IS NU gearing up to make a switch to Semesters?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
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<p>Students can now enroll in up to 5 classes without an overcharge and the URR requirement is only 9 quarters. By Taking 5 classes a qtr – many students will be able to graduate in three years and even less less if they come in with AP or college credit.</p>

<p>I wonder why the change in policy. Going to Semesters? Just throwing it out there :)</p>

<p>Undergraduates are considered to be full time when they enroll in 3.00 units of credit or more. Students may register for up to 4.68 units of credit before the quarter begins.
Once the term begins, most undergraduates may register for up to 5.5 units of credit without special permission and without incurring additional tuition charges.</p>

<p>Tuition remains constant for students enrolled in 3.00 to 5.5 units of credit. </p>

<p>Undergraduate Registration Requirement Summary
The Undergraduate Registration Requirement (URR) applies to undergraduate students seeking a bachelor’s degree and must be completed in addition to the degree requirements established by the school faculties. The URR is predicated on the principle that when a student receives a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University, the majority of the student’s academic work is completed at the University. Each school specifies a minimum number of units of credit needed for a bachelor’s degree (45 or more, depending on the degree). In addition, the URR specifies:
1. The number of quarters a student must be registered at Northwestern
2. The number of units of credit a student must earn at Northwestern </p>

<p>URR for First-Time Freshmen</p>

<p>Degree Type 4-Year Degree </p>

<p>Quarters at Northwestern 9 </p>

<p>Earned Northwestern Credits 32</p>

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<p>It’s probably just to give students one more way to reduce the COA, which would be the only reason I would do it.</p>

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<p>I’m curious where you found the information that students can take up to 5 credits. Is this on the internet site?</p>

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<p>[Course</a> Load Policies: Office of the Registrar - Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.registrar.northwestern.edu/registration/Course_Load_Policies.html]Course”>Course Load Policies: Office of the Registrar - Northwestern University)</p>

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<p>@lagunal</p>

<p>Students have always been able to take 5 (or sometimes more) classes in a quarter – you just often need special permission/pay an overload fee.</p>

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<p>My daughter usually takes five or more classes and yes, she is ready to graduate as a Junior, she won’t but she has enough credits. This term she’s taking 5 1/2 credits. She’s never paid an overload fee either.</p>

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<p>… unless the extra fee for non-major music classes counts as an overload fee? @amtc I’m not sure if your D has paid that but I know our has.</p>

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<p>[Overloads</a> and Underloads - Undergraduate Advising – Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/advising/rules/courseload.html]Overloads”>http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/advising/rules/courseload.html)</p>

<p>It must differ between colleges. WCAS requires special permission to overload, but they do say that there won’t be an overload fee unless it’s used to graduate a term early</p>

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<p>MomCares - the only fee we’ve ever paid above tuition is when she was a Freshman and had voice lessons before being in the MT program. Maybe it is different between colleges, who knows!</p>

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<p>Yes, that’s the fee I was thinking of (plus I think MT kids wanting to continue voice might pay it again their senior year?). I wonder if that is considered an overload fee that enables them to take extra hours?</p>

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<p>Maybe that’s just considered EC and hence not included in the tuition. I paid fees for my piano private lessons when I was at WashU. But learning to play piano was my hobby/EC and couldn’t be counted toward my graduation requirement (premed/science major). Maybe it’s something similar. If they don’t charge, everybody would be signing up for all kinds of “free” private lessons - be it voice, piano, swimming, tennis, dance…etc.</p>

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<p>No that’s not an overload fee - even if you’re taking less than the maximum allowed you still have to pay for private lessons. Maybe she’s never taken more than 5 1/2 credits even though she’s taken many classes because dance classes only count as 1/3 credit. That’s it I bet; I’ve never really thought about it, I just pay the bill. But, as I said above, she’s got enough credits to graduate at the end of her junior year (this year) but she not in her major. For that she needs to complete some coursework in the fall of senior year which she will. She is currently debating whether to continue with her last two terms, she’s very antsy to get started in the “real world!”</p>

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<p>Short answer: No. When President Shapiro took the helm, he was planning on making a switch. But when he saw how much the students loved the quarter system, he decided against it.</p>

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<p>Old thread but I want to make it clear this is actually a downgrade: you could previously take 6/7 classes without extra fees, now it’s only 5. I once took 6 classes (as an engineer) at NU, and it was a terrible, terrible idea.</p>

<p>And you still can only register for 4 classes during normal registration times, the 5th must be added during late registration</p>

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<p>I’m glad you can still only register for 4 during normal registration. Way too many students think they want to take 5 classes and end up dropping the 5th – if they filled up those spots during registration and blocked out students who actually needed to take those classes, that wouldn’t exactly be fair.</p>

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<p>^plantsvs: still no fees unless you use the credits to graduate early.</p>