23 Credit Hours/Semester - Is it Doable Freshman Year?

[I'm On My Way Up]

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Before anyone calls me insane, hear me out. First of all, here's the breakdown of my planned schedule:

Semester 1:
-Organic Chemistry 1 (4 Credits) + Accompanying Lab (1 Credit)
-Developmental Biology (3 Credits) + Accompanying Lab (2 Credits)
-Honors Physics 1 (4 Credits) + Accompanying Lab (1 Credit)
-Calculus 3 (4 Credits)
-Introductory Writing Course (4 Credits)

Term Total: 23 Credit Hours

Semester 2:
-Organic Chemistry 2 (3 Credits) + Accompanying Lab (2 Credits)
-Introductory Microbiology Course (4 Credits)
-Honors Physics 2 (4 Credits) + Accompanying Lab (1 Credit)
-Linear Algebra (4 Credits)
-Professional Writing Course (4 Credits)

Term Total: 22 Credit Hours

Alright, the reason that I'm even attempting to do all of this at once is because I've already taken Organic Chemistry and Calculus classes (up to Analysis/Differential Equations) during high school (Organic and the DiffEQ classes were taken senior year). I dual enrolled those courses at one of my state universities (it is not a CC and it is not the same university that I will be attending this fall) and passed all of them with "A"s. Because of this, I believe that I won't have to study much at all for Organic Chemistry, Calculus 3, and Linear Algebra. When ignoring those classes, I end up having about 14 credit hours per semester. So why am I retaking certain classes? I want to have a strong understanding of my chemistry and math courses for the MCAT without going too far ahead where I might forget older material or where the advanced material won't really be applicable to the exam. Biology and Physics are my strong points so I'm not as concerned about setting up classes for those subjects. Given my scenario, do you guys think that I should still follow along with this plan or should I change it?

 

[Spitphire]

Generally, it's not recommended to take such a course load. If you think you're capable, (which you sound like you are) go for it! Which version of the MCAT do you plan to take? Just curious.

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

Generally, it's not recommended to take such a course load. If you think you're capable, (which you sound like you are) go for it! Which version of the MCAT do you plan to take? Just curious.

The 2015+ MCAT. I plan to take it the summer after my sophomore year (I'll have a lot of time to study during that period since I won't have to worry about other things like classes getting in the way). Hopefully an updated version of SN2ed's MCAT study plan comes out before then. If not, I suppose I'd have to modify if myself by adding in biochemistry, psychology, and sociology into the mix.

 

[Contr0lz]

Go for it! I think you can do it. I did something very similar freshman year too. I took 17-19 credits of similar courses to those you mentioned last year and worked 4 jobs and volunteered @ 2 places ==> total of ~60 Hours of extracurriculars/week alone depending on the week. You sound pretty intelligent, go for it! With 23 credits though, I wouldn't focus too too much on extracurriculars those semesters. Because 23 credits hours w/ 3 labs leads to maybe ~35 hours in the classroom counting TA sessions. That's a lot of time in class. Take that into consideration.

 

[NickNaylor]

I would honestly be extremely surprised if your school actually allowed you to register for that many credits. At my undergrad, you have to get permission from the dean to go above full-time status (i.e., 18 hours). Even as a senior with a near-4.0 GPA, my request to do an additional course and have 20 hours of credit one semester were denied. Schools have no interest in seeing their students make foolish decisions and crash and burn as a result.

I would not assume that you can just "not study" for courses that you did for dual credit. You run the risk of discovering that the courses will be harder than you expect and finding yourself in a tough spot.

 

[claduva94]

I have done 21 without much of a problem. I also did research 10-15 hours a week, worked 20 hours a week, and volunteered 5 hours a week. But I also have almost 0 free time. So be sure that it is really something you want/need to do.

 

[Catalystik]

Given my scenario, do you guys think that I should still follow along with this plan or should I change it?

if you crash and burn, and your GPA takes a dive, what is your backup plan? How will your previous good college grades be perceived if you have a GPA dip as soon as you get to a new school?

 

[ndafife]

Lab credits, at least where I went to school, generally work out to 1 credit per about 3/4 hours in the classroom, and regardless of how easy it is/how much you know, lab reports are big pains in the butt and take forever. So take that into account.

