Typical Number of Hours for Freshmen
 

Hello,

I am trying to determine an appropriate and manageable number of credit-hours for for first semester, freshman year. Every answer I have gotten thus far has varied greatly from the next.

I would just like to hear how many hours others on this site took (or will be taking) their freshman year.

Thank you!

My university was on quarters. Most everyone took 3 classes = 15 hours.

15 hours is average. I'd say aim for that. Sometimes due to the classes you take you'll end up with one hour more or less which isn't a big deal. Most schools run on semesters and 15 hours is 5 classes. Labs might add an hour if you're doing anything science related.

It certainly can vary depending on your school though. I don't know anything about Knox.

12 to 16 hours. I took 18 hours my first semester on the advice of my father, and ended up with mono. :( WAY too much stress on a just-adjusting freshman.

Good luck!

I took 16 hours my first semester with no problems

I took 15 hours (five classes).

Although I might have received better grades with fewer classes, I think I definitely needed to learn how to manage that large of a course load anyway.

I took fewer my junior year once or twice and 18 credits my senior year.

Although I graduated on time, I REALLY should have just taken a fifth year and spread myself out.

Eh, whatever. i ramble.

I took 15 hours my first semester. Any more than that, I probably would've been overwhelmed since I was adjusting.

Since its the first semester...take it easy. A freshman is still adjusting.

12 hours is full-time. I'd say take between 12-15 hours (which is 4-5 classes).

My first semester i took 12 hours.

Asking about hours is confusing since different schools atribute the hours differently. I'd say if it's semesters, 4-5 classes. If it's quarters, take 3 classes.

I'd also like to take this time to say something to all the hopeful shiny faced freshman. Enjoy college! Don't kill yourself to get finished ASAP. Take your time. Fifth year is not uncommon in a lot of schools now. Six years is probably pushing it though. But do study and learn and get good grades. Also make sure to get crazy (safely). Take road trips. Get drunk (safely). Be impulsive! Then get back to the books. :D

OMG YES!!!

I wish someone would have told my dad that. He seemed to think that I needed to finish ASAP, and since he was paying for it, I had to go along with it, never mind the stress it was causing me. :( But you live and learn.

My advice? Monday through Thursday is for school and school related stuff. Friday and Saturday is for partying and reading (and not both on both days, lol! Pick one day to read and one for partying). Sunday is for worship (if you do) or just me time and to get ready for the following week. Try new things, meet new people, broaden your view of things. And have fun!

Five days a week? Have fun with Friday classes. I took one my very first semester of college and then I realized how horrible it was and haven't taken one since.

Sometimes you don't have a choice. :( I don't think I had a single semester or quarter where I didn't have a Friday class. It sucked so much. That and 8am classes. Why Lord Why????? :sniff:

I had a MWF class that was scheduled until 4. The teacher wanted to be out by 3 on Fridays, so we agreed to extend the MW classes by 30 mins so we all could get out early on Friday. And by 2:50 he was done teaching on Fridays, lol!

If you aren't a morning person, don't (well, try not to) do early classes. I work best after 10 am. 8 and 9 am classes didnt work well for me at all.

ETA: NutBrnHair's sticky for Academic Tips of the Week is also very helpful.

I had 14 my first semester, 15 the second one.

My mother and father had more- but she went to school in another state and he in another country. They still found it to be a small number. Don't remember how many credits my brother took. It was perfectly manageable for me. I pledged A Phi O my second semester.