It’s wise of you to start with Algebra in college, to make sure you have a good foundation for more advanced math classes.
I also agree that you might want to drop one of the classes during the add/drop deadline, if you think you will be overwhelmed.
Having to retake classes is bad for GPA and doesn’t save on time either.
Retake the test if you’re allowed. Many students get stuck in these remedial math classes for longer than they thought.
It’s possible, I just got done taking 6 pretty hard courses and got all A’s. I was extremely focused and dedicated though. Final exam week was extremely stressful and I do not recommend it. I only did it because I had to.
@Mevans6: was that during your first semester freshman year?
I don’t know about Mevan’s situation, but it’s definitely possible as a first semester freshman, just maybe not advisable. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t discourage it in my first post here, but recommended the OP keep an eye on the drop deadline. It would be hypocritical of me to say not to do it since I did so myself.
My first semester of college, I took 6.5 units (equivalent to almost 23 credits, since our conversion is 1 unit= 3.5 credits) and got essentially straight A’s (2 A+'s, 1 A-) with difficult classes (I started with Linear Algebra and Data Structures as my STEM classes). Granted 1.5 of those units were music ensemble/lesson credits, and one of the courses was an audit (which I still did all the required work for, just didn’t get a grade).
I’ll be starting my senior year in the fall and I’ve taken more than that every semester (just finished a semester of 7.75 units and all courses for a grade, with 5 units being academic). It definitely makes for a really rough finals week, however, and is not for everyone. I was kind of already used to the stress and workload, however, since my high school was so intense (STEM magnet school- I had more hw in high school than I’ve had most semesters in college), and I tend to work better under pressure.
Sorry. Community college is easy compared to a university. At my community college, I see people taking up to 18 to 21 credits. Yet, they still get passing grades.
People like to rush things and want to get out in two years. I have a friend who supposed to graduate this year but change her major to nursing. She did all the math up to linear algebra and she just said it wasn’t worth it. She didn’t like the idea of being a math teacher.
Please don’t rush, you’ll regret it
You should wait after the first semester or two quarters. Community college can be difficult for an individual. You need time to adjust and see if it is right for you.
I am currently on 18 units 2nd semester frosh (Calc II, Discrete Math, Writing, Argumentation & Advocacy, and Life on a Changing Planet {weird name, ik}) and you’ll still need to dedicate a lot of time if you want a good amount of A’s, You can do the 18 units later. Personally, I didn’t think it was that bad but I wish I could’ve dropped the workshops.
Amen to the above comment. Some things you will learn about yourself and others about the college culture and experience. Taking more hours with the option of dropping a class ignores the cost of extra tuition and books, other experiences you miss because of the need to study, potentially earning lower grades because of too much need for study and fulfill academic requirements. Enjoy your first year. Additionally, classes for dually enrolled students may differ in important academic respects than college classes. Please enjoy college and do well, no medals are given for speed. If you want you can take extra units later.
Thank you for the thoughts but I have decided to take 5 classes - 16 hours of school a week. It totals out to 16 credits as remedial courses are weighed differently here. Further, after much research, I was lucky enough to be able to pick the best profs. in terms of reviews. I’m pretty sure all of this is a win-win as my passion and interests are politics, literature, languages, and conservation. I’m excited to start!
@MYOS1634 second semester in sophomore year. @guineagirl96 that’s honestly incredible, I don’t know what else to say props to you! @Koalabear5000 That’s the way to go in my opinion, professors make or break the class in my experience.
Why are you in community college? If you are in CC because you had straight A+'s in high school but couldn’t afford university then this might be okay. If you are in CC because your grades weren’t high enough in high school to get in where you wanted to go, then taking 18 credits at once is a way to make sure that your grades are still not high enough.
“Keep an eye on the drop deadlines and drop a course if it becomes too difficult.”
Definitely be aware that 18 credits might be too much, and you need to be VERY ready to drop back to less.
“Have you considered taking a summer class or two to lighten your load?”
