Schedule for 1st semester at PSU

<p>Ill be attending Penn State this fall as a freshmen and I'm wondering if my schedule is too light. </p>

<p>3.0 First Year Writing Seminar
4.0 Calculus I
3.0 Chemistry I
1.0 Chemistry Lab
3.0 Physical Geology</p>

<p>I believe these classes are relatively standard for engineering and math heavy science majors.
I was wondering if anyone with prior experience can advise me on this.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>You could save the Chem Lab until later and take another 3 hour class (social science, humanities, arts sort of thing). That would get you up to 16 hours.</p>

<p>Or - do you need a geology lab? You could add that if you wanted and have 15 hours.</p>

<p>Correct me if I am wrong but I thought labs will tie-in with their respective classes.</p>

<p>Taking my chemistry class as an example:
Are Chem 110 and Chem 111 (The lab) supposed to be taken in the same semester?</p>

<p>My geology class includes the lab within my schedule (no additional credit given)</p>

<p>If your suggestion works that would be a option for me to think about!</p>

<p>I would take the lab and the lecture together, and would consider adding another course, but you don’t have to. 14 credits is pretty light, but starting with a light semester is not a bad thing - gives you a chance to ease into it. If you do add another course, make it a gen ed, they are usually not too tough.</p>

<p>Feverscere - Don’t know about all of them, but I know Chem can be done independently. My son took Chem I in the fall, but because of his other classes (and the Blue Band time commitments), he couldn’t do the Chem Lab. So, he did that in the spring and had no problem. </p>

<p>So - the geology lab is included in the 3 hour class you listed? I was a geology major and have never seen it done that way - but it’s been a while! (hanging head, feeling old!) Altho, my son is doing his intro geology classes at another university and they are separate. Oh well…</p>

<p>Personally, I think you have a pretty full schedule. That first semester/year is a time to get used to things, so I wouldn’t want to over-extend yourself in terms of credit hours. Take the time to explore all that the campus has to offer (and there is a lot), and if you want to make up some hours -take some credits in the summer somewhere convenient (checking beforehand, of course, that all will transfer with no problems).</p>

<p>And I agree with cosmicfish - if you add a course, make it a gen ed course.</p>

<p>cosmicfish and Grcxx3,</p>

<p>Thank you for the help! I will consider adding another gen ed this fall. I am taking 2 courses over the summer which will help me decide what kind of course load I can handle. (And still have time to explore other activities)</p>