Freshman schedule help!!!

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>I'm going to be starting a double degree program- BM in Piano Performance & BA in History, plus I have an idea for a minor too, not for sure if I'll do that too. Basically, I figure I have to take more than the average # of classes per semester, even with the AP credits I have.</p>

<p>Normal course load at my school is 4 course units; 1 unit = 4 semester credits, so just use that as a conversion factor. I figure I have to somehow take at least 5 every semester. Music majors are allowed up to 5.5 per semester, so it's apparently doable for 5 if they allow 5.5 I guess. </p>

<p>I haven't signed up for classes yet- we do that during orientation in August, but we're supposed to have an idea of what we want to take.</p>

<p>I have to take my piano lessons (music major lessons), an ensemble, clarinet (minor instrument) lessons, freshman gateway course (writing course), and a few other things that are my choice after that. Plus, music majors have to attend something like 14 of 15 concerts in a semester too, for a course that's required but doesn't count for any credits/units.</p>

<p>How's this sound? I know it's probably a lot, but I don't know how else I'm going to get it all in if I don't take 5 units or more a semester.</p>

<p>All the #s in this list are the course units (remember, 1 unit = 4 credits). This is 5 units, as opposed to a normal/average of 4-4.5 at a time.</p>

<p>MUS 181- 0.5 unit (piano lessons- once a week for an hour, don't know the time yet because that's scheduled later after your other classes. Lesson, in addition to a weekly piano major class thing- W 6:30-8:00pm)
Ensemble 0.25 unit (have to audition for a specific one, either 3-4 hours a week of rehearsal time)
MUS 100- 0.25 (clarinet lessons, 30 minutes once a week)
HIST 160- History of Latin America- 1 unit (MWF 10:00-10:50)
HIST 100- Chinese History intro- 1 unit MW 2:00-3:15 (trying to do 2 easy 100 history courses before I get to hard 300/400 ones later where I just take 1 at a time probably)
ECON 100- Intro to Economics- 1 unit (gen ed requirement, plus will help for history stuff) don't know which section yet, but either way 3 hours & 20 minutes class each week, probably the section that's M 11:00-11:50 & TR 10:50-12:05
Gateway 100 (the freshman writing course)- 1 unit- don't know specifically which class yet, but whatever it is, it's 2.5 hours a week of class. We selected our top 7 choices and they'll place us in one of those, and I checked the class times- any of the 7 would fit within my other classes.
plus a PE class, 0 units but still required, 2.5 hours a week but a very easy class (I've kind heard quite a few are easy and I'll definitely pick an easy one because of everything else I have here...) </p>

<p>A normal freshman music major would maybe take this, minus one of the history classes, so take out 2.5 hours of class a week.</p>

<p>Music major, so probably wondering why no music theory course? I'm taking a placement test to test out of Theory I, so if that works, then this schedule works and I take Theory II next semester. If not, then I'll have to take that and drop something else.</p>

<p>Class time: 60 minutes piano lesson + 90 minute weekly studio class each once a week, 3-4 hours ensemble rehearsal, 30 minute clarinet lesson once a week, 2.5 hours a week for each history class, 3 hours & 20 min for econ class, 2.5 hours a week for gateway class, and 2.5 hours for PE class. Most likely as a freshman I'll end up in the lower band, which is the 3 hr ensemble, not the 4 hrs of weekly rehearsal. I'd love to get into the higher band, but not expecting it. Auditions are first week of classes.</p>

<p>As far as trying to take 2 100-level history classes...I haven't taken anything in either of those areas, so I'd like to learn about something different. I've taken AP US & AP Euro, so I have a good background in college-level history (US 4 and Euro 5 on exams).</p>

<p>Homework: Piano expected to practice something like 20 hours a week, clarinet probably 7-10 hours a week (maybe less...idk), homework/study for 2 history classes (5 hours class per week for the 2, so maybe 10ish hours homework/study), maybe 7-8 hours hw for econ idk, 5-6 hrs for gateway course, probably not any homework for a PE class, right?</p>

<p>I don't have to work on campus; that's optional if I have time. Really I just have class, homework/studying, practicing, concerts, maybe some clubs/activities a little bit...</p>

