Typical Number of Hours for Freshmen

Knoxstudent · #1 07-25-2007, 09:08 AM

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!

NutBrnHair · #2 07-25-2007, 09:13 AM

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

Drolefille · #3 07-25-2007, 09:24 AM

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.

nikki1920 · #4 07-25-2007, 10:33 AM

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!

AUDeltaGam · #5 07-25-2007, 04:34 PM

I took 16 hours my first semester with no problems

Senusret I · #6 07-25-2007, 05:44 PM

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.

SydneyK · #7 12-20-2007, 09:16 AM

I was a music major for my first two years in school. It might not be this way everywhere, but my school's music department required all kinds of classes that were only worth one or two credit hours. My first semester, I took 20 hours. And, because of the class schedule, I felt like I was in class ALL the time. Oh, wait... I was.

MontanaTheta · #8 06-21-2008, 09:43 PM

I took 18 hours, 6 classes, but what no one told me going in is that some of those classes were intended for sophomores, even though they were 100 level. Most people take 15, and at my school 12 is a full semester.

tld221 · #9 06-22-2008, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SydneyK

I was a music major for my first two years in school. It might not be this way everywhere, but my school's music department required all kinds of classes that were only worth one or two credit hours. My first semester, I took 20 hours. And, because of the class schedule, I felt like I was in class ALL the time. Oh, wait... I was.

This is what I would take into consideration. Have you declared your major? Though chances are your major will change, and particular majors you may not have a choice in how many credits you can take those first few semesters.

I think for the most part, 12 is the mininum and 18 is the max. My school was on 4-credit system, so average was 16. However many majors (ie. Education, Arts, Premed) have courses with off-numbered credits. A bio class may be 4 credits but the lab that goes with it might be 6, plus a 2-credit recitation. so theoretically that's 12 credits already for ONE topic. Then you may have a math, some sort of humanities and some freshman requirement, like writing or some orientation mess.

Or, on the other hand, your adviser may say you have to complete, for example, 32 credits by year's end. So maybe your program will make you do 18 in the fall, and then 14 in the spring. Or 16/16, or 14/18 (15/17), or (eek) 12/20.

Anyway, just reiterating what you may already know.

RaggedyAnn · #10 06-22-2008, 07:19 AM

I took 16 my first sememster. My Dad gave me a piece of advice when I went to school and I was happy that I took it. He told me to always take at least one fluff course for your sanity each semester. My Mom was at orientation with me and helped me pick my classes with an advisor. (This was part of the orientation back then. She was not helicoptering.) She advised me to only take one class in my major-because I really wanted to get started-and to concentrate on the core curriculum classes first-just in case I changed my mind about my major. I was amazed at how many people going into their senior year did not know what classes they needed to take to graduate...some even when they filled out their request to graduate form!

The most important thing I would say is that you find a place to study that motivates you. My dorm had this awesome study hall. My upperclassmen years were spent in the library. I found this hallway with cubicles that was behind the steps to the library's second floor. All the action was to the right, but the blessed hallway was to the left. I would have never found it except there was a sister who studied there and told us where to find her if we needed her to sign for study hours.

amanda6035 · #11 06-23-2008, 05:37 PM

I got the best grades when I took 12 hours. I attempted to take 15 hours once...and ended up dropping a class before the withdrawal date in order to save my GPA.

edit: I took 12 hours fall and spring semester. and took 9 hours in the summer to make it up. I didn't take summers off. I didnt see any reason to.