<p>So what's it like? Any horror or success stories?</p>
<p>One of my friends tried last semester. He dropped one the second day.</p>
<p>I think it depends on what kinds of classes they are. IMHO, if even ONE of those classes is a notoriously "hard" class like an econ/match class, or a science class at all...I would say don't even try it. </p>
<p>For me, I've done 5 (4 art histories and an intro language) and had NO problem at all....to the point where I'd watch TV every night, had tons of free time on the weekends, and still got A's. Finals week got a little stressful, but I survived. I'm doing 6 next semester and I (as well as my dean) have total faith that I'll be able to do it (4 art histories and 2 intro languages) just judging from last semester. I think it seriously depends on the classes and how much you enjoy them...what classes are you thinking?</p>
<p>Lol, some econ courses...</p>
<p>In that case I'd advise against it, particularly through seeing my roommate work through 51, 55, 105, 110, econometrics, etc etc. Those classes require a ton of time. Even her easier classes required extensive research as well.</p>
<p>I had another friend, an econ major, who, like illumin4tus's, tried 6 but dropped the 6th after a week. Could you maybe just overload 2 semesters in a row instead of doing 6 all at once?</p>
<p>bad idea bro...</p>
<p>Bad idea. I have 5.5 credits right now; 2 PE classes (I will not exercise unless someone makes me), 1 house course (half credit, meets once a week, student taught), 1 math, 1 econ, 1 history, 1 culanth. I hope I'll be okay.... But 6 sounds intense. Remember, it doesn't matter how hard the classes are. It's still a time drain.</p>
<p>Theoretically you "could" do it and, if you studied hard enough, do well... but you might also want to spend some of your time on something other than studying. There are plent of extra-curricular and social events at Duke that you should to take advantage of, especially if you're a freshman.</p>
<p>And what's the end goal here? Do you want to graduate early or just show that you have the capacity to handle 1.5*course load? The reason we say its a bad idea is because it'd be terrible to think you can handle it when the classes are easy, but become overwhelmed (especially during Finals because Duke's final exam period is really compact) after the Drop/Add period when teachers start to give the full workload.</p>
<p>Take 4 or 5 classes and get a 4.0... IMO that's far more impressive.</p>
<p>I've done it but that is only because two of my classes were NROTC classes. Don't do 6 hard classes.</p>
<p>5 is even stretching it.</p>
<p>Yeah... I'm not doing econ anymore, so it might be more feasible.</p>
<p>I have always taken 4 and am usually very busy with work. I am not the fastest reader and always try to do very well in my classes, so it could be different for others who are faster or less motivated. I could not imagine doing 5 academic courses at once, so 6 sounds very excessive and difficult. An exception is if that includes PE courses, etc. which don't require out of class time.</p>
<p>Yeh, I don't think you are going to find someone who isn't a motivated student and wants to do six classes.</p>
<p>That said, again, don't do it unless at least two of your classes are pretty easy on the workload.</p>
<p>it's not bad during the regular days</p>
<p>but during midterms</p>
<p>and especially</p>
<p>during finals week.</p>
<p>OMG. FINALS WEEK. Think about it: having 6 finals within a week and all ur finals are worth 35% of ur grade.
DONT DO IT!!!</p>
<p>Well, I think you have to look at the syllabi/course syn. if they have them to make a decision like that. Personally, I have 6 classes and am looking at 4 finals in the fall, none of which count above 30% of my grade. In the Art History department, many of my upper level classes have had 4 or 5 people in them, so I usually don't have a final at all...just a paper which can be finished up before finals week even starts if you're disciplined enough. I'd imagine for many other humanities classes the situation is quite similar.</p>
<p>I think it's easy for people to make a lot of generalizations because what you hear are the horror stories with taking 6 classes, but from someone who has taken 5.5 credits many times, about to take 6, and known MANY people to have done 6 before, here's my naked advice:</p>
<p>If you're a science/math/econ/similar sort of major DO NOT DO IT. I knew an engineer who took 6 last semester, and although he did well, I literally saw the guy twice...in the library...depressed. If you find that you're taking big lecture classes, for the most part, with final exams and curves which could potentially suck DO NOT DO IT.</p>
<p>I think the best situation for an overload of 6 classes is having, like someone mentioned, two easy classes and then 4 not-going-to-kill-you classes, and I do think that the humanities are best suited to this. For instance my 6 course schedule is German 2, Polish 1, Art History 69, Art History 139, Visual Studies 101 and a 200-level Visual Studies class. The only one I'm expecting to be remotely hard is the 200 level. When I look at that schedule I think to myself "Ok, I can handle this because 1) languages come easily to me, 2) I LOVE these classes and 3) I already know a ton of the material covered in them anyway." If you look at a schedule of 6 classes and say "wow this is going to be hell" you should reconsider. </p>
<p>I also think that freshman/sophomore year is not the time to take 6 classes. Freshman year you aren't adjusted to school, and even sophomore year I found I was still working out the kinks. Plus you're taking your intro major classes, weed out classes, etc, which are not conducive to this sort of an overload. Wait until you a) have a solid major and b) you're familiar with your department and what you can expect from classes. Only then can you gauge whether or not you're going to succeed.</p>
<p>And honestly, you have to be really motivated and don't expect to be going out every weekend or anything.</p>
<p>They wouldn't allow you to take 6 classes if it hadn't been done before, but there is a reason why you need dean approval. Just think about it, and be honest with yourself.</p>