co op question

Is it possible to finish my undergrad at northeastern in 4 years if I do two co-ops?

Yes, in most majors. Pharmacy, architecture, physical therapy require 5 or 6 years at any school.

Yes, if your co-op jobs start & end in summer.

@4kidsdad

A co-op would not be starting and ending in summer - that would be an internship. Additionally, the 4-year plans at NEU actually utilize classes in the summer and full January-June or July-December co-op’s.

@pikit1991

Yes, Tom is correct. You usually need to come in with AP credit, and expect to be in classes during your summers, but it is very possible. I am getting a BS/MS in CS here in 5 years with 2 co-ops - take off the 1 year of masters and that’s a 4 year 2 co-op plan, and I have 4 total months of summer vacation over the course of that.

At least in the college of science, they now say that you can do any major as a 4 year, 2 co-op program. If you come in with AP or IB credit, it will be easier, but even if you don’t this is still an option. It does require careful scheduling to make sure you stay on track, though, so be sure to meet with your academic advisor early on.

Also, don’t feel locked into 4 years because that’s the normal college thing. I started planning to do 3.5 years and 1 co-op. One I started, though, I saw the opportunities I could have by taking additional courses and a minor and going on multiple co-ops in different settings. I ended up staying for 5 years and doing 3 co-ops, all of which really shaped the direction I wanted to go. I used to be really focused on pushing through and being the youngest and the first at things, and then I realized that no one cares. It’s more important that you do things well.

Is it doable with a computer science major?

Yep! That is what I am and am essentially doing plus my Masters.

@PengsPhils

Did you come in with any AP credit?

I came in with 22 AP credits. - I could do it without though, it just means I have more general electives.

Side note - when I was looking at colleges, I got very hung up on how many AP credits schools would give. The biggest thing it did was give me flexibility, and I ended up graduating with waaaay more credits than I needed for my degree. You need 128 credits to graduate (perhaps a bit more depending on your major, especially in the sciences), which assumes 16 credits per semester for 8 semesters. If you have labs, 1 credit classes (like intro to your major), or 1 credit electives (like band), those add up quickly. I graduated with 59 more credits than I needed after 7.5 semesters of class (and starting with 45 credits). That averages to ~19 credits per semester, which may be a lot at some schools, but the way things are structured at Northeastern, that’s not totally unreasonable.

Moral of the story: there are a lot of ways to fit in credits: AP, summer classes, 1 credit freebie classes, an online course while on co-op.