<p>I am planning to take:
1) Calc 3 (3 Units)
2) Chem 111A (3 units) + recitation
3) Chem 151 01 (Chem Lab) (2 Units)
4) Medicine and Socity or Mind, Brain, and Behavior (3 Units) - Special first Year program for Srts/Science
5) Introduction to Psychology(3 Units)</p>
<p>Total 14 Units.</p>
<p>I have heard that freshmen usually takes 15 units. But in my case,
total is only 14 units. Do I need to add more courses or
are they just fine with 14 units?</p>
<p>As usual, I appreciate your advises and inputs.</p>
<p>14 is totally cool - I know people who took as little as 12 (the minimum) their first semester.</p>
<p>
You’ll find that there is little hand holding in college - no one is really going to monitor the exact number of classes you’re taking, unless it looks like you’re going overboard or under several semesters in a row (under being <12, as it puts you at part time).</p>
<p>13-15 units a semester is totally fine. Plus you can always email your adviser about what classes to take and how many. </p>
<p>On another note, don’t let those taking 17-20 units dishearten you. They’re either crazy or really want to graduate early. And some of those might be pass/fail too. Four to five actual classes where you have to put in some effort are around how many you can probably handle so I’d say your schedule now is great!</p>
<p>By the way, if the classes are back to back like 9:00 to 10:00 and 10:00 to 11:00, is it
fine? Unless the classrooms are right next to each other, students need some time to move to the next classroom, right? Please let me know. Thanks again in advance.</p>
<p>There’s a 10 minute passing period (aka classes actually start at 9:10, 10:10, 11:10 etc.), which is enough for just about any trip across campus.</p>
<p>I thought it was 7 past? Unless I’ve completely missed an update recently…</p>
<p>You’ll have some trouble if you’re going from Siegle to Green Hall or something, but for the most part, 7-10 minutes (whichever it is now) is enough time. And most professors usually take a little longer anyways.</p>
<p>14 credits is perfectly fine, though freshman year is truly when you’re most free to take a heavier load. It gets harder to do so as you advance in the academic ladder.</p>
<p>Atemporal - they’re officially changing it to the “10 minute rule” this Fall. I believe in part because of the campus expansion (with the new engineering complex & Green).</p>
<p>They give you some leeway - it depends mostly on which dean you end up with. First semester freshman year I had 15 credits worth of actual courses, and my dean permitted me to take a 1 credit lecture only course on top of them.</p>
<p>^Ah. Well in that case, I don’t think they actually have any power to require artsci kids to take <=15. Just like they can’t stop someone for registering for a class they don’t have prereqs for (although I believe prof’s can force drop someone if they find out?), no dean can physically cap the credit limit. </p>
<p>If you actually want to take more than 15, there’s nothing stopping you from going on webstac on your own and adding whatever the hell you want.</p>
<p>This is especially true because the school encourages class shopping in the first few weeks of school (signing up for classes knowing you’ll drop 1 or 2, just to see which ones you might like best).</p>
<p>My son took 18 the first semester- I don’t think there is a rule. One thing you might consider is the load that you have. All of your classes have a lot of work- even psych will have a lot of reading. You might want to take something that is a little lighter, easier. Also, you can drop classes later in the semester so you might want to sign up for an extra and see how it’s going, drop it if it’s too much.</p>
<p>Johnson, my dean was saying she wouldn’t approve me to register if I had more than 15 credits. Luckily, I convinced her that my 1 credit class didn’t really count. Now, I don’t know if she was simply bluffing or if it was within her bounds to keep me from registering because I was planning on taking more than 15 credits. I do know she has the power to prevent me from registering as advisor consent is required to sign up for classes.</p>
<p>That being said - the deans truly are understanding and want you to succeed. If either you:
A) Want to sign up for >15 credits and “shop around” for a week or two (very useful, highly recommended, especially if undecided),</p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>B) Sincerely wish to take more than 15 credits first semester,</p>
<p>then talk to them, explain yourself. Chances are good that they’ll listen to what you have to say and allow it.</p>
haha</p>