<p>I am slightly worried that I might screw up my GPA this term. I am taking 19 credits and really would like to keep my GPA for the term above a 3.3 at least. Anybody who has attempted this at a top ten engineering program care to elaborate on their experience and outcome? </p>
<p>My classes for the term;</p>
<p>-Electricity and Optics (PHYS)
-Multivariate Calc (MATH)
-Linear Algebra (MATH)
-Calc based Probability and Statistics
-C Programming (CS)
-Calc based Engineering Econ</p>
<p>I took 18.5 credits at the Cooper Union one semester and I ended up with a 2.7 GPA. Compare that to the 3.5 GPA I graduated with... I wouldn't suggest it, but if you have to, then you have to.</p>
<p>most of ppl that i know in my school (cornell eng) usually take anywhere from 16-20</p>
<p>what's daunting about your schedule is that you filled all of 18 credits with only eng/math courses.</p>
<p>i did that once but my eng advisor strongly <em>strongly</em> discouraged me from doing it. i got 3.3 gpa that term but i would never do that again.</p>
<p>
[quote]
-Electricity and Optics (PHYS)
-Multivariate Calc (MATH)
-Linear Algebra (MATH)
-Calc based Probability and Statistics
-C Programming (CS)
-Calc based Engineering Econ
[/quote]
</p>
<p>My only concern is that you have a lot of math. Though most of those don't look very difficult. Your toughest class will probably be C Programming because you'll spend a lot of time writing programs. Linear algebra, probs & stats, and multivariable calc aren't particuarly difficult courses. I thought engineering econ was really easy as well but it wasn't "calc based" at my school. </p>
<p>Consider replacing one of those math courses with a humanities/social science course if you can.</p>
<p>I have taken 19 hours before and did well. However, I had two 2 hour labs, where if you came to class and put a decent amount of effort in you got an A. </p>
<p>I guess once you start and you feel that you are struggling, you could always drop a class.</p>
<p>so i assume you're a freshman, based on your classes.. </p>
<p>-Electricity and Optics (PHYS)
-Multivariate Calc (MATH)
-Linear Algebra (MATH)
-Calc based Probability and Statistics
-C Programming (CS)
-Calc based Engineering Econ </p>
<p>at my school, uiuc, linear algebra, calc III (multivar), and electricity and optics are fairly simple classes, oriented at problem solving and not so much understanding the concepts (few, if any, proofs). i assume its roughly the same at purdue, so i think you should be fine as long as you work steadily. stats is a wildcard in my experience.. can be an easy class, can be horrible. the econ <em>should</em> be easy, and the C programming should be your timesink..</p>
<p>If you tell us the classes you did last semester and you're gpa, it's a lot simpler to gauge..</p>
<p>but i'd say go for it! gotta go over your limits to know what you can truly manage.. ^^</p>
<p>My guess is the C programming class will take up the largest fraction of your time. The rest of the classes look fairly easy if you're quick with math. It looks doable.</p>
<p>As for the recommendation of swapping a GE for one of the math classes, I have tweaked my schedule a little and I think I can get that to work for me. Ill have to wait until Monday before I know for sure, but good advice, I hadnt looked closely enough for a way to make that work. </p>
<p>As for my class standing, I am not a freshman, just transferring into ENGR from a Business major. Last term I took Calc 2, Modern Mechanics(PHYS), Engineering Problem Solving w/ comp tools (MATLAB programming), and Gen Chem. I had a 3.5 GPA. I am fairly strong in math - top 20% of calc 2 which = B lol, I think the final knocked me out of the A range which is generally reserved for top 10% of class, decent in PHYS, last term = B+, and As in the others.</p>
<p>If I can pull off the 19 credits this term it will allow me to graduate one semester earlier which will help me make up for lost time bc of the transfer.</p>
<p>It depends. I know many people who have taken that many units, including myself. I've found that the number of units I take doesn't really correlate with my grades. If I only take a few classes, I procrastinate and waste my free time. If I take many classes, I have less free time so I cannot procrastinate as much.</p>
<p>Ive done it before and I had a higher gpa then a lower credit amount. Seems I work better when Im tight for time. But even thogh my grades were a little bit better, i was always really tired. So no its not worth it. Theirs no rush.</p>
<p>I'm curious how often your classes meet. With 6 different classes, do they all meet 3x a week?<br>
My son is a freshman engineering student and really overloaded himself during the fall semester with 5.5 credits [it's different at his school, so I think it might be compared to your 18 though perhaps less credits; 4 was the recommended freshman courseload, and 5.5 required special permission from advisor, etc. I think, but engineering always has higher credit course loads.] He felt he blew his GPA as a result, though it's probably more related to his ecs and not his classes. He is taking 5.5 again this semester, but has replaced 2 classes with 2 non-engineering [non-math/science], to balance things out. He's also going to seriously trim his way overloaded extra-curricular schedule. He really wishes he could start over. It stinks that decisions made with best intentions can truly affect what is possible in the future. But, as some doors close, others open of course.</p>
<p>DS did at CMU, on a regular basis. 3.79 graduating gpa. Dual major and a 10hr+/wk job, with professor, and played too. If you are not focused, organized and smart, I believe you will have a difficult time.</p>
<p>It isn't that hard, many in my class do that and I do almost twice the normal workload with just math/physics courses.</p>
<p>But of course since I am in Sweden you have no idea on what I really do, I just hang out here since it is nice to talk about engineering in general.</p>
<p>For me a 4 credit engineering/science course is 3 one hour lectures and a 3 hour lab each week. A 3 credit course is 2 hours of lecture and a 2 hour lab each week.</p>