<p>So I was thinking that maybe it might be possible to graduate one year early. By the end of my freshman year, I will have accumulated 35 total credits. My institution requires that I earn a total of 120 credits for graduation. With this in mind, I'll only need 85 more credits to graduate. However, if I wanted to graduate in only two more years (4 semesters), I would need approx. 21-22 credits each semester instead of around 14-15. Now I would normally just go ahead and put my plan into action but...</p>
<p>...I'm a Biochemistry major in a BS/MD program, so getting into medical school is not so much of a concern for me as it would be for a typical applicant. However, if something happens and I decide to apply out (thus forfeiting my guaranteed acceptance), then I may be at a disadvantage if I do the accelerated route. In addition, I would not have time to take elective courses. Just straight up requirements for my major.</p>
<p>With that said, I am in a pickle. However, I still have plenty of time to figure this out (several months worth).</p>
<p>Overall, would taking 21-22 credits/semester be a good idea in the long run with my goals of medical school in mind?</p>
<p>P.S. For all intents and purposes, money is not an issue. Factor that out when reading this please. Thank you!</p>
<p>It’s really up to you and how well you manage your time. I personally wouldn’t be able to do it because I’m lazy as hell. But hey, if you think you can pull off about 7 courses each semester, then by all means, go for it… This is with the assumption that you don’t have a job, btw.</p>
<p>Honestly though, why the rush? If you’re having doubts, perhaps you shouldn’t do it. Take it easy on yourself and actually enjoy the college experience- not just studying all day long.</p>
<p>You wouldn’t happen to be doing Rice/ Baylor would you? I went to Rice that’s why I thought of it. I know they have the auto-admit program like that.</p>
<p>Well, whatever the case, I’m sure there are stipulations to maintaining a certain GPA for holding onto that acceptance, right? But it’s probably pretty lenient.</p>
<p>In all honesty, if you are certain you are going the med school route, than you don’t really need perfect grades, right? You’re already accepted. Once you graduate from med school no one is going to care remotely what your undergrad grades were.</p>
<p>Additionally, depending on how many required courses you have yet to do, you could easily pad your semester schedule with ridiculously easy courses, granted that your only concern is pure credit hours. We all know ‘those courses’ that are best-kept secrets where you do virtually no work and receive an A+. At least I did.</p>
<p>So, it definitely is doable.</p>
<p>The thing is - why do you want to graduate early? To save money?</p>
<p>Personally I enjoyed my undergrad experience, especially senior year, so I don’t see what the rush is to get to medical school where you’ll be working hard and long.</p>
<p>But I know it’s a long commitment and you want to get a head start so that’s a factor as well I suppose.</p>
<p>If you take two to four classes in the summer, especially Gen Eds, you won’t have to take 22 credit hours during the fall and spring.
Also, why the rush?</p>
<p>Keep in mind that your classes should only get harder as you start taking upper division courses. That’s not to say you can’t do it or that you shouldn’t, just that having a lot of bio/chem classes at the same time could come back to haunt you. If the reason you’re considering this is because you don’t want to have just 14 credits per semester, you could add a minor or take electives or something.</p>
-It used to be that the requirement was a 3.5 cumulative and sci. gpa every semester. However, that has recently changed to a cumulative and sci. gpa of 3.5 by the time I graduate. I managed a 3.73 my very first semester of college which, while it’s not a 4.0, is better than many freshman who start college.</p>
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-I’m very certain. </p>
<p>
-That’s what I was thinking too. For courses that aren’t required for my major, I can always take some bs 1 credit bowling course or something like that. </p>
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-To save money, to start medical school early (I need to feel busy, otherwise I become stressed), to have an extra year of potential physician pay, to overcome the fact that my parents forcibly made me do Kindergarden twice (don’t ask, long story) which means my graduating class should never have been 2015 anyway, etc.</p>
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<p>@ladeeda6
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<p>True, true. I still have some gen eds left. However, my parents are paying for my college education, and I don’t think they would like it if I was not working and making some money during the summer. I can understand though. Taking the classes in the summer may cost and extra $1,000-4,000 and we just don’t have the kind of money at the moment.</p>
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<p>@failure622</p>
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</p>
<p>Every single one of my professors, and quite a few classmates farther ahead in their studies have all told me that the upper division courses are actually quite easier. This is mainly because they tend to focus on one single topic which, contrary to intro classes, is actually much better. </p>
<p>For example in my BIO 208 class, we had chapters on immunology, the endorcrine system, the nervous system, digestive system, etc. Basically, there are so many topics to cover and review in such a short amount of time in order to pass the final. However, in an upper division course such as Immunology, you’re only focusing on one single topic, and while the work may be a tad more difficult conceptually, you aren’t being forced to go back and relearn, just as an example, the structure of a eukaryotic cell and affiliated cell cycles. </p>
<p>I hope that made sense…lol</p>
<p>P.S. the reason I’m doing this is to graduate early.</p>
<p>Also with more classes per semester, the less flexibility you have with choosing which classes and at one time. Im working on graduating for a bs in cs in 3yrs @approx 17-19creds/semester and it takes quite a while/some replanning to get everything to work out.</p>
<p>Students with higher credit hours get priority registering.</p>
<p>Example: Student A with 22 credits will be able to register on the first day of register week, whereas Student B with, oh say, 12 credit hours will be able to register on the last day.</p>
<p>Is there any way you can take care of the gen eds at a local CC during the summer and work? Usually, a CC will have more online class options and it is definitely possible to work part time whole taking 9 or so credit hours.</p>
<p>So I just found out that my parents would support me in the decision to take CC courses to get my Gen Ed’s out of the way during the summer and still graduate early. Thing is, I haven’t a clue how this process works, and I don’t know if I’m already too late when it comes to registering for CC classes. >.></p>
<p>It’s probably not too late yo register for summer classes at a community college since it is only December. Talk to an advisor at your current university to make sure the credits will transfer and all of the things of that nature.</p>
<p>Most schools require that you earn a certain number of credits at their institution to earn a degree from there. So, if you have too many CC credits, you may or may not have to spend extra time at your current school to meet their requirement.</p>
<p>@smargasbord: Thanks for letting me know. I will keep that in mind. However, I’ll only need to cover my general eds at a CC, since classes for my major must be taken at my current institution. So, while I may be spared four consecutive semesters of 22 credits, I may still have to take 22 credits/semester at some point.</p>