<p>Hi guys, I'm a freshman in college majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and I'm trying to plan for my spring semester. I'm currently taking 14 credits, and it's very easy for me (I regret not taking an extra class for 17 credits). Next semester, I'm planning on taking these classes:</p>
<p>Math 244 (Calculus IV)
Math 190 (Introduction to Programming)
Math 307 (Linear Algebra and Differential Equations) </p>
<p>in addition to
General Physics I (+Lab)
General Chemistry II
and an Honors Intro to Research course. </p>
<p>All together, it'll push me up to 19 credits (20 with Spring Band). Would you say this is possible or should I just drop the Math 307 course? I am supposed to take the Math 307 course in the following spring semester (so Spring 2016), but I want to push it up. I'm planning on graduating in 3.5 years since I'm already a semester ahead with 17 credits from AP and summer classes, for a total of 31 credits by the end of this fall semester.</p>
<p>It is not necessarily the math courses (unless you find math especially difficult), but the fact that you are taking an overload with three courses that typically have high workload and time commitment for the amount of credit: physics with lab, chemistry (presumably) with lab, and band.</p>
<p>I am pretty worried about the physics and lab class considering it’s 5 credits total, but luckily I don’t need to take the lab for chemistry, only the lecture. And as for band, I’ve never really considered it to be time-consuming. I’ll only be in the beginning concert band, and it’ll be a welcome change from marching band (which I joined this semester); plus, it gives me a small scholarship just for joining.</p>
<p>My class schedule just leaves me with the issue of the three math classes and the physics class. Math is not that difficult for me, but how difficult is Calculus IV in comparison to Calculus III? Calc III is vector calculus, and Calc IV is multiple integrals. For me, I’m not enjoying Calc III so much just because of the professor (she’s new) but self-study is giving me a B+ in the class. Upperclassmen have also recommended taking Math 302 instead of 307 (Introduction to Differential equations instead of Linear algebra) because it’ll be more helpful to me as an engineering major. However, I’m opting for Linear Alg instead because the same Calc III professor I dislike is teaching the Diff. equations class. </p>
<p>I’ve been looking for gen. ed requirements to switch with the Math 307 class but none of the ones I’m interested in are offered next semester. Has anyone taken a similar course load? Could you share your experiences?</p>
<p>The band will be a good outlet. Just be careful about the credit… DS had an issue where it put him over the max for his scholarship… and we would have needed to pay extra. He did it noncredit. Hmmm… Research class might take a lot of time - ask other students at your school. </p>
<p>Two math classes could be tough. Programming can be tough too, but I think of it in a different category. You will likely be writing programs, not doing more math problem sets. That might be good variety. </p>
<p>I don’t think 20 credits will be too much of an issue other than having to ask for an override since 19 credits is the max. For the research class, I think it should be okay since it’s HON 101 and it’s usually recommended for incoming freshmen (I need it to fulfill Honor program requirements). And I’m actually looking forward to the programming class! I’ve never actually done programming before, but it seems really interesting. I’ll definitely have to ask around about the two math classes though. Thank you for the help!</p>
<p>If one of the “math” courses is actually a CS course with programming assignments, be aware that it can also consume a considerable amount of time relative to its credit count.</p>
<p>Regarding band, it looks like it is a 1 credit course. 1 credit is supposed to mean 3 hours per week total, so if it takes more than that (both in class and any homework or preparation time out of class), it should be considered a high workload course.</p>
<p>Based on what your school appears to be, calculus 1-4 appears to be a typical 12 credit calculus sequence, but divided into four 3-credit courses; there is an accelerated calculus 1-3 that has the more traditional division into three 4-credit courses. So calculus 4 would be a continuation of calculus 3.</p>
<p>I’m a mathematics major and I’ve taken 3 mathematics courses in the same semester on three occasions so far. I’ve also taken two math and one CS a handful of times too which appears to be kinda what you are doing since intro to programming is kinda more of a CS course generally. I have never had any problems with taking schedules like this. If you are going to encounter any problems, I don’t think it’d be because you are taking three math courses at once. The problem would be more so the amount of hours you are signing up for and the fact you are doing that with physics and physics lab which are courses that typically are a lot more rigorous than the amount you get credit for. At my school, I took engineering physics 1 and the homework from lecture took me 10 hours per week and then the lab homework was 3 hours per week, not to mention I was in the lab for 3 hours and getting credit for 1 hour. If it were my school, I’d undoubtedly drop one of the math courses. I don’t know precisely how rigorous these courses are at your school, though so maybe you can ask some people about the physics. Just wondering, why are you wanting to take so many hours this semester? I see you said you want to graduate in 3.5 years because you earned enough AP credit to count for a whole semester. Wouldn’t that put you on pace to graduate in 3.5 if you take 15 hrs per semester? I guess it could be that you have a 126 credit hour degree plan.</p>