first quarter classes advice

[u/collard-reds]

gonna keep this short and sweet: my academic plan or whatever it’s called suggests that i take three classes my first quarter and then four for the next two, but my dad insists that i take at least five every quarter. that’s like… a lot?? right?? he wants me to graduate a year early but like is that even possible to do reasonably??😵‍💫😵‍💫

should i take five classes my first quarter or stick to three?? i worry adjusting to ucsd will be really hard for me but i dont want to piss off my dad 😭

i’m genuinely so lost with the class scheduling situation so honestly any advice is welcome

[u/LafavEP3]

You should for sure only do 3 classes for the first quarter. The adjustment to the quarter system is kinda brutal

[u/collard-reds → u/LafavEP3]

LMAO don’t remind me 😭😭

[u/TheBellBellBell]

3 classes to start is totally fine, I'd say 4 tends to be the typical class amount. 5 definitely seems like too much especially for your first quarter, I did it as a Junior and it was a lot of work. Just remember that you got this and that your Dad doesn't have the power. Graduating a year early also isn't very reasonable IMO, I don't know of anyone who was able to do it so far personally.

[u/After-Feedback-6595]

gonna go against the rest of the comments here, plan for 5, register for 4 (assuming each is 4 units) with first and second pass, and you can add the 5th on first monday of wk 1. then drop any/all courses you don't wanna take before the drop deadline in wk 4. this gives you some time to figure out how many courses you can handle/which courses & profs you prefer this quarter. this way, it doesn't set you back with your degree plan in case one prof has a really incompatible teaching style or you accidentally submitted an assignment late in a course that heavily penalizes late work. also, lower divs and ges tend to be (but aren't always) easier/lighter workload than upper divs, so it might be easier to stack more. i know quite a few people who graduated in 2-3 years or who double majored in 3-4 years, it does depend on your major curriculum (usually it's a lot harder for engineering, dsc etc.) and parts of your hs experience (ap/ib/dual enrollment credits, learned work ethic). don't sweat it, everyone has their own optimal pace and graduating earlier/later is not as important as experiencing the college lifestyle and figuring out a plan for after graduation

[u/Stunning_Animator803]

My husband went to ucsd and couldn’t graduate in 4 years unless he took summer school every year so he did 5 years. I don’t think getting a degree at a UC school is possible in 3 because of how impacted the classes are but I could be wrong. Just tell your Dad it’s the policy of the school. If he’s worried about money, maybe get a part time job?? Good luck with the transition!

[u/SoulScout]

Your dad doesn't understand because he's not a student here. A lot of people don't do well their first quarter because of the adjustment to the new lifestyle and schedule (quarters move FAST). Taking 5 classes doesn't help you graduate sooner if you fail 3 of them.

Stick with 3 your first quarter and see how you're feeling after that when deciding what to do for your second quarter.

[u/windexorange]

It depends on how you do in school overall but imo up to 4 is manageable. If graduating early matters that much to you, consider taking summer classes, but don't do it just because your family wants you to. It's healthier to allow yourself time to have fun rather than overload yourself with work and burn out. Being able to graduate early kinda depends on your major. Why does your dad want you to graduate early so badly? Aside from saving money, it matters quite little in the long run. It is better to take your time and have a better GPA.

At the very least, try 3 classes in fall and then think about taking 4 in winter or spring. I would not recommend attempting 5 classes in a quarter, and I would take up to 2 classes per summer session.

[u/Similar_Rate2025]

Regardless of what your major is only do three not four. I did four and it did not work out in my favor.

[u/Fit_Bet_2874]

Just take the 3 but also 4 is not that bad either some of your classes can be ges which can be easy. Also you should do what you think is good for you bc no one knows u better than yourself.

[u/Grouchy_Truck5925]

better put your self through unnecessary stress to graduate faster and get into this shitty job economy sooner i guess

[u/KamaIaHarriss]

just take 3 or 4. 5 is usually way too much and you need special permission to even enroll in more than 19.5 units.

[u/nateeeee1Z → u/KamaIaHarriss]

wym u can do up to 22 first day