<p>Is this too much workload for my first quarter? I've talked to my friends going to other UC's (Davis, LA, Berkeley) and they are taking 3 classes, so I wonder if 5 is normal for Freshman 1st quarter.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>PS: The way I have preplanned my schedule is that the closest time between classes is 10 minutes for Math 20B to ANTH23. Is that sufficient amount of time going from Leddon to Center?</p>
<p>I’m a freshman, too, but an English major, so I don’t think I have the best advice–sorry! But being a freshman, I do have this advice: if you talk to or email your advisor, they would most likely suggest 16 units for your first quarter to get a feel for the speedy quarter system.</p>
<p>Also, I thought this link might be helpful in calculating the quickest ways to get from one building to another. You can even adjust how fast you walk to see how much time it will take.</p>
<p>As a freshman, I wouldn’t advise taking 5 classes. That being said, you can always sign up for 5 and drop 1 (or 2) if you feel like it’s too much work. I’ve take 5 classes and a lab for the past two quarters so I certainly can be done, but as a freshman it’s not really advisable unless you REALLY have a reason to be doing it like to graduate a year early or something like that.</p>
<p>And 10 minutes is long enough to get from Ledden to Center.</p>
<p>^Me too. I’ve never heard an advisor doing that before. When you get here you can always go in and talk to one of the academic advisors at Revelle and see what they recommend and if they recommend five classes you can ask why.</p>
<p>you probably got recommended to taken 5 classes because you’re an engineering major, and engineering majors really do have heavier course loads on average. that being said… this seems like quite an overwhelming schedule. you should do what KingsElite suggested and sign up for all 5 classes at first. then if you feel it necessary (which you probably will…) you can drop 1-2 classes or change the grading scheme (like taking French lit p/np). just make sure you drop before the deadline to do so, otherwise you’re stuck with 5 classes. deadline is usually 2 weeks after classes begin. </p>
<p>overall, i would suggest at least changing LIFR to p/np, if not dropping a class altogether. i think it’s risky for freshmen to jump right into college with a heavy course load. you may end up finding those 5 classes very manageable, but i would still hesitate to make that assumption because this schedule really is quite heavy. so give it a try at first, with the caveat that you are very likely to change it. </p>
<p>also, look at a mech engineering 4-year plan. you probably need to take 4 classes just about every quarter, if not 5. so this is actually quite typical of engineering majors…</p>
<p>The period to drop without a W is by the end of the 4th week. You’re thinking of how long you have to add a class which is by the end of the 2nd week.</p>
<p>Oh please don’t do 5 classes in your first quarter of college Wonderva. I commend you for trying to do your best academically, but college is much more than just about academics. I’m a Revelle student as well, so I understand why you would want to take 5 classes. Those GE requirements are ****ing ridiculous, but hear me out.</p>
<p>Taking 5 classes have its upsides, but it certainly have its downs. In college, you’re going to want to join other clubs and programs, get a side job, make some friends and get involved. If you take 5 classes, you’re going to be overwhelmed with work. Even if you manage to get good grades, I assure you that you won’t be satisfied with your college life.</p>
<p>College is so much more different compared to high school; there are simply a LOT more things to do. For instance:
I took 4 classes for my first quarter of college, but I was also involved in leadership programs, community service clubs, programming boards, took a hiphop class for fun, joined the TaekwonDo club, went to the gym, and now I’m part of the student governing body. For me this was NOT do-able in first quarter ever in college, my grades suffered and the quality of work I put in my extracurriculars were not great. As I got accustomed to the college education system, my grades gradually got better, and my juggling skills between my academics, social life, and extracurriculars improved.</p>
<p>If I could do it all over again I would have taken 3 classes my fall quarter and gradually take on more classes when I felt ready.</p>
<p>If you’re only planning to focus on academics, fine, take 5 classes. Just remember at the end of the quarter: I tried to warn you.</p>
<p>I completely agree with xxmsp91. College is more than academics. It is not necessary to take 5 classes your first quarter. You want to have time to meet people, adjust to college life, join clubs/sports/frats and adjust to being independent for the first time. For some this is a more difficult transition than others. Your first quarter in college is very important in setting the tone of your freshman year. If you are too overwhelmed your first quarter you might not enjoy school as much. In my opinion winter quarter was the hardest quarter just because its right in the middle. The excitement has worn off, classes are more challenging(intensive writing) and nice weather/hanging at the beach/sungod are far away. Also, the quarter system is merciless. However, it is your decision just remember college is nothing like hs.</p>
<p>Also, when should you select Pass/No Pass vs Letter Grade? Is it for a class that you think you can pass but barely, or is it to lighten the workload?</p>
<p>For ex: do you guys reccomend me select Pas/No Pass for ETHN 1A, a class I have no real excitement for and I just chose to fullfill my 2 Revelle requirements?</p>
<p>Ethnic studies are pretty easy and interesting classes. Don’t just brush off a class because its a GE and you don’t think you will like it. I don’t think you’ll need to take it p/np especially because you have a good chance at an A. You should take a class p/np if you believe it will be very difficult/ you will get a bad grade. You have a couple weeks before you need to decide if you want to take a class p/np.</p>
<p>wonderva,
it’s both. i personally take a class p/np because i don’t want to stress out about my grade in that class - and if i don’t need to, why should i? so, first you decide if you can even take the class p/np (if it counts for your major, you can’t. some GE classes also must be taken for letter, such as writing GE). then, you think about how easy it is to get an A (or whatever grade you desire), and how willing you are to put in the effort to achieve that grade. if it’s an easy A, take it for letter. if it’s not an easy A, then i would shoot for p/np. if it’s somewhere in between, you can be the judge. </p>
<p>personally, i don’t like to take too many classes p/np, but i certainly seize the opportunity when i find it beneficial, e.g. taking literature p/np allowed me to focus on my math and science classes first quarter and took off a lot of unnecessary stress. i don’t regret that decision at all. doesn’t mean the class was hard (i realized 7-8 weeks in that I could easily get an A- if i wanted) but here’s what i got out of it: the other 7-8 weeks i didn’t have to stress out at all about the class. and that really helped because my math class was a nightmare. so i think it was well worth it to take lit p/np even if i could’ve ended up with a good grade. so judge for yourself.</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“CampusMap”>http://campusmap.michaelkelly.org/]CampusMap[/url</a>] I’m not sure if you have received this link yet, but it allows you to estimate the time it takes to walk from one class to another. That sounds extremely rigorous. You should at least limit yourself to 4 classes, although most suggest 3, for your first year. Allow yourself some time to assimilate into college life. How will yu make new friends and do extra-curriculars??</p>
But being a freshman, I do have this advice: if you talk to or email your advisor, they would most likely suggest 16 units for your first quarter to get a feel for the speedy quarter system.</p>