There isnt a math section on the MCAT, so there is no reason to retake that class. You really just need a basic trig understanding as well as the ability to do basic algebra/arithmetic

 

[el_duderino]

I did I think 21 just fine and never felt I was drowning. If you think you can do it, maybe you can. If you think you're falling behind, be sure to withdraw from a course early and don't take that many credits again.

 

[tokeneconomy]

I don't think any of that advanced math in on the MCAT. If this is your freshman year, I'm just wondering why you're trying to do all of this when there are friends to be made and experiences to be had. If not, then that's not an issue as you've already acclimated (going to guess it is your sophomore year based on the schedule). While I'm sure you can manage this without your GPA suffering too badly, I don't think it's necessary - I might just drop the math classes unless they're required for your major. But, to each his/her own. Good luck with whatever you choose to do! I think you will be fine with this schedule.

 

[DokterMom]

If you enrolled dual credit in high school, would you even be allowed to 'repeat a class for credit'?

If your only aim is to stay fresh on the material, why not audit those classes instead? 90% of the benefit with 0% of the risk.

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

I would honestly be extremely surprised if your school actually allowed you to register for that many credits. At my undergrad, you have to get permission from the dean to go above full-time status (i.e., 18 hours).

Where I attend, a student can have a course overload (18+ credit hours) without sending in a petition form to the dean. However, in certain cases, the student may need to have his/her advisor approve the courses which cause the overload. In the event of an approval, the student will have to pay a certain fee for each credit hour going past the 18 hour full-time "maximum". I feel that my reasons for having more than 18 hours for a term are justified and I can show my advisor my transcript from my previous university if I was questioned on my ability to handle those classes.

I would not assume that you can just "not study" for courses that you did for dual credit. You run the risk of discovering that the courses will be harder than you expect and finding yourself in a tough spot.

I never assumed that I will "not study" for any particular course. The organic chemistry and math classes I took at my previous university have syllabi that are almost identical (the math courses being exactly identical) to the syllabi of the same courses at the university that I will be attending this fall. Yes, the organic chemistry course goes a little more in depth at my new university, but the remaining topics are the same and the material for such topics is fresh in my mind since I've finished taking the class only a couple months ago. With this, I assumed that any study time I might need to set aside for those courses will be cut down quite reasonably, not entirely. In any case, I suppose it would be best that I talk to the professors for organic chemistry and calculus 3 before class starts to get a sense of how difficult they are.

Schools have no interest in seeing their students make foolish decisions and crash and burn as a result.

Of course, this is something I would like to avoid. As I've said before, I will change my class plans if deemed necessary.

 

[ndafife]

Another question, why do you want to do this? You're not going to be getting credits that count for anything meaningful (seeing as you got them through dual enrollment). As of now you have 9 'dead credits' per semester. Why risk poor grades in these classes/other classes by taking time consuming credits that add almost nothing. Go make friends and do some extracurriculars (research, volunteering, etc...) instead of wasting 9+ hours per week in class (more with labs). That'll add more to your app than anything

 

[ndafife]

I never assumed that I will "not study" for any particular course. The organic chemistry and math classes I took at my previous university have syllabi that are almost identical (the math courses being exactly identical) to the syllabi of the same courses at the university that I will be attending this fall.

Then why take them? Did your credits not transfer or something? That scenario sounds like the epitome of a waste of time

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

There isnt a math section on the MCAT, so there is no reason to retake that class. You really just need a basic trig understanding as well as the ability to do basic algebra/arithmetic

I don't think any of that advanced math in on the MCAT. If this is your freshman year, I'm just wondering why you're trying to do all of this when there are friends to be made and experiences to be had. If not, then that's not an issue as you've already acclimated (going to guess it is your sophomore year based on the schedule). While I'm sure you can manage this without your GPA suffering too badly, I don't think it's necessary - I might just drop the math classes unless they're required for your major. But, to each his/her own. Good luck with whatever you choose to do! I think you will be fine with this schedule.

Yes, but some medical schools require 1 year of math (mainly calculus) where AP credits cannot be used to fulfill that requirement. And this is my plan for freshman year.

If you enrolled dual credit in high school, would you even be allowed to 'repeat a class for credit'?

If your only aim is to stay fresh on the material, why not audit those classes instead? 90% of the benefit with 0% of the risk.

