Part Timr vs. Full Time

So, here’s the skinny:


I’ve finally got myself organized enough to get a school schedule in order for myself. However, I’m going to have to attend part time for quite awhile because of MONEY (the bane of my existence). I gots to make the chedda’ or I’ll be livin’ in a box.


Anyway, what do you guys think about that? I’ll be taking psycholoy, sociology, develpmental psychology, college algebra, college trig, pre-calculus, composition, some speech class, and a history or two all at a community college on a part time (2 to 3 classes or 6 to 9 credits per semester) basis. All-in-all it’ll be about 25 to 35 total credits at the local community college (I need at least 25 transferable credits to transfer up to the 4 year).


I won’t be TOUCHING a single science until I get up to the 4 year, or a math. I think that’s a pretty decent plan, if I do say so myself. I got that stupid F’s quality points removed from my transcript, so I got a 4.00 GPA again, now I just need to maintain, maintain, maintain. The F will still be there, but it’s a 5 yr old F, and it’ll be at least 9 years old by the time I have to worry about the adcoms.


What do you guys think about this plan???


Is part time a good avenue?


Should I keep the community college credits to a minimum?


Thanks for the input!

  • medeirosaurus Said:
....I won't be TOUCHING a single science until I get up to the 4 year, or a math. I think that's a pretty decent plan...



Why are you planning on waiting for year 4 for your sciences?

He’s not referring to waiting until his 4th year of school - he’s talking about waiting until he transfers from a CC to a 4 year university to take them.


And, for what it’s worth, I think the plan is relatively sound.

I’m not waiting for YEAR 4, I’m waiting until I get to the 4 year college. My understanding has been that med schools tend to be a little critical of community college courses, especially the science courses (or if you take the majority of your courses at a CC).

Well thank you very much, Emergency. I appreciate the input.



I would agree that this plan is sound, providing holding off on your science classes until at a 4-year will not impede the progress of getting your degree (if you don’t have one already that is).


The only thing I’m curious of is that you’re going to take college algebra, college trig, AND pre-calc? Pre-calc is basically a bunch of college algebra and trig thrown into one class. If anything, you’ll learn more from college algebra and college trig than you will from pre-calc, since obviously it will be a full semester devoted to each subject, instead of a semester devoted to both.


I would doublecheck and make sure that you’re not taking more math classes than you need to, and when you take calculus, see about what kind of calc you’ll be taking…I’m taking life science calculus and there was no trig requirement for it. I’m about 30% into the semester and we have not dealt with any trig at all so far, so.


Other than that, looks great! Psychology was a fun class, as was the three history classes I took. Good luck!

Math was a weak subject for me when I was in high school. I’m a little bit intimidated by the looming form of calculus. I’m not procrastinating, but I’m giