<p>Ok so I'm going to be a freshman at UCSB in the fall. I haven't attended orientation yet but I have been hearing from everyone that the faculty is recommending that we take 12 credits for our first quarter. I purchased the UCSB general catalog and in it it says that we need at least 45 credits to be considered a sophomore. Now if UCSB wants us to take 12 credits, 12 X 3 = 36. So does that mean that under their recommendation we will not even be considered sophomores in our second year? I don't get it. I don't want to have to take 5 years to get my degree. </p>
<p>No you will leave UCSB with 12 credits no matter what if you are in the college of letters and science.</p>
<p>When you get home, you can fiddle around with your schedule, which includes adding/dropping though most classes will undoubtedly be full. Even if you take 12 ur first quarter, does not mean u will take 12 for others. You can take a maximum of 21 units per quarter.</p>
<p>at orientation, they meant 12 in the first quarter. each of the next two quarters will be 16 units. the general goal is to average 15 units a quarter to graduate in 4 years. btw, i dont think they want us to stay for 5 years, because i remember reading that the university loses money on students each year.</p>
<p>You mentioned it yourself, 12 credits in your first quarter. The first quarter is an exciting time because you’ll be meeting a lot of people, getting adjusted to living on your own without your parents, learning what classes in college are like and what’s expected of you, and finding out what to do with the free time you have at night to do whatever you want Unless you’re very good with time management, I do suggest starting off with a lighter schedule your first quarter.</p>
<p>And you pick your one unit discussion sections after orientation too, right? Plus you can add small classes like freshman seminars for more than twelve units.</p>
<p>most one unit discussions sections that accompany a lecture aren’t one unit; they come as a package with the lecture. so mwf lectures + discussion = 4 units. tr lectures + discussion = 4 units. but there are some tr lectures + 2 discussion = 5 units.</p>
Unless you’re very good with time management, I do suggest starting off with a lighter schedule your first quarter.</p>