Another question, why do you want to do this? You're not going to be getting credits that count for anything meaningful (seeing as you got them through dual enrollment). As of now you have 9 'dead credits' per semester. Why risk poor grades in these classes/other classes by taking time consuming credits that add almost nothing. Go make friends and do some extracurriculars (research, volunteering, etc...) instead of wasting 9+ hours per week in class (more with labs). That'll add more to your app than anything

I received credit at the university where I dual enrolled. The university I will be going to this fall is not the same one and I don't plan on transferring 5 classes worth of credits where they'll be shown only as "T"s with no grade under my new university's transcript.

EDIT: Sure, I'll probably be able to send in two transcripts when applying to medical school but the university that I will be attending is ranked higher overall by quite a bit. Due to this, I'd prefer having all of my grades (especially the prereqs) come from my new university.

 

[NickNaylor]

Something here isn't making sense. I'm not really sure what your goal is here, but, as mentioned above, this seems like a colossal waste of time. While some med schools won't accept AP credits for pre-reqs, they will almost always allow you to substitute more advanced coursework in lieu of completing the actual pre-reqs. Taking those other classes seems like a much better use of your time - especially if you feel like you "won't have to study much." Med schools are going to see both your transcripts and wonder, "wtf was this guy doing?" I'm guessing you're trying to retake them so you can get good grades, but no one is going to be impressed with a 4.0 when taking classes you've already taken before. And if you get anything less than a 4.0 for whatever reason then med schools will be absolutely unimpressed.

This just seems like a stupid idea all around.

 

[ndafife]

I received credit at the university where I dual enrolled. The university I will be going to this fall is not the same one and I don't plan on transferring 5 classes worth of credits where they'll be shown only as "T"s with no grade under my new university's transcript.

EDIT: Sure, I'll probably be able to send in two transcripts when applying to medical school but the university that I will be attending is ranked higher overall by quite a bit. Due to this, I'd prefer having all of my grades (especially the prereqs) come from my new university.

You are way overthinking this. Med Schools wont care that you have credits from a lower tier university because you took them in High School. There may be some minor benefit in getting them from a better university, but as @NickNaylor says, they are going to look at the transcripts and scratch their head.

The benefit of using those 9 credit hours (and probably up to 15/16 hours a week in lab) and studying time for something else like extracurricular activities, hobbies, research, taking classes that can knock out graduation requirements (get out early = save $$$), etc... would far outweigh any potential marginal benefit from having those grades all come from the same school.

 

[Doudline]

You are retaking Linear Algebra and Calculus III to stay on top of things for the MCAT?
Do you really think anyone is going to believe that? It sounds to me like you just want easy credit tbh (and it will probably backfire).

 

[chillinillinkillin007]

I got a idea. How about instead of focusing on medical school your freshmen year, you focus on meeting people and have a good first year of college?

I know, crazy right?

 

[claduva94]

OP what major are you planning to pursue?

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

Something here isn't making sense. I'm not really sure what your goal is here, but, as mentioned above, this seems like a colossal waste of time. While some med schools won't accept AP credits for pre-reqs, they will almost always allow you to substitute more advanced coursework in lieu of completing the actual pre-reqs. Taking those other classes seems like a much better use of your time - especially if you feel like you "won't have to study much." Med schools are going to see both your transcripts and wonder, "wtf was this guy doing?" I'm guessing you're trying to retake them so you can get good grades, but no one is going to be impressed with a 4.0 when taking classes you've already taken before. And if you get anything less than a 4.0 for whatever reason then med schools will be absolutely unimpressed.

This just seems like a stupid idea all around.

You are way overthinking this. Med Schools wont care that you have credits from a lower tier university because you took them in High School. There may be some minor benefit in getting them from a better university, but as @NickNaylor says, they are going to look at the transcripts and scratch their head.

The benefit of using those 9 credit hours (and probably up to 15/16 hours a week in lab) and studying time for something else like extracurricular activities, hobbies, research, taking classes that can knock out graduation requirements (get out early = save $$$), etc... would far outweigh any potential marginal benefit from having those grades all come from the same school.

