<p>I am going to be an incoming freshman in college for the fall of 2014 and am starting to put together my secedule for the upcoming semester (and year). The college which I am going to provides a 3 year undergraduate program for pre pharmacy. The suggested courses for first semester freshmen in the program are as follows :
Biology (including lab)- 4 hours
Chemistry (including lab)-4 hours
Calculus-4 credit hours
Introduction to campus life-1credit
According to the plan, I would be taking 13 credit hours, most of them consisting of science or math classes. For the same tuition cost I am able to take up to 16 credit hours. My mom wants me to take an elective in order to fill the maximum number of credits at the lowest price. I understand that she want the most bang for her buck, but I am afraid that adding an elective (such as introduction to phycology-3 credit hours (which the college advises that students take during their 2nd year))could be overwhelming. </p>
<p>Do you think that 16 credit hours is to much for a college freshman, or do you think that it is manageable?</p>
<p>I think it’s too much in your context considering you’ll have double lab time as well as a 4 hour math course. Your schedule may not even work with another course. See if you can piece together a schedule. If I were you, I’d keep 13 hours this semester and do 16 next semester. It’s just one course, it’s not going to make or break your graduation time. You’ll still be out in 4 years (or less).</p>
<p>Those are three difficult classes. </p>
<p>There might be a compromise in which you sign up for the 3-credit class now, having an agreement with your mother that you will drop it in the first month if it looks as if you can’t handle the workload.</p>
<p>Two sciences, a math, and an elective is a standard freshman schedule science, pharmacy, and pre-med students at my college. It is not easy, but it is doable through organized studying. If you do not feel you can handle the added elective don’t take it and focus on doing the best in your sciences and math. You can always take an elective over the summer to leave room for your core classes in the fall and spring. </p>
<p>I would spend as much time as possible doing well in those classes, especially if you don’t feel confident in any of those subjects. Yes, you get “more bang for your buck” by taking more courses, but a high GPA is ultimately what will get you into a pharmacy school, and taking more courses could lower it. </p>
<p>Instead, get settled into college life, get yourself some solid extracurriculars, and really enjoy your first semester of college.</p>