I think that this is a better plan.
Expect community college to be significantly more difficult than high school.
@NASA2014 said: “Sorry. Community college is easy compared to a university. At my community college, I see people taking up to 18 to 21 credits. Yet, they still get passing grades.”
“Passing grades” should not be the goal here. Excellent grades should be part of the goal, along with learning the material well.
A lot of what a student studies in high school and in CC are the basis for what you are going to learn in future years. You need to learn this stuff REALLY WELL in order to do well later in university. Just “passing” is not the goal.
I’m in cc due to my financial situation and my freshman year grades. I’m one of the top academic performers in my school and I’ve had my share of success in national competitions. I apologize for not updating the title, but the course load will be closer to 16 units as remedial courses are weighed differently here. Also, all of my profs are known for being light on work - something I wanted my first semester at least.
EDIT***
ATTENTION: For all of you saying 18 is too much, I’ve confirmed that remedial courses are different at my cc. It is not equivalent to 5 units, but rather the traditional 3. The reason they count as 5 is so unprepared students don’t take too many units. Plus, math 100 covers basic algebra.
Please retake that math test. If you truly are a good student, you should NOT be in remedial math. Start at the appropriate level or, math being sequential, you’ll be forced to stay in cc much longer than expected.
This!! OP, if you are planning on retaking the entrance exam, please study diligently before your second attempt. Seek out online practice tests (PERT, ACCUPLACER, etc.) and do as many of the practice exams before retaking the exam.
What is the Math requirement for graduation? If it is College Algebra, remedial math could potentially add anywhere from 1 - 1.5 years. Some states (e.g. Florida) is now allowing students to bypass these remedial Math/English classes in an effort to reduce the time students spend at a CC or due to the large number of students who fail to get their AA degree.
@Jamrock411 Thankfully, the only requirement is college-level math (stats, calc, etc). I NEED to take stats which only requires math 100 as a prerequisite; therefore, I only need to take one course, which is one semester of math, to meet my requirement - not a year+,
I’m a parent. I took 18 credits first semester freshman year. I got my one and only C that semester in Calculus 1. My other classes were As. I don’t think I would have done better if Calculus was my only class and I had absolutely nothing else going on. Some of it depends on your commute time, if your working, do you have a lot of housework to do, is all your freetime for studying etc. That was the 1 C I ever got and honestly worked harder for that C then a single A plus I ever got.
I know sometimes people like to start with just 12 credits but I saw that backfire at college. When it was time for say my last semester I had to take a 6 semester internship (20 hours a week minimum plus commute time, weekly intern meeting, paper and diary), senior seminar (3 hour weekly capstone type class with 20 plus page paper, coleading a weekly class for the entire 3 hours, and other homework) and then I just needed a 3 credit class of my choice to be full time but credit wise I was set for graduation. I already had a major and minor. I also did workstudy about 5 hours a week. .
Some people found that by starting at 12 credits and they needed 18 credits to graduate on time their last semester senior year and really struggled. Basically if you start out light and plan to graduate in 4 years don’t wait to the end to figure it out. Also make sure if classes have prerequisites you take them early enough to complete everything in 4 years.
Students need 15-16 a semester to graduate “on time” if they don’t have any AP credit. So, taking 14-16 is okay but taking 18 may be too much.
One issue is the Remedial math class = OP needs to retake that test, a good high school student should not be in remedial math in community college, but should be starting right away in precalculus or calculus or statistics. By taking a “regular” class, OP is taking 16 credits and is fine.
Hey man, I’m looking back at this thread just out out of curiosity. Also, I thought I’d give you guys a bit of an update. I’m currently taking 18 units, and I’m doing great. I’m acing all of my classes, and the workload is extremely manageable. I still have a bunch of free time, so I’m probably taking more than 18 units next semester. Burnout is a concern for me, though.
Thank you for the advice and help!
P.S, I needed that remedial math class. It’s doing wonders in terms of my mathematical foundations and getting me back into the math flow.