I'm not interested in retaking them for better grades. I've already received As in all of those courses. My main intention was to retake orgo so I'd have a solid chemistry background on the MCAT (without going too far ahead where the advanced information wouldn't be applicable to the test) and retake the math classes so I could complete the 1 year math requirement that some medical schools have (retaking the math would be easier on me instead of taking some 400 level analysis class beyond DiffEQ my first year of college). Calculus 3 and Linear Algebra are already the advanced coursework substitute for the typical Calculus 1+2 requirement. Will medical schools see both transcripts regardless? I made this plan under the impression that you can select the ones they can/can't view. If this isn't the case, then I can see where you're coming from and I will change my plan immediately.

 

[tokeneconomy]

LOL apparently I didn't read the title. My bad.

 

[Doudline]

Medical schools see every class you have ever taken in a post-high school environment.
The 1-year math requirement has already been filled by the college classes you took while in high school.

 

[tokeneconomy]

Yes, but some medical schools require 1 year of math (mainly calculus) where AP credits cannot be used to fulfill that requirement. And this is my plan for freshman year.

Med schools that don't accept AP credit for the math requirement are in the minority, and even then, most majors require a stats class that could count toward that requirement and wouldn't it be easier to take calc 1 or 2 again? Not trying to play devil's advocate, but I breezed through most of the classes I took at a very difficult private HS, and when I had to take the same classes in college last year, the material was presented differently and the class was more difficult, mainly due to stiffer competition and curving policies. Though I ended up doing very well, I also wasn't taking 23 credits and I was only in one lab science. If there's no compelling reason to do this, which there isn't from my perspective (I assume you have your reasons, though), then I would not. I apologize if this is coming off rudely; it is not my intention to shoot you down.

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

OP what major are you planning to pursue?

I'm thinking about majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology.

Medical schools see every class you have ever taken in a post-high school environment.
The 1-year math requirement has already been filled by the college classes you took while in high school.

Ah ok. I understand now. So yeah, this plan is a waste of time haha. My bad for not looking into this. I'll probably do something along the lines of what @ndafife suggested.

 

[ndafife]

I'm not interested in retaking them for better grades. I've already received As in all of those courses. My main intention was to retake orgo so I'd have a solid chemistry background on the MCAT (without going too far ahead where the advanced information wouldn't be applicable to the test) and retake the math classes so I could complete the 1 year math requirement that some medical schools have (retaking the math would be easier on me instead of taking some 400 level analysis class beyond DiffEQ my first year of college). Calculus 3 and Linear Algebra are already the advanced coursework substitute for the typical Calculus 1+2 requirement. Will medical schools see both transcripts regardless? I made this plan under the impression that you can select the ones they can/can't view. If this isn't the case, then I can see where you're coming from and I will change my plan immediately.

Youve already taken Orgo and you admitted the syllabus us almost identical, so its not really adding a ton. You will be amazed what you recall when you start studying for the MCAT. But if you are unsure about it, just get a Kaplan book and flip through the OChem section to see how familiar you are with the material. You should be able to recall a good amount of the material when you start studying (and the study books are very good about jogging your memory)

Almost every math requirement says that either calculus or statistics can be applied to it, and almost all of them allow AP coursework for calculus. Ive seen more schools that require/strongly recommend a semester of Stats than a semester of calculus. Check some prospective schools admissions' pages, but take a basic stats class. I found it really beneficial in higher level lab courses and in my research/time working in labs

And yes, you have to send both transcripts. This is a requirement. Any course taken at or through an institute of higher education has to have a transcript to accompany it, whether you took it in High school or not

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

Med schools that don't accept AP credit for the math requirement are in the minority, and even then, most majors require a stats class that could count toward that requirement and wouldn't it be easier to take calc 1 or 2 again? Not trying to play devil's advocate, but I breezed through most of the classes I took at a very difficult private HS, and when I had to take the same classes in college last year, the material was presented differently and the class was more difficult, mainly due to stiffer competition and curving policies. Though I ended up doing very well, I also wasn't taking 23 credits and I was only in one lab science. If there's no compelling reason to do this, which there isn't from my perspective (I assume you have your reasons, though), then I would not. I apologize if this is coming off rudely; it is not my intention to shoot you down.

No, not at all, most of the replies I received were constructive. But you and the others who questioned me are correct. I need time for ECs, research, volunteering, shadowing, etc. and most importantly I still need a life lol. I definitely need to change this. In the end the other suggestions will benefit me more than doing what I have now. Thanks guys!

