<p>Could someone tell me what the number of classes a typical student takes during a semester? I know it's around 15 credit hours, but I do not know how it breaks down.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>We just went through preregistration with our D.
15 units is typically 5 classes per semester. In addition freshmen take an additional TIDES seminar for one unit.</p>
<p>Just to add a little (because I can’t help it) 12 hours is the minimum to still be considered full time, and as far as I know there is no maximum. But taking more than 6 courses, which can be 18 or 19 or possibly even 20 hours (there are 4 credit-hour courses) would be a total killer, even for the best students. 5 is indeed considered the ideal load, whether that be 15 or 16 or even 17 hours. The TIDEs course is only 1 hour and I am not counting that when I say 5 courses. They are more “for fun” courses that are intended to help freshmen get to know their classmates and take something intriguing yet light as they get used to the college experience.</p>
<p>The maximum number of credits a student can register for initially is 19 hours.</p>
<p>Students can get an override to take as many as 25 credits.(depending on GPA)</p>
<p>[Academic</a> Policies - Tulane University - acalog ACMS?](<a href=“http://catalog.tulane.edu/content.php?catoid=36&navoid=737#Course_Loads]Academic”>http://catalog.tulane.edu/content.php?catoid=36&navoid=737#Course_Loads)</p>
<p>Try to take at least a number that lets you drop any course if necessary and still remain full time.</p>
<p>To graduate on time you typically need to average 15 per semester</p>
<p>I registered for classes at the honors weekend in April and it ended up being like 18 hours for five classes plus a TIDE. I’m kind of worried as that sounds like a lot to me. 
I want to have time to do lots of different things and meet a lot of people first semester… does that sound like too much?</p>
<p>Honestly, dreamtumbler, I think your schedule is perfectly fine. Here’s some advice a Tulane student a year ahead of me gave me when I was making my first schedule. I didn’t listen to her and I wish I had.
Take more hours in your fall semester than in your spring semester.
It seems kind of counter-intuitive, because you want to settle into your new life and get the feel of college classes, and that’s all totally valid, but I wish I had taken more in the fall and less in the spring.
More hours is better in the fall because you’re just starting off and in a very academic mode, and you’ll be floating for awhile and probably won’t have a defined “default” group of friends for a few months (meaning you probably won’t be quite as busy socially). You’ll get two days for fall break and a week for Thanksgiving, but the rest of the fall is pretty chill and slow paced.
When spring comes along, however, the semester goes by really quickly because so much is going on: Mardi Gras, spring break, Jazz Fest, etc. (and Rush is in late January if you want to join a sorority or fraternity, which I didn’t). The weather gets BEAUTIFUL and basically you don’t want to be cooped up studying all the time, and you have all the aforementioned breaks/normal campus distractions that will come with having better defined friendships and being involved with clubs. So, my recommendation is to take 17-20 hours in the fall and 14-16 in the spring. I took 15 last semester and 18 this semester and I wish I could reverse it. I’m making it work, and there are some people that consistently take 17-19ish each semester, but one less class this semester would make my life go a bit more smoothly.
However, that’s just my personal experience. </p>
<p>Your TIDES class will not take much “outside class” time at all, I promise. They’re designed to be fun and help you meet people. If you’re the kind of student who has good time management skills and the self discipline to stay on top of things, the other 5 classes should be totally doable for you (and it’s college - you’re supposed to be challenged!). Your schedule - heavy or light course load - will definitely not affect your ability and opportunities to meet people. Dorms, classes, dining halls, welcome week activities, etc. will leave you with no shortage of acquaintances and potentially great friends. Tulane is an inherently social school.</p>
<p>dreamtumbler - IMHO it really depends on the student. My D wanted to finish a two-science double major in four years, and consequently took 19-21 credits per semester. It’s doable. Her freshman roommate didn’t care if she finished in four years or not … she took 12 credits per semester.</p>
<p>Only you know what your specific goals are. Eighteen credits plus TIDES is certainly doable. But since this is your first semester at Tulane you might consider dropping one of those three-credit courses sometime in September.</p>