Quick College Course Load Question

15 hours is average

:scratch: Hmm, fewer and fewer students actually graduate in four years now. At least down here. The ones who do are usually the ones who really need to get a job ASAP. (I was one of those.) The rest are happy to have funn for an extra semester. Or two. Or six.

I think 12 credits (four classes) is low if you are on the 4 year plan, but probably close to average. 15 credits was a heavy schedule. I don't know if things have changed a lot in 15 years, but I remember a lot of fellow students went for a summer or two to stay on schedule.

Incoming freshmen should really take no more than four courses in their first semester. But he's a sophomore, right?

I found that anything over 12 hrs interfered with my work on a planned thesis "Beer and the College Male". Although the planned thesis never really materialize, the knowledge and experience recieved during the research has proven to be valuable.

I think if you go below 12 hours you are considered a part time student at many schools.

I think if you go below 12 hours you are considered a part time student at many schools.

Exactly - and I also think that it would be virtually impossible to graduate in 4 years if you only took 12 hours each semester.

2 words.

Summer school. I think lots of college students are taking summer classes now- college is no longer and spring/fall semester thing. It is year round school!

So what I'm hearing is that Alex took 12 hours this past semester but he really ought to up it a bit. He's registering tonight so I will be sure to look over his shoulder to see that he takes one extra class (just to make sure ;-) ).

Thanks everyone.

So what I'm hearing is that Alex took 12 hours this past semester but he really ought to up it a bit. He's registering tonight so I will be sure to look over his shoulder to see that he takes one extra class (just to make sure ;-) ).

Thanks everyone.

Good luck. We have been very pleased to see both of ours graduate (well, MS in 2008) in 4 years. Then again, they both took some summer school...because of either a double major or a minor. I have friends that have told their children they will pay for 4 years and then the gig is up.

summer school is where it's at!!! you go for a month 2 or 3 times a week and then you are done.

12 or 15 is what I usually had. Some class loads are different than others.

If I had really hard classes I tried to keep it at 12 then do summer school...but I usually had 15.

Mermaid I wouldn't worry. It's quality not quantity.

Wish I could help out, Merm, but I work with MBAs only and they need 60 credits to graduate in the expected two years, which is 15 credits a semester and hardly any do summer school because they take internships in the summers.

So what I'm hearing is that Alex took 12 hours this past semester but he really ought to up it a bit. He's registering tonight so I will be sure to look over his shoulder to see that he takes one extra class (just to make sure ;-) ).
Thanks everyone.

Not necessarily. 4 classes doesn't always translate to 12 hours. Some classes are more hours, some are less, like PE and sciences. Definitely can't graduate in 4 years with 12 hours a semester. Jancy has had 15-18 hours each semester with several "easy" classes as part of that load.

:clap_1: ...wise ol' steelemama!

we've been told by the college counselor at my son's HS that finishing college in 4 yrs. is almost a thing of the past now. He said we could plan on 5 yrs. In fact, my son took 2 semesters of geometry last summer just to get a jump on the whole process in the 3 years he has remaining and get as much done now rather than later. (and those aren't MY genes, btw. ;-))

Good luck. We have been very pleased to see both of ours graduate (well, MS in 2008) in 4 years. Then again, they both took some summer school...because of either a double major or a minor. I have friends that have told their children they will pay for 4 years and then the gig is up.

That was what we told both our kids. It worked.

That is what I was told also, and you better believe that I was finished in 4 years!! I also had to pay for any class that I dropped or made below a "C" in, as I remember, I only dropped 1 class- lesson learned!

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) that accredits colleges/universities in the Southeast (and I'm sure it's similar in other parts of the country) has recently mandated a minimum of 120 semester hours to graduate. Some professional programs (nursing, education, accounting, to name a few) may require more. Divide that by 8 and you get 15 hours per semester. 12 hours is considered full time by every school with which I'm familiar. That being said, in the state of GA, because students are afraid of losing their HOPE Scholarships from the state, they typically sign up for 15 hours, but drop down to 12 so they can throw out the most difficult course and maximize their GPA's to keep HOPE. Many students make up the deficit by AP credit or joint enrollment credit from high school and are able to graduate in 8 semesters. However, if a student transfers or changes majors, it is unlikely that s/he will graduate in 8 semesters unless s/he attends summer school. Yes, a few courses are four-hour courses, but this doesn't make up the difference. At GT they refer to students as first-year, second-year, ..., fifth-year because just because a student has completed two years doesn't mean s/he has achieved junior status (typically 60 hours) due to taking the minimum full-time load.

We discussed this phenomenon at yesterday's faculty meeting, commenting that "back in the day," we picked a major and stuck with it. That's not typically the case these days, and we even have trouble getting students to declare a major by the end of their junior year!

My daughter attends a private college, and 4 classes is considered a full load. The students are expected to take 4 each semester and have to have permission to take five. 95% of the students graduate in 4 years unlike most state colleges in TN where 5 years is the norm. Our rule is we will only pay for 4 years tution unless a major emergency takes place. So far she is on track.

I think you are right to be interested in how many classes your son is taking. Too often advisors have too many students to be effective. Has he decided on a major? Mine daughter did, but I am not overly exicted about it....theater. I only hope she can find work and pay bills when she gets out school. I want my future earnings to go to a place in SoWall.:clap_1:

I like all these ideas of SUMMER SCHOOL. The boy came home last summer from his first year in college and half-heartedly looked for a job before settling down to the Life of Riley. I can't take that anymore! We've told him that this year, he has a two week grace period to find a job or else ....... I think he'll take the summer school option. He surprised us by doing well this semester, and he does want to transfer to another university, so this might work out well. I don't hold out much about him landing a job, sad to say. The track record simply ain't there.

I took 16 credit hours for each of my first two semesters. I dropped it back to 9 after that because GCCC is still making me pay out-of-state tuition.
12 hours is generally the norm, but it's certainly doable to take more than that. Any more than 16, though, and the brain has a tendency to start hurting a bit. I would reccomend taking at least 3-6 credits in the summer, though. He can get done more quickly, and it'll give him something to do every day. I don't know what type of person he is, but I know that after a week of summer vacation, I'm ready to get back to being productive.

I took 16 credit hours for each of my first two semesters. I dropped it back to 9 after that because GCCC is still making me pay out-of-state tuition.
12 hours is generally the norm, but it's certainly doable to take more than that. Any more than 16, though, and the brain has a tendency to start hurting a bit. I would reccomend taking at least 3-6 credits in the summer, though. He can get done more quickly, and it'll give him something to do every day. I don't know what type of person he is, but I know that after a week of summer vacation, I'm ready to get back to being productive.

PV, he's night and day to his sister. Your last sentence would never in a million years apply to Alex. :roll:

i took anywhere between 12 - 17 hours any given semester...depending upon labs, the class itself ( aerobics was only 2 or maybe 1? hours), my social schedule and my parents' threats for me to finish and be OTP (Off the payroll)!

Oh, and I came home after my freshman year - worked and took micro economics at the local community college. Also took at least one distance education class...geez, that was a long time ago...

College is too much fun to finish in 4 years

College is too much fun to finish in 4 years

That's what worries me. :roll:

Interestingly enough, this article was highlighted on MSN tonight:

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/departments/adultlearning/?article=CollegetheNewSixYearDegree&GT1=8954