I got a idea. How about instead of focusing on medical school your freshmen year, you focus on meeting people and have a good first year of college?

I know, crazy right?

Yeah haha 😀

 

[NickNaylor]

I'm not interested in retaking them for better grades. I've already received As in all of those courses. My main intention was to retake orgo so I'd have a solid chemistry background on the MCAT (without going too far ahead where the advanced information wouldn't be applicable to the test) and retake the math classes so I could complete the 1 year math requirement that some medical schools have (retaking the math would be easier on me instead of taking some 400 level analysis class beyond DiffEQ my first year of college). Calculus 3 and Linear Algebra are already the advanced coursework substitute for the typical Calculus 1+2 requirement. Will medical schools see both transcripts regardless? I made this plan under the impression that you can select the ones they can/can't view. If this isn't the case, then I can see where you're coming from and I will change my plan immediately.

Yes, medical schools will see both transcripts and you are required to provide both transcripts. That is non-negotiable, and you have no control over that. Not sending in a transcript is a huge no-no and will get you in hot water if you attempt to do so.

Retaking orgo to try and have a "solid foundation" for the purposes of the MCAT is complete overkill. The orgo that is on the MCAT is pretty straightforward. It definitely isn't worth wasting a year of your time retaking the course. You will have dedicated study time for the MCAT, and assuming you're taking the exam in a couple of years anyway you're still going to have to review the information.

The mathematics pre-reqs are less important, and some schools don't even require calculus anymore and, instead, would prefer that you have a semester of statistics. I would recommend checking out the requirements at a small selection of schools to see what the deal is. Sure, there might be a very small number of schools that you won't meet the requirements for, but they will be the exception rather than the rule.

 

[allantois]

Is this post for real?

OChem will be further deemphasized on the new MCAT 2015, which will have no Calculus whatsoever.

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

OChem will be further deemphasized on the new MCAT 2015, which will have no Calculus whatsoever.

The entire original post revolved around

1) my false assumption that medical school applicants were able to select which transcript(s) they could send in even if the other transcript(s) only contained information about colleges classes taken during high school, and
2) my overestimation regarding the difficulty of the chemistry content on the new MCAT.

As for the calculus, that was originally what I intended to take during college to satisfy math requirements that some medical schools have - what was said in the original post was a typing error on my part. There was also some confusion about AP credit. Most of the discussion in this thread was based on my misunderstandings, but the issue is solved now and I'm changing my schedule (read back only a couple of posts if you care).

Is this post for real?

Sure, some things may seem stupid, but don't assume that every freshman walks into undergrad knowing everything about the medical school application process and MCAT. I created this thread because I had doubts about my plan and hoped that asking for outside input would clear them - which is exactly what happened.

 

[TBRBiosadist]

Really though, freshman year should be your easier year and it progessively (or very suddenly) get harder. It sounds like as long as you have good ECs and score well on the MCAT you're already on the track to make it into a good medical school easy. Unless your trying to graduate early, dont do this schedule. Something alot of premeds forget is to have a little time in their schedule to have fun, otherwise you will burn out by your first year of med.

 

[ortnakas]

If you need a second semester of math for a prerequisite, you can probably use a biostatistics course-- chances are 1) your science major will require it anyway and 2) it will be easier and more relevant than more calculus.

 

[mysdnhandle]

God, what the !@#$ is wrong with you. Do you like yourself? Do you like life?

 

[soccerusa]

This is a bad idea. There are four years of college for a reason and college science classes are hard enough. Do yourself a favor and take a lighter load. If it turns out to be super easy then just enjoy your free time or get involved in research or something.

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

You could definitely do it and make A's all around.

Would you have spare time for extracurriculars/leadership/volunteering? No.

 

[Lawpy]

You could definitely do it and make A's all around.

Would you have spare time for extracurriculars/leadership/volunteering? No.

Actually, someone from Duke managed to pull this off quite well on top of stellar ECs. He apparently got a 4.0 and likely >40 MCAT, became a Rhodes Scholar and is currently an MSTP student at Harvard.

 

[rfvbnmju]

Are most classes 4 credits now?

I remember all of my classes were 3 credits regardless of whether it's Chem, eng or math with 1 for lab which would be around 18-19 units for the classes OP put.

