<p>We both go to the same school. I'm a sophomore, she's a freshman studying biology. I found out that next quarter she is signed up to take 21 credit hours which to me sounds absolutely ridiculous. I asksd her why she is taking so many and she just gives me this "well my advisor said so..". I personally think that her advisor must have something shoved up his/her a$$ to encourage a freshman to take 21 credit hours doing the winter quarter (which as far as weather which relates to mood, them saying that winter of freshman year is the hardest). In general i think that is way to much work.</p>
<p>My other relative and i have tried talking to her about it but she doesn't listen, just gives us the stupid excuse about her advisor telling her so. What she really needs to do is drop a class or two and get a job. Right now she doesn't have the money to come back for another year (why she came this year is beyond me), so i think dropping a class and finding some work would help a LOT more than overhauling her schedule with 21 credit hours. </p>
<p>I'm pretty sure at my last school, I got an email when my credit hours went over 19 or 20 saying that i needed administrative approval (it was just backstage theatre experience credit) to go that high, and that was with a semester schedule. Quarters tend to go much faster which equals a lot more work. 21 just seems ridiculous. </p>
<p>Anyone have suggestions on how I can knock some sense into her?</p>
<p>I’ve taken 26 credit semesters and worked a full time job. My friend is taking 31 credits next semester while I’m taking 22. He had to get the deans approval.</p>
<p>It depends on the work ethic/stress management of the person… I’ve always taken 18-19 credits with at least a 30 hour work week. So 21 credits is doable if you have a minor part time job.</p>
<p>edit: just saw it wasn’t a semester schedule - that is too much then</p>
<p>Just a thought…my sons often sign up for a an extra class or two with the idea of dropping after the beginning of the semester. Let her know that is an option.</p>
<p>I always sign up for too many courses with the intention of taking them all (i.e. not shopping), and then drop 1-2 when I get homework the first week and realize that I don’t want to spend so much time on homework. </p>
<p>If it’s too much for her, she’ll figure it out and drop them. Your intentions are good, but don’t worry about it. Worst comes to worst she gets a W.</p>
<p>21 quarter credits = 14 semester credits. However, a quarter is only 2/3 as long as a semester, so in terms of workload per week, it should be the same as 21 credits of similar courses at a semester school.</p>
<p>Whether it is “too much work” depends on the student and the type of courses. Courses with labs tend to be more work than the credits, as can courses with term projects, computer programming, and other time hogs. But courses without these features are often much less work.</p>
<p>Just make sure she knows the drop deadlines. As long as there’s an exit strategy, it’s not too bad to start with an overloaded schedule. And 21 may end up being doable with the right class choices and study skills.</p>
<p>I did approx 21 cred hours/semester at UNT for three semesters and found in almost easy. I would have done more, but that wasn’t allowed. (TAMS)</p>
<p>A friend of mine did 21 credits this semester. He was very busy, but far from miserable. It’s hard but doable. If she thinks she can do it, let her try. If it’s too much she can drop a class and wait to take it until the following semester.</p>
<p>In the colleges/universities I’m familiar with, a typical course is either 5 quarter credits or 3 semester credits. Because there are 3 quarters in a year (summer is the 4th quarter), 1 semester credit is considered to be equal to 1.5 quarter credits, so the OP’s relative is taking 14 credits, which would be equivalent to 21 credits per semester as ucbalumnus mentioned (14*3=42; 42/2=21). </p>
<p>The OP’s relative is basically taking an extra course and a lab, which is definitely doable.</p>
<p>She’ll probably drop a few once she realizes she can’t handle it, unless (of course) she’s up to it. Most freshman sign up for classes just so they can have flexibility in dropping. </p>
<p>No need to worry if she’s taking that many, as most people generally don’t.</p>