<p>So as classes started this week, I realized that Calculus in my particular school was a bad idea since a.) our department is under review for too many failure rates, b.) my professor was simply awful, and c.) I don't see myself going into a math major anymore. </p>
<p>Due to these facts, I dropped the class, and now I only have 12 credit hours for my first semester of college. I will take 16 next semester, and i passed my AP Literature exam with an accepted score, so i technically still have an extra 4 credits to my name. (it doesn't take the place of any class, but it gives you the credits. Doesn't really make sense to me!!) </p>
<p>I feel extremely guilty, and with the refund money I will receive from my financial aid, I will enroll in a community college for the spring semester to pick up the slack and ensure my future sophomore ranking. (we need to have 28 credits) </p>
<p>Is it honestly okay to only take 12 credits? I was a top-ten student in my high school, and slowing up the pace makes me feel terrible and bad since my peers are taking 16. I'm also having a hard time adjusting to being away from home, so I'm not sure if I could even handle the stress of going into a class a week late or failing Calculus and ruining my shot at grad school. </p>
<p>Thanks for reading, and I'd really appreciate some help since its almost making me sick with worry. :/</p>
<p>If it isn’t too late to add a class, you should consider taking a GE. Or try finding a campus job. Don’t sit around a waste time. When classes get more difficult your junior and senior year, you will wish you hadn’t wasted this time.</p>
<p>I’m also going to be taking 2 spring classes, and I’m taking a 300-level class next semester. I also have a seasonal job now. I’m trying to balance busy and well-rounded!! :)</p>
<p>Okay. Last year as a freshman I started my first semester with 17 credits. At the end of the semester I finished with 12. I finished the semester with a 4.05 gpa. The next semester I took 18, hardly studied, but still finished with 1 A- and 4 A+'s. With 12 more added from high school, I now have 42 credits, a 3.99 gpa, and I am shooting to get into a top law school.</p>
<p>Are you planning to go to two different schools in the spring? Check to make sure that the community college class will count toward your degree.</p>
<p>i did 12-13 credit hours for 4 straight semesters ahahah. it’s no big deal. sure, maybe im letting my parents’ 50k crumble away going to class for only like 4 hours a week but i had a shipload of ap credit to make up for it. and i changed majors 5 times. it’s alright, no one cares how many credits you actually take. just be sure to not get anything below an A- because with such few classes hits to your gpa hurt a lot</p>
<p>If you’re the overacheiver-type (which you probably are, hence your guilt), it is much, MUCH more beneficial to be able to recognize when you’re in over your head and be able to pull back. A lot of people feel like they’re admitting “defeat,” but it’s actually just smart. It’s so easy in college to take on more than you can handle, especially if you never had problems in high school. But if you kept that class, not only might your gpa have suffered, but your mental health, self-esteem, and social life might have as well. Also, college will be a lot easier if you learn to stop comparing yourself to the people around you. Healthy competition can be motivating, but don’t let it get to the point where you’re worried everyone else is doing it “right” except you. Everyone has a unique situation with a thousand different variables, and it’s just not fair to judge yourself based on that. Trust me, I speak from experience. Also, if you do ever feel worried about your academic choices, you can always go to your advisor to make sure you’re on the right path. He/she knows more about what works than a hundred college freshmen.</p>
<p>Thank you so much everyone!! This actually makes me feel a lot better. with only 12 credits, I’m pretty sure I can give them the perfectionist attention that I’ve always had in high school, and hopefully I can learn to tone it down when I’m not in too deep. And also, what’s deemed as an “acceptable” or “good” GPA for graduate school? I know that at my school, a 4.0 is a 98, 99, or 100. Even though 97 and 96 are still strong A grades, it’s considered a 3.9. So does the A scale change as well?</p>
<p>Phftt my father is forcing me to take 12 credit hours, because I need an “adjustment period” and I sort of agree with him. I think you made a good decision. Shift the classes you need to take into your next semester or take summer classes.</p>
<p>You indicated that you had a few AP classes? If you think about it, progress-wise, you’ll still be in the same place as someone who didn’t take AP classes. There’s nothing wrong with that.</p>
<p>College isn’t about being overly competitive. It’s about learning the material, achieving your goals, and making the best of the experience. It’s perfectly OK to spend an extra year if you need to. It’s also smart to allow yourself room to get acclimated and develop personally instead of waste time failing a class and getting almost nothing out of that.</p>
with only 12 credits, I’m pretty sure I can give them the perfectionist attention that I’ve always had in high school, and hopefully I can learn to tone it down when I’m not in too deep. And also, what’s deemed as an “acceptable” or “good” GPA for graduate school? I know that at my school, a 4.0 is a 98, 99, or 100. Even though 97 and 96 are still strong A grades, it’s considered a 3.9. So does the A scale change as well?</p>