<p>I know we don't pick classes 'til O-Week, but I was looking at the online course schedules... just for kicks. </p>
<p>I have three questions:</p>
<p>1) Is the Rice campus small enough that taking classes within 10 minutes of each other (ex. 9:00 - 9:50 class followed by a 10:00 - 10:50 class) feasible?</p>
<p>2) What is the typical/average freshman courseload at Rice?</p>
<p>3) Why are all the LPAPs full?!?</p>
<p>I'm not a student, but I think I can help. (Real students chime in and correct any errors I make.) 1) Yes, you should be able to make it across campus for class. 2) Average courseload is way too many classes; about 5, as opposed to 4 at many schools. 3) the LPAPs are all full because continuing students often sign up for way more classes than they will eventually take - they are juggling their schedules to try to get the perfect schedule. There is a generous add/drop period at the beginning of the year, and there is a lot of movement as kids rearrange their schedules and drop out of the extra classes. I know my D had an LPAP the first semester as a freshman.... (and, if it happens that there is not a spot in the LPAP that you want first semester, there are tons of club sports and between-college teams and open gym and groups running the loop, etc that you can participate in to keep active.)</p>
<p>anxiousmom was mostly correct...</p>
<p>1) I've had several classes within 10 minutes of each other, and it's definitely doable. The thing is, most of those classes were in the same building. If you'r going from, say, Dell Butcher to Herzstein, 10 minutes probably isn't enough time. But you shouldn't be worrying about that yet; your O-Week advisors will help you out (who knows, maybe I'll be yours...)</p>
<p>2) Rice students tend to pile on the classes a bit more than students at other schools do. An average courseload is five academic classes, which usually translates to between 15 and 17 hours. You can tack an LPAP on to that, too. My first semester I took 5 classes (15 hours) plus an LPAP, and it was perfectly manageable.</p>
<p>3) LPAPs typically fill up rather quickly. Seniors get to register first, and if they haven't gotten their LPAPs done yet, they'll sign up and take a spot. LPAPs probably aren't going to open up any time soon. During my O-Week, however, about 10 new spots opened up in each LPAP so freshmen could register. This, however, was a registration error, and it caused several people to get kicked out of the LPAPs for which they had signed up. Again, your O-Week advisors will help you out.</p>
<p>To confirm from a real student:
1) No two academic buildings are more than a 10 minute walk away from each other - the only problem you might have is if the professor in your first class likes to go over by a few minutes, in which case you have to hurry.
2) I'd aim for about 15 hours. A lot of people try to do more, and it's entirely doable, but usually there's no reason to and you have more time to do cool things around campus and actually get to focus on and enjoy your classes with a less intense courseload.
3) And yes, Rice's system for dropping classes is really lax (first semester students are able to drop until the last day of classes, for all others can drop until midway through the semester) which results in people starting out with really full course-loads and dropping in the first few weeks, resulting in some classes being full (of which, as someone signed up for 20 hours, I am guilty of ..... though I don't think that any of mine besides my lpap, which I know that I'm taking, have reached their cap). But with a lot of classes, you can show up on the first day with a special registration form, talk to the professor and convince him that you want to be in his class, and he'll allow you to add. Or people will drop the class and you can take their spots.</p>
<ol>
<li>Yeah ten minutes is enough.</li>
<li>Average is about 15 credit hours, but for me it is the average because I have had a semester of 13 credit hours followed by one of 18, then 15, then twelve (study abroad), and I will probably have about 17 so those average around to 15, but as you can see I haven't taken 15 credit hours every semester. I think this is pretty typical of Rice though. Students have heavier courseloads depending on the semester they are in. If you are a BioE or any other Engineering major you will have most of your cousrses planned out for you (but you will still have time to squeeze in a few electives) and you will get that sheet during Academic Advising during O-week. </li>
<li>Most first years won't get into an LPAP their first semester. I was able to get into an LPAP my first semester, though, so it is possible (and there were other first years in the class too). But what anxiousmom said about people signing up for classes then dropping them is correct. You can still go to the first few classes and probably someone will drop out and the instructor will let you add. Generally, the dance LPAPs lack guys.... which in your case doesn't help. What you can do is keep stocking esther all throughout o-week. That is how i got into mine (whenever you have a chance, just check to see if anyone dropped a class and jump on it if it is one you want).</li>
</ol>
<p>Ahh people respond so quickly! :)</p>
<p>I've occasionally had trouble getting from class to class in 10 minutes - for example, from Autry (the gym, where most LPAPs are held) to Sewall (close to the admissions office) and from Herzstein (the physics building) to Dell Buthcher (the new chemistry building). Still, it's never been an issue - I've hardly ever been late, and no prof has ever given me dirty looks for walking in one minute late or anything like that. Having a bike might help you out in that situation, though it takes a few extra minutes to unlock and re-lock your bike. </p>
<p>IMO, though most people do take a medium to heavy class load (here, I'd define medium as 15 or 16 hrs, which is equivalent to 5 classes + maybe a lab class, and heavy as 17+), it's totally manageable if you put some thought into your scheduling. For instance, as a science major, you need to complete a bunch of labs for your major. Is it wise to do 3+ labs in one semester? No (I learned the hard way). By the middle of the week, if you're like me, you'll be burned out. If you love love love math and science, then maybe a schedule of all math and science classes is for you, but if you like math and science but also need a change of pace during your week, you might sign up for 3 math and science classes and 2 classes that help you meet distribution requirements/sound interesting/are something that you'd like to learn about.</p>