<p>I don't know what else to do about it though because I have a bunch of classes to fit in- I tried to figure out a whole schedule for all through college.</p>

<p>Thoughts/opinions/help???</p>

<p>Also, thanks for reading ALL of that! I know it was a REALLY long explanation!</p>

<p>EDIT: Adding this info...None of those courses are lab/science courses with that kind of time stuff. I'm planning on taking my gen ed science lab course later, like in a May Term class (where you only take the 1 class at a time)</p>

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<p>Ok I think I’ve got a gist of it. You might find it slightly overwhelming. Econ can be tricky. I don’t know how good of a history or music student you are, I figure those will either be easy loads or tough. You might want to talk to your advisor at orientation and get their opinion on it; I know some schools don’t even let first-semester freshmen overload. </p>

<p>Like I said in the other thread, you can go for it but don’t be afraid to drop a course if you find it’s just too much. I know you said you’re not the most social person but even us loners need to focus away from work.</p>

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<p>Yeah I am required to plan this with an advisor and have them approve it, but if it looks totally crazy/abnormal to many people on here, then I might have to rethink some stuff. I don’t want the advisor to think I’m completely crazy. </p>

<p>I think they let us overload. I read in last year’s first year info packet (it’s online, and they should be sending out this year’s very soon) that first semester freshman “should avoid taking over 4.0 units in the fall.” So it says “should avoid,” but doesn’t say “can’t” so I don’t think we’re prohibited from it, just advised against it except in cases where it’s necessary, maybe, idk, just my guess from the info I have so far.</p>

<p>Thanks for your opinion though- so it looks “slightly overwhelming” but you wouldn’t say it’s the worst one you’ve seen or an impossible schedule?</p>

<p>I’d like to add that I took 4 APs at school senior year, plus 1 self-study AP, 2 regular HS classes, and practicing for college auditions for my piano major. It was busy but doable. (don’t know if that info makes a difference)</p>

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<p>I’ve heard of people who are engineering or pre-med majors overloading… THAT’S nuts.</p>

<p>If it was doable then that’s pretty good. You spend a lot less time “in school” in college, so if you’re a fast worker then you might find it to be a very manageable load.</p>

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<p>Since you thought econ could be the tough one of of those, maybe it’d help if I bought an AP Micro/Macro prep book and at least read through the information this summer, so I’d have some understanding of the material for an introductory course in that before it starts. My school didn’t offer that AP- they had a regular course, but I didn’t have time to take it. For the history courses I at least have a good AP background.</p>

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<p>I would be concerned that you have not taken into account the actual amount of time that you will be practicing outside of class. Music majors that I knew spent huge amounts of time practicing. Econ can be tricky, depending on the instructor, so can history (the reading load in history classes can be not so heavy, or can be crazy heavy) Homework can be workable, or it can be a real bear. Please talk to you advisor, he/she will know much better than you do as to “real world” timetables (not trying to smack you, it’s just that college is different from high school, even if you were a high achieving, disciplined student taking a number of AP classes.) First semester can be a huge adjustment both academically and socially, please don’t set yourself up to always be in your room studying, at the music building practicing, or in the library reading, and miss out on those incredibly important social connections first semester that can make you feel like you are a part of and connected to your roommate/floor/dorm/college. You can always take classes over a summer later on down the line (online/local/local community college that transfers to your school, etc.). Overwhelmed, lonely and not feeling plugged in is a crappy way to start second semester.</p>

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<p>Are you sure you want to overload your very first semester in college? You have four (or more) years to do so.<br>
The idea of the AP economics book is a good one- you should definitely try to read up and learn a little before you start the classes. Either way, you’ll be able to drop classes if you find the workload is too much.</p>

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<p>My school doesn’t offer summer classes on campus, and while some might transfer in from an online summer school or community college, I’d have to talk to someone and find out how many I could do that with. </p>

<p>@PRiNCESSMAHiNA: Why I want to overload right away- because I have several credits to take later, and I’ll still have to take just as much then to get done in time, so I figure I have to start with that now.</p>

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<p>I’m trying to do something similar. Double major and minor.</p>

