So, because of the minimum number of students required to hold a class, one of the (three) classes I was registered to take this semester is not available and I find myself having to find other options as we head into the second week of classes.
There are two that I’d like to take. Both are offered spring semester only, which means that I could take one of them next spring if I wanted too (but I’m going to hope to get into the one that was cancelled this semester then). I’ve e-mailed both professors, and I can get into either or both of them without a problem.
Here’s my concern:
I did fine last semester taking three graduate courses. I know that taking three a semester (plus two during the summer), I can graduate next spring. Taking an extra one now wouldn’t affect that plan at all. But I’m worried about the potential amount of work associated with four classes rather than three. Is it really so much? Has anyone else done this? Are four really that much tougher than three?
As an undergraduate, I took a standard four classes each semester. I found the workload to be just about right, and I was able to complete all of the required reading and assignments in a timely manner.
Then one semester I had three required classes. There were also two additional classes I was interested in taking, neither of which was going to be offered again before I graduated. So I figured, I did just fine with my four classes, I should be able to handle one more.
Not exactly. I did complete all five classes, but my grade went down 1/2 point in every single one. In classes in which I would have expected a B+, I got a B. If I would have expected an A-, I got a B+. I sometimes came to class unprepared, did shoddier work, and in general did just a little bit worse in each class than I would otherwise have done. I probably learned a little less, too. I know the way the grades/workload compared because some of the classes were the second part of a class I had previously taken, or very similar classes focusing on different subject matter.
On the plus side, I learned to think on my feet when I showed up in a literature class one day wihtout having finished the book. But my advice would be to look carefully at how you are handling your current workload. Do you feel pressed for time? Are there assignments that don’t get done, or don’t get done until the last minute? One extra class doesn’t seem like much, but in my case, it made a tremendous difference.
For me, the biggest thing to consider when setting a class schedule is the Proffessor. I think its worth either taking a lighter or heavier load to get the best instructor. If its a very difficult class that is outside of your major, it might be worthwhile to get the Prof that gives the easiest exams. If its a class on a critical topic that you will need to learn well for your occupation or for subsequent classes, it might be better to get the best teacher overall regardless of difficulty.
Too often, esp as an undergrad, I set my schedule around not having an 8:00 class so I could sleep in.
Hope this helps,
tho i see you’re a grad student, so you probably don’t have too much flexability
I took 4 classes plus my observation/student teaching each semester in grad school (it was a 1-year program). In all honesty, I had no problems completing classwork/homework in either place. It got a little hairy around midterm time, but other than that, it went well. I graduated with honors and was hired by the school system I student taught in for the following academic year.
FWIW, as an undergrad, I took 6 classes per semester and could’ve graduated a year early, but I didn’t. My “senior” year consisted mostly tutoring freshmen/sophomores for the English department and taking 3 writing workshops in exchange for room and board. Yes, taking the 6 classes was hell at times. As to why I did it – good question. Workaholism? Manic thirst for learning? Trying to escape the partiers in my dorm? Probably all three…
I’ve taken five as a graduate and lived to tell about it, but I tend to be a glutton for punishment about these things. I’d say four is OK and five is a very, very bad idea.
Well, right now I’m asking myself the same question. Might as well chime in, right?
The thing is, last semester I took four classes, as all first-years are encouraged to take four (as opposed to five, which is generally a bad idea). Anyway, now that my second semester is approaching, I’m wondering if I should take four or five. I’ve already signed up for five, but I have another couple of weeks to fine tune my schedule (add or drop classes), and then another few weeks after that to drop. I also already have 15 outside points from my AP exams which makes me a first semester sophomore right now…so I’m wondering if I should do what everyone else is probably doing and take five, or take four since I have the extra points as sort of a cushion. I’m sure I’ll come to a decision soon enough, anyway.
I’ve never taken four classes, but I have taken three in addition to teaching, and I found it manageable, although I didn’t get any research to speak of that semester. Taking three, I have enough time to also do some research on the side.
What I would think might be a decent alternative, assuming it’s allowed, is to sit on one of these classes without actually taking it for credit. Would they let you do that?
It really depends on the person. As an undergrad I regular took 19-21 credit hours (12-16 was considered a normal load). Worked for 2 deparments and still had a lot of time on my hands. For my Masters and the course part of my PhD is was 4 courses + doing my TA or RA work. No problem.
But, I knew I wouldn’t have any problems with higer loads in grad school since I didn’t have a problem as an undergrad. That is what should guide you. What has been your track record? You mention 3 grad courses, etc., so maybe you can do it.
I always took at least four classes as an under graduate. A couple of times I took five. As I was financing my own education I could never pass up a “free” class. I always tried to schedule two easier and two harder classes.
My graduate program actually required four classes but the higher workload was factored into the program.
As an undergrad, I took anywhere from 3-5 classes, depending on what they were.
For right now, I’m going with four classes…I’m a little nervous even though I think I can handle it. Really.
Three of the four are cancelled this week because the professors are out of town. I’ll attend the one that I do have and if it looks like a nightmare as far as workload, I may drop the extra class. I do have the syllabi for all classes…and I think it’s survivable. The question is, is my 4.0 survivable?
I think it depends on what you’re doing. Last spring, I took 3 graduate courses (10 credit hours), taught, put my research proposal together, and started putting in 20+ research hours around the middle of the semester. I was pretty wiped out by the end of the semester, and it did kill my 4.0; I got a B in statistics. I probably could have pulled it out if I’d kept my nose just a bit more to the grindstone though. Also, I have the disadvantage of absolutely not being able to forgo sleep.
I’d say four classes should be fine if you don’t have lots of other commitments. Also, look at the distribution of the workload for the classes. Part of the problem I ran into was that term papers were assigned late in the semester, so I had little work in the first half of the semester, then only a few weeks to prepare papers at the end.
Well I really don’t know what’s up with all these three/four class schedules, and I’m only in my first year, but last semester I had six classes and this semester I have 5 (one is a double credit course). I had 30 hours/week last semester and 31 this semester (plus an extra two hour co-op thing each week for this month). My schedule is laid out for me and all classes start at 8:30AM.
I’m taking four graduate courses also and TA’ing this semester. This is the first time taking four grad courses in semester, so I dunno. However, I have taken six high level undergrad courses in a semester. It was hard, but I managed to pull out a 3.5 GPA. What I basically did was prioritize my time. If there was a class that needed my extra focus at that time, then I put the effort in. On the contary, if I could skip a class and still be fine, I would skip a class. One class I only went to a few times the whole semester and I received an A. Also, I didn’t try to get all A’s only tried to do the best I could (sounds odd, but if on a particular day I felt like I could only do B work, then I did B work). This helped me keep my sanity.
Last semester, I took three classes and TA and it was relatively easy. However, I was lucky that I choose classes with light workloads.
In my graduate coursework I took three courses a quarter, and our department discouraged students from taking more than three (auditing was okay) based on the fact that outside fieldwork was often required. Although three courses was on the whole pretty easy, even when I was teaching an undergrad course which met four times a week, I found the schedule quite forgiving when it came time for my master’s thesis and then my written and oral exams for PhD candidacy.
Don’t worry about the course load or your GPA. I have utter confidence Colby prepared us well for whatever we might face.
I’m sure it did - at least to the point that I learned how to write papers, a lot of them and often!
I know I can handle it - really. I’ve gone ahead and jump started things so that I’m doing the reading for next week now, and I jumped into two of the first four papers. Looking at the syllabi, the big downside is going to be that all the classes seem to have papers due at the same time. So I’m cracking the whip on myself.
