Need advice for fall semester schedule

Student Lounge College Life
1

Hey, so I am a rising sophomore in college and I am having a little trouble deciding on the best schedule for me for the fall semester. I am on the pre-med track, but I am also trying to explore more career options. I am pretty sure I still want to work in the sciences. Initially, my schedule for the fall semester was:
Organic chem I w/lab( 5 credits)
Biology 107(4 credits)
The African American experience(3 credits)
Private Piano lessons(2 credits)

However, because of a program I am a part of at my school, I was given the opportunity to help out with research over the summer. I ended up being placed with a research group from the environmental science department( which was my second choice) and I have actually enjoyed it so far. Earlier today I was talking to my previous general chemistry professor and one of the things we talked about was how lost I feel on deciding what I want to major in.I was telling her how I actually really like the research I am helping out with and she proposed the idea of maybe taking ES 100 in the fall, which is 3 credits and does sound like an interesting class.Her argument was that by taking this course I would be able to better explore my options for a major, since it is expected that you declare your major at the end of sophomore year. While I wouldn’t mind taking that course I am concerned about what that may be like work load wise.

Many friends who I have spoken to who have taken organic chemistry state that it is very time consuming and that you really can’t slack off if you are aiming for a reasonably good grade( ex. a B). The main reason I am taking organic chemistry is because it is a prerequisite for the pre-med track. My professor proposed the idea of maybe holding off on orgo until Spring 2018, however if I do that I would only have 12 credits and I think it is best for me to be taking 14+ credits a semester( especially if I want to graduate on time)

While I know doing 17 credits isn’t entirely abnormal I am concerned that I won’t be able to handle it, especially because of organic chemistry. One of my main challenges this past school year was prioritizing/time management( and each semester I took 15-16 credits) Almost every weekend I would go out to parties/hang out with friends( sometimes on both Friday and Saturday nights) and sometimes I would do assignments at the last minute.

While thinking over how fall semester will be I keep telling my self that I will definitely go out way less on the weekends and will study way more. However, I feel like actually putting that plan into motion will be a toughy. I feel like it’s really easy for me to put socializing over studying. Whenever I do this, I constantly say to myself "It’s fine. You can study tomorrow."The problem is I keep telling this to myself day after day until it is the day before the assignment is due and I have barely started.

My chemistry professor says she believes I can do it, and while I believe I can too, I am worried/ feel like I will have difficulty prioritizing again next semester.

So based off of all of this stuff I have told you guys, what do you guys think the best option is?
Sticking with my initial schedule, which would leave me with 14 credits
Adding ES 100 to my schedule, which would leave me with 17 credits
Taking organic chemistry out, which would leave me with 12 credits

Also, I do not want to give up the private lessons. I’ve been playing piano for awhile and I find the music lessons very helpful.

Thank you!

2

In addition, if this is helpful at all, I will also be working in dining services 7 hours a week

3

Can you not both add ES 100 and take out organic chemistry?

4

yeah, but that would put me down to 12 credits. I want to have at least 14 credits. That’s what I was talking about in the third option, I guess it was a little unclear. But, yeah the third option is my schedule with ES 100 and without Orgo I

5

What about:


  • ES 100
  • organic chemistry
  • some other course of 2 to 4 credits (not lab or music performance)



    for a total of 14 to 16 credits and only two high workload courses (biology with lab and piano) instead of three?
6

Yeah, do you have to take the bio or African American experience classes this semester? Or can they wait? Can you substitute one of those with ES? And does the ES class “count” for anything/fulfill a requirement?

7

@harvestmoon Well the African American experience class fulfills the cultural diversity requirement at my school and I am genuinely interested in taking it since I’ve heard good things about the class. I am taking biology because I’m also considering either majoring or minor in it, so I think taking it next semester will allow me to figure out if that is still something I want to do(and it’s a pre-med prerequisite assuming I decide in the future that I for sure want to do pre-med)


I have been thinking about @ucbalumnus idea and have been thinking of doing


ES 100(3 credits)


Bio 107(4 credits)


Piano lessons(2 credits)


The African American experience(3 credits)


And a course that will fulfill my school’s non western requirement( which would be 3 or 4 credits)


That way I’d be getting through the last of my all-college requirements and I’ll be taking more than 12 credits.