Anything is doable if you have the time management. 🙂



Sent from my phone.

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

Actually, someone from Duke managed to pull this off quite well on top of stellar ECs. He apparently got a 4.0 and likely >40 MCAT, became a Rhodes Scholar and is currently an MSTP student at Harvard.

Is this guy as impressive that guy? Statistically, the odds are $hitty

 

[Lawpy]

Is this guy as impressive that guy? Statistically, the odds are $hitty

Lol i know. OP doesn't stand a chance with his current schedule (along with his sad plan of retaking the prereqs). But i just had to point it out

 

[maxilofacial]

You can do it.

But seriously, enjoy your first year IMO. You're going to college and encounter with a lot of new things and some bad habits from high school.

In your case, I would try the first year with 16 credits each semester.

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

God, what the !@#$ is wrong with you. Do you like yourself? Do you like life?

Did you even read this?

But you and the others who questioned me are correct. I need time for ECs, research, volunteering, shadowing, etc. and most importantly I still need a life lol. I definitely need to change this. In the end the other suggestions will benefit me more than doing what I have now. Thanks guys!

As for this:

Lol i know. OP doesn't stand a chance with his current schedule (along with his sad plan of retaking the prereqs). But i just had to point it out

Again, I've explained everything before:

The entire original post revolved around

1) my false assumption that medical school applicants were able to select which transcript(s) they could send in even if the other transcript(s) only contained information about colleges classes taken during high school, and
2) my overestimation regarding the difficulty of the chemistry content on the new MCAT.

As for the calculus, that was originally what I intended to take during college to satisfy math requirements that some medical schools have - what was said in the original post was a typing error on my part. There was also some confusion about AP credit. Most of the discussion in this thread was based on my misunderstandings, but the issue is solved now and I'm changing my schedule (read back only a couple of posts if you care).

 

[allantois]

Chill out. People don't have to read every single word in the thread to comment on it.

 

[kmp0410]

Your whole idea that you will move too far forward and forget everything for the MCAT is silly...

If it is in the same general subjects then most of that stuff builds on each other. Taking more advanced stuff will likely make the simpler stuff seem much easier.

IE: After taking Organic 2 you could breeze through Organic 1 because you basically do all the stuff from Organic 1 all the time.

Also, you will be doing MCAT specific studying...so wasting your time on something 2 years away is just...smh

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

Chill out. People don't have to read every single word in the thread to comment on it.

Of course not. It's just that many people in this thread have already brought up the EC/have fun/lighten the load topic before a lot of times so I expected him to see at least one of them. I'd rather avoid seeing the same thing being discussed when I've already acknowledged those faults of my plan and said that I would change it.

Your whole idea that you will move too far forward and forget everything for the MCAT is silly...

Yeah, I realize that now lol. I tend to act a bit neurotic when dealing with things like this.

 

[RTC19]

I think the risk that your GPA will tank is just too much of a risk to take. Lighten it up a bit, OP.

 

[I'm On My Way Up]

I think the risk that your GPA will tank is just too much of a risk to take. Lighten it up a bit, OP.

Yeah, I'm trying to think of a new schedule that's only around 16 or so credit hours.

 

[Flashfan]

Instead of the O-Chem, keep the Physics and add Biochem.

 

[noleknight16]

No need to rush the process.

 

[mysdnhandle]

The fact that youre critically analyzing a thread with posts from random people makes me think you dont have anything better to do, hence your decision to take 23 units...your freshman year. Youll have less and less chances to grow outside the classroom as the years go on. This is actually very important if you want to be a physician. People cant relate to a study dud and life experiences will help you out in that arena. Your freshman year especially, youll be meeting people who will help define you college experience. Do yourself a favor and drop to a normal courseload so its physically possible to actually do those things. Especially if you dont end up getting a 4.0 you will regret it big time. Now if youre lightyears mature for your age and can handle big boy things and have a plan to graduate early then it might be a good option but if youre just planning run of the mill premed coursework, its not advisable to do such a thing when you 1 havent demonstrated any sort of ability to handle a full college courseload 2 should be taking extra time outside the classroom to create a life for yourself in college and 3 have no pressing financial reason to do so.

 

[Mad Jack]

Thank god you've decided to lighten your course load. You just saved yourself from academic suicide.