<p>It really depends on what the classes are-- that sounds like a pretty tough load. People do five (or six or seven) classes a semester all the time, but the extras are usually things like music performance or student forums that have negligible work. Five tough academic classes would suck a lot, I think.</p>
<p>Seniors who post on collegeconfidential (and I was one of them) think they can come to college and triple-major while fulfilling med school and IR certificate requirements in between practices for the varsity quidditch team and rehearsals for an original play which they co-wrote and directed. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Let me tell you, 5 academic classes your first semester is a very bad idea. It is, in fact, a bad idea to take 5 classes a semester at ANY POINT in college unless you really pick and choose them carefully. Let me tell you why. The vast majority of your grade in most academic classes is comprised of the results of the midterm and final tests/papers. Taking 5 classes means that you might get crummy results during those periods simply because you're writing so many papers/tests that you can't do any single one of them well; you just run out of time, so you have to do a rush job. </p>
<p>If you want to take 5 academic classes and DO WELL on them, you'd better be extremely careful just what you choose. I'd take a minimum of one of those courses pass/fail, just so if I was really pressed I'd be able to slack one class in favor of the others. I am double majoring and I'm still trying to avoid having to take more than 4 courses, because I'm worried about my GPA for grad school.</p>
<p>Just remember that when you try to defy the many-decade-old practice of 4 courses a semester in favor of 5.</p>
<p>wow...who does seven full courses a semester? you must have to be taking adderall constantly to accomplish that. and possess magical powers. and other things.
and even then i have no idea how it's possible.
(--a second-year transfer student who just got her wesleyan decision but also just got her swarthmore decision and is going to swarthmore)</p>
<p>Totally depends on the classes you're taking. I know a kid who probably takes atleast 6-7 classes a semester.</p>
<p>I've always taken more than 4, but this is the first semester I've regretted it. But that's because I'm taking orgo and orgo lab.</p>
<p>I'm think of double majoring in NS&B and CS, but NS&B seems to have a lot of requirements and there is no overlap between the two. Does anybody know if that combination is reasonably doable?</p>
<p>You can probably do it but you'll have to be on top of things a bunch...</p>
<p>You're right that there are probably not that many overlaps, so it'd be a tougher double major, but doable.</p>
<p>I know a history and astronomy double major, who's having a great time and she has no overlap.</p>
<p>I know someone who's a NS&B and Math double major, and the math major requirements are similar (and certainly not any easier) than the comp sci ones. I say it's definitely doable - but it just might take some planning to figure out. (Also, you may not be able to go abroad, if that's something you're considering.)</p>