<p>If I were you, I would look at the specific courses required for you to graduate and see which ones overlap/which ones you could take in the summer/which ones you must take in a certain semester and just kind of figure out how it’s possible.</p>

<p>For me, putting Theatre, French, and an education minor together is like a giant puzzle piece, and I’m supposed to complete 169 hours to do both. On top of that, the last semester, I can only take 15 hours and it has to be two specific courses. But after looking at it, even if I did 18 hours a semester (which is the maximum usually), it would still only be 144 hours after four years, so I’m definitely going to have to do summer school and I might still only graduate in five years. Luckily, my university has a four-year branch in my hometown and I can take as many summer classes there as I want and it counts as an in-house class.</p>

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<p>

This is exactly what I was going to say. I went to a performing arts magnet high school and I can assure you that 20 hours/week is not going to cut it if you really want to be a music major. I practiced four hours a day in high school during the week, six hours on weekends; that means 32 hours/week in high school. Having gone to a performing arts high school, I know many majors who practice 6-8 hours or more every day (38-56 hours/week). Admittedly those are only the best, but that’s the commitment level you are expected to have as a music major. Doing two instruments is an even bigger time commitment.</p>

<p>I’m a history major, but I can only truly speak for my own college: good history courses involve hours upon hours of reading. In addition, you will have a few papers to write each semester. Having AP European/US History under your belt is good, but that obviously won’t cut it. While that knowledge base is good to have, one does not learn to write college level history papers in an AP course, though that is what College Board would like the general public to believe. Additionally, you took AP US/European History and your two history classes are History of Latin America and Chinese History intro, two areas in which you have no formal experience. I took AP European/US/World History in high school and except for background knowledge (the one thing you lack for your chosen history courses), they didn’t help me all that much.</p>

<p>Also, as RioBravo said, many people find econ to be tricky.</p>

<p>

Talk to the heads of the departments in which you wish take summer courses. You might be able to take courses at a university closer to home, if you plan to go home for the summer.</p>

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<p>One more thing: as an incoming freshman, you don’t have any real way of knowing exactly what courses you want to take with which professors and at what times, much less for the next four years. Do not expect any schedule you make of the next four years to be remotely accurate.</p>

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<p>@zchryevns- How many papers, on average, have you had to write for your history major courses per semester? </p>

<p>@ PRiNCESSMAHiNA- aren’t you a history major too? I think I read that on another thread…how much time on average have you spent reading for history courses in college? Just trying to get a few more opinions on it. Also, how many papers per semester on average?</p>

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<p>It’s all specific to the school and course. If you can get away with only taking one upper-level history course at a time later on as you have planned, my requirements are very different from yours.</p>

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<p>My history major requirements are: 10 courses, including Hist290 & Hist 490, and the other 8 courses must have 4 at 300/400 level.</p>

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<p>bump more help/opinions please!</p>

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<p>“@ PRiNCESSMAHiNA- aren’t you a history major too? I think I read that on another thread…how much time on average have you spent reading for history courses in college? Just trying to get a few more opinions on it. Also, how many papers per semester on average?”</p>

<p>Yeah, I’m a history major. I did barely any of the readings, and only had to write 3 papers each semester. The professor I had tested on what he taught in class, and recommended the readings as a supplement. I did them a few times, but realized there was nothing in there that I didn’t already know or that he hadn’t already taught, so I ended up using the book as a paperweight, except for exam times. Then, I skimmed and through the chapters the day before the test. I’ve actually found that watching documentaries on the subjects helps me absorb and learn the information better, so I’m probably not the best person to take reading advice from:)</p>

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<p>Are history papers in college usually research papers, or more “complete analysis/thesis-driven” papers?</p>

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<p>My history papers were more of the latter, based on non-textbook readings we did. The research papers were in my anthropology and English classes.</p>

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<p>So a lot of undergrad history courses, would you say they’re something like that- reading plus about 3 papers (some maybe with 2, others 4)? Length of papers??</p>

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<p>The papers we wrote in History were a minimum of four pages. Unless the professor says otherwise, you should always go over a little. Mine were usually 5-6.</p>