I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to schedule my classes when I enter college as a freshman. How many classes should I take per semester and how should I budget my time?
Jasmine, Sarasota, Florida
Depending on the college you are attending, there will most likely be different requirements for class registration as a freshman. At most universities, you will take a number of pre-requisites in a variety of different subject areas your first semester. However, if you are enrolled in a special program at the university, such as pre-med or at an art school, you may be required to take a concentration of classes in a certain area as early as your first semester.
At a liberal arts college such as Middlebury first year students are encouraged to explore a variety of classes in all different subject areas during the freshman year. That way, you can explore the array of classes offered and the diversity that is a liberal arts education before declaring a major field of study. My schedule during the first semester lacked any common thread, and ranged from Arabic 101 to a class about the artificial ethnicity of robots.
When you are picking your classes, choose courses that sound interesting or new and different to you. Don’t sign up for a class just because your friend is or because someone told you the professor was easier than the professor in a class you really wanted to take. The best I’ve learned so far at Middlebury is that your college experience is what you make of it, and deciding what YOU want is the most important factor.
Also, plan out your schedule on a weekly calendar before signing up for classes. Be sure there are no time conflicts and that you will have plenty of time to get to and from your classes.
Unfortunately, I cannot advise you on how many classes to take, as credit requirements vary depending on the college. However, most colleges will ask that you take at least 4 classes per semester. This can also vary depending on the credits you acquired during high school (i.e.: Advanced Placement testing or International Baccalaureate Programs).
Should you not be able to get into a class that you really want to take, don’t stress out about it, because most colleges have an add/drop period the first few weeks of classes during which you can still play around with your schedule a bit and sit in on other classes or get a spot in another class you want because someone else dropped it. Don’t hesitate to waitlist for a class!
Also, don’t be hesitant if you really want to get into a particular class. Communicate your interest in the class with the professor and sit in on the class for the first few weeks. There’s generally a good chance that the professor will make room for you in the class if you prove to them that you are really passionate. Granted, this may not be the case at all colleges so investigate the possibilities at your particular college.
With regard to budgeting time, I think it’s easy to say that time management is the most important key to being successful at college. One key to keeping up with the workload is to schedule time for studying and working on certain things for classes into your weekly schedule along with your sports practice, club meetings, and lecture times. If you actually write it all down, you will see that there is still time for hanging out with friends or taking a power nap! (The other key to college success!) If you organize your time well you will feel so much better about your physical and mental health.
-Ali
