I will be attending community college in the fall of 2015. I plan to take 32 credits. To give you a background, I’ve had a 4.0 in high school and a 2150 SAT. I also scored a 110 on the AMC 12, if that helps. I’m pretty knowledgeable in the classes I’m going to take. I’m just wondering about the course load. How hard will the following schedule be for me:
Physics A (mechanics w/calculus)
Physics B( Electricity/magnetism)
CS61A (Berkeley level class at Laney college)
CS61B ( berkeley level class at CC)
freshman english
multivariate calculus
linear algebra
differential equations
Why are you attending community college if you’ve been so successful in high school? Financial reasons? Just asking…
It’ll be hard, but you seem like someone who can handle it. I see no purpose in doing so, but if it makes you feel better and if you can do it without losing it then go for it.
I would do one physics, one CS, one English and one math course, that’s 16 credits. College is not the same as high school. And you wouldn’t want to hurt your GPA because at one point you will want to trsnsfer to a university to finish your degree. Then second semester you can take the remaining courses.
32 credits will be a very heavy course load, since the normal load is 15 or 16. CS with programming and physics with lab will be high work courses. English can be also for some students.
I’m confused about why you’re planning to take both physics courses at the same time. I have never seen ANY college, community or otherwise, that recommends you do that.
I’ll be studying really hard over summer for these classes. I have taken calculus based mechanics and E/M classes in high school I plan to 12-14 hours of studying over the summer so I won’t be stressed during the fall… Is that a legit plan?
OK think about this logically.
A credit is meant to represent an hour spent in class during the week. Essentially you’re planning on spending 32 hours per week in class (around double the amount of time/credits must students take at any school in a given semester) and that doesn’t even include time spent doing homework and studying. More probably than not the math and physics classes will have weekly problem sets due and if the CS classes are actually “Berkeley level” them you will be spending a considerable amount of time working on programming assignments (no matter how proficient of a programmer you are). Furthermore the English class will probably involve a decent amount of writing.
There simply is not enough time in a week to go to class, do all your required work, study, and still have time to eat. Take 18 credits (or 21-22 if you’re feeling ambitious) but for the sake of your sanity don’t take 32.
No. It is not a “legit plan”. It’s asking for a bunch of withdrawals or failures. I don’t know anyone who has gone over 24 hours and that was a burden for someone who was very smart and a workhorse.
I have to ask why you are doing this, other than to prove that you can? Are some of these classes on-line? If not, have you determined that there won’t be scheduling conflicts? Eighteen credits is tough,but students do it frequently. I wouldn’t recommend more than that, especially at the beginning. If you want to hold out for someone to tell you it’s a great idea, you will be wasting your time. Maybe someone will post about a friend of a friend who managed 30 . . . 40 . . . eighteen gazillion credits, but anyone who tells you that 32 credits is a feasible courseload is lying.
You need to be reasonable. Take 15-16 hours and do very well. Without a high GPA, you can’t transfer. You are setting yourself up for a huge train wreck. Do you need to work? Why are you at CC?
You can’t expect to do the work ahead of time by studying hard this summer. You still have to attend class, work on projects and assignments, keep up with the material. All of these classes are time consuming, that’s why they are 4 credit classes. You are better off to do 16 credits per semester, half the load with only one Physics and CS course in each semester and do really well and have time to work. With a higher GPA you have better transfer options.
CC tuition might be affordable enough right now, but the 2 years at university will cost a lot more, especially if you can’t commute there. You can only borrow $7,500 on your own for junior and senior year. So think long-term goal and take a reasonable course load, do well in your classes and work and save money for later.
No, it is not realistic to take all those courses and get good grades. Have you asked the faculty who many hours of work the “Berkeley-level” CS classes will involve? Have you put all these courses into a calendar and then added the assumed number of study hours for each one?
I have never heard of a student doing 32 credits in one semester. Aren’t some of these course prerequisites for others on your list? Isn’t Physics A a prerequisites for Physics B? Multivariate Calculus a prerequisite for Differential Equations/Linear Algebra? Did you do AP Calculus and Phyics in High School? If so, what was your scores?
What are your motivations for doing 32 credits in one semester? Are you trying to get into a 4-year University after one year? The schedule is beyond silly!
I would think the school would require that you get special permission to sign up for 32 credits… Have you met with anyone at the CC? Have you gotten any real guidance from them? I think you need to have a sit down with someone who can “know” you, talk about the rigors of the suggested 32 credits, approve or reject your request and help you with a plan. As others have suggested, if you are trying to transfer to a 4 year university, you’ll need grades to support the application. Doing “ok” in 32 credits won’t help at all. Doing great in 20 - 24 would be fantastic.
Actually a guy at UVA managed to earn a double major in math and physics in only 1 year. He took 37 credit hours in his second semester. Obviously it’ll be tough, but if you have to do it, there’s no one who’s going to stop you–except for yourself and the CC itself.