<p>Hey all! I was wondering how hard it would be to take more than 16 credits a semester at USC. </p>
<p>My mom was talking to me about college course loads and told me that the absolute minimum for a full time college student was 16 credits a semester, but that most people take five or six courses (20-24 credits) a semester. She took 28/semester as a college student herself.</p>
<p>Absolute minimum for full-time status at USC is 12 units. Many people take 16 (4 4-unit classes). Some take an extra 2-unit class because paying full tuition is a flat fee up to 18 units.</p>
<p>Most students take 16 units.</p>
<p>"The university recommends that undergraduate students register for no more than 18 units. Permission to enroll in more than 20 units requires written approval from the school or home department of the student's major."
USC</a> Catalogue: Academic Policies: Registration</p>
<p>Each additional unit over 18 units costs $1,185.
USC</a> Catalogue: Tuition and Fees: Tuition and Policies</p>
<p>Rhetorical question: where and when did your mom go to college?</p>
<p>Engineers usually take 18 - three 4 credits and two 3 credits. Most other students take 16 units - four 4 credits, and possibly a 1 or 2 unit exercising class or something. Because engineers have so many requirements, we kind of get screwed into shoving stuff into our schedule. The three unit classes typically are the same or worse than the four units :(</p>
<p>Does USC allow a shopping period like Harvard? When do you have to pay if you go over the 18 units?</p>
<p>
[quote]
My mom was talking to me about college course loads and told me that the absolute minimum for a full time college student was 16 credits a semester, but that most people take five or six courses (20-24 credits) a semester. She took 28/semester as a college student herself.
[/quote]
this must have been on the quarter system, where the general guideline is one quarter unit equals 2/3 a semester unit. or if not on quarter, the value of the unit has changed or was different. </p>
<p>a full time student at USC (and i'm sure most other schools) needs a min of 12 units.</p>
<p>16 is standard, even for engineers. there WILL be some semesters with 18 (e.g., my last semester, with no fluff classes), and there will be some 16-17 unit semesters with fluff classes (e.g. my current semester, with a 1 unit swimming class). all depends...i'm EE, and my AP credits tested me out of enough classes that in senior year, the most required units i could take for BOTH semesters combined would be 15 hahaha. hence why i'm minoring and possibly even double majoring in Philosophy. like i said...all depends :D</p>
<p>To answer some questions, she went to University of Hawaii (financial reasons) and took seven classes/half year. </p>
<p>Thanks for all your helpful info!</p>
<p>I'm asking because I'm planning to finish undergrad in three years (TAP program) and would like to additionally finish a BS (Bio) in those three years. Although I COULD take four years, my parents don't want to have to pay for that extra year. </p>
<p>Would it be possible to take courses simultaneously in the School of Pharmacy and Undergrad?</p>
<p>oops...rhetorical question.</p>
<p>S'ok- the "rhetorical question" was meant to point out that she was not in college at the same place and time (and system) as you.</p>