I’m picking my schedule and as of right now I am taking 5 classes every Tuesday and Thursday. My mom wants me to change it but I’m not sure. I took AP and IB in high school and feel like most of my classes are easy. Is this a good idea or am I being stupid?
My schedule starts at 9:30am and ends at 7:30 pm
I’m taking Intermediate Spanish
An English course
Art appreciation
Stats reasoning and application
Precalculus
So it gives you only 2 days a week in class?
I would think that, at test and exam time, you’re going to be swamped.
And, at some point, a minor illness would mean missing every single class if you’re out for one day.
Personally, I would go for a more balanced schedule, even at the cost of losing those days off.
DS had set up his freshman fall to have Fridays off. Deliberately didn’t do that again in the spring. He found that he was fresher for class and better at getting homework done if it was mixed up a bit.
Task variety can be your friend, and a schedule that doesn’t require grinding along at one activity for hours at a time can make you more productive.
I think there’s a better alternative.
Class days end up being long. I recommend you split the classes and go every day.
Why the rush? Not sure where you’re attending but college classes generally require more effort than AP/IB (in some cases much more). Why not scale back and ease into college life in your freshman fall term. There will also be quite a bit of adjustment outside of academics that will place demands on your schedule. With a better idea of your course rigor, you can then increase your load in the spring term. Just a thought.
Your schedule does not look rigorous to me. I know students that have this kind of schedule and it is doable. It works well if you work on the other days. If you have a break in between that would be helpful. It is a matter of preference. You can try to schedule some of the classes for Mon and Wed if there are sections available. The decision comes down to what you are comfortable with.
15 credits per term (5 classes, approximately) is the normal course load for most students. It’s also what you need to do in order to graduate on time. So I’m not concerned about that. What I am concerned about is that you’re taking two math classes - why? Unless you adore math, and both are actually required for your potential major(s), I’d take only the one that’s required. Second, all your classes, as others have noted, are only on two days. That’s going to suck, to be honest. It’d be better if you could mix it up a bit. Take maybe 2-3 classes on Tu/Th, and 2-3 on M W F. That’d give you more balance in terms of class days, exam timing, and homework pace.
Split the math classes if you decide to split the days.
5 classes is typical. But those long days look brutal. Split it up.
I think a 15 credit semester is the norm and your classes looked balance with the some being math and some being humanities. That being said I tend to agree with your Mom that cramming all your classes into two days may not work out as well as you think it will. I just think by the time you have your fourth or fifth class of the day you are going to be tired and when you are tired you won’t be able to concentrate as well. Consider moving some of your classes to MWF.
I’d probably split it up. You won’t be motivated to do much on non-class days, and you’ll be really tired on class days. Also, nobody will be available to do stuff during the day, because they’ll be in class. Not sure if this is an option, but if you could move 2 classes from TuTh to MoWe, you’d still have Fridays off which is very nice.
I had the same sched in undergrad and loved it! Not only did I have plenty of study time, but it cut down the number of days I needed to commute to campus. Make sure you pack snacks/meals! 15 hrs is what you should be taking if your goal is to graduate on time.
should be fine…class wise.
like everyone else though…, i would reconsider your class layout. sure you’re going to have a “four” day weekend, and a break every other weekday. but it’s going to be the longest tuesday and thursdays of your life.
Also, you’re a freshman. you’re going to want to join clubs. etc. Having a schedule like that will be hard for you to schedule in social activities/work obligation…(somewhat) so keep that in consideration.
Spread it out…you will be so tired by the end of the day.
I take it math is your weakest or least favorite subject, and you have not taken AP or IB courses in math/statistics?
Would agree to spread them across the days instead of loading them all into a very long Tuesday and Thursday, if you have no other scheduling constraints.
How come you’re taking precalculus?
Beside this, spread the classes over all five days. That schedule is a recipe for disaster for a first time college student. Most freshmen have trouble with time management and your schedule makes that even worse.
Foreign language learning works better with repetition so the best schedule would actually have you in Spanish 4 times a week, 3 otherwise.
Take 3 classes on MWF and 2 on TTH and see how you handle that.
I did decide to change my schedule but not because it was too hard. I have taken college courses in the summer, so I have experienced the level of work needed. I also would like to say as an AP/ mainly IB kid don’t assume those courses are weak compared to college. I received my IB diploma and the classes were a hell a lot harder than what I’m taking now. I have started classes and honestly i have never had this LITTLE amount of work. I am sure you were not meaning to be rude.