of the smallish ones to end up with 15-16 units for fall.</p>

16

<p>Thanks for the advice from everyone! I decided to drop GEL025..</p>