leparfait

I haven't gotten my actual schedule, but based on my course selection sheet, I will have:

Theo or Phil Seminar OR FYS
Math 10550
Chem 10181
Bio 10161
History course
Gym
I think labs too?

Is this going to be overwhelming...rather, is this a normal looking schedule? I only ask because I mentioned it to my other friends and they say they are only taking 3-4 classes (different colleges). Is this normal for ND though? [I am currently planning a biochem major.]

BobbyC

i don't know how much is too much because i didn't have labs.... but get used to taking about double the number of classes as at any other college... i have double the number of classes of people even at ucla, which is considered a top school.

so, that's sounding pretty right to me, but maybe with the labs it's too many... how many credits?

leparfait

hm, I don't know how to tell how many credits lol! oh that's good though then... I am just spazzing out and imagining myself feeling really overwhelmed come August. :-) haha!

Irish45221

No need to worry. That is a normal looking schedule for a potential biochem major. Your busiest year is almost always freshman year so just sit back and try to enjoy the ride.

TalkingInCode

Yeah, that's pretty normal for science. It seems like a lot because it is a lot. The labs eat up your time and are hellishly annoying, but that's the way it is at every college. That looks very similar to my freshman year schedule. It's tough. And for bio and biochem it gets a hell of a lot tougher sophomore year. Things ease up a bit after that, though. Basically the first two years are a solid block of weeding out. Don't get discouraged, though. It's tough for everyone and you won't be alone in having a nasty schedule.

Just to give you an idea, there was never a point at ND where I took less than 4 classes. I usually took 5 or 6, but the amount of credit hours varied. I've taken anywhere from 12 to 18 credit hours based on the semester. I usually did around 15-16. Some people do slightly more than 18 if they choose to overload (I wouldn't recommend it...)

notre dame AL

In addition to labs, you will most likely have tutorials, which I guess is somewhat like a lab (I remember that our student thought they were kind of a waste of time!). Yes, I remember that our student's freshman year seemed quite overwhelming--but, somehow it all works out! Science, Math and Engineering requirements seems to be much more rigid w/o much flexibility in courseload/scheduling which probably makes your schedule seem overwhelming.

BPKO43

Gym is really only a minor annoyance, at worst. You only have it twice a week for 50 mins and theres never any assignments. So don't factor that in too heavily when considering how hard your year is going to be.

leparfait

Thanks for the encouragement guys It makes me feel so much less anxious knowing my schedule is at least normal for science majors; even if it isn't easy, at least I know I am not unnecessarily overwhelming myself.

GabbaGabbaHey

Does ND have a gym requirement? Unique! My school requirees all students to take swimming lessons prior to graduation. Thought I was the only one who had something like that.

hawkswim09

first two semesters you have to take any gym class, and if you fail the swim test, you must take a semester of swimming.

Irish45221

Just to offer a friendly correction to hawkswim's post, if you fail the swim test, you are enrolled for two cycles of swimming which together span from August to late October. After this cycle you are then enrolled in two cycles of contemporary topics. After these two cycles you are then allowed to pick what you want to do for your final cycles.

hawkswim09

a quick question about gym: are you limited in terms of the amount and types of activities you can choose by the time of gym period that you have (i.e. are all the options available to all the gym class times?)

Irish45221

All the options are available to each class time. So you are in no way limited based on time.

BPKO43

I didn't find that to be the case. I know, for instance, that for the times I chose both semesters, I was never offered any dance or ice skating. But I may be mistaken

zfzxzzza

if you are a science major...that's a normal schedule
if you are not...change your schedule
BTW i really do not recommend taking theo/phil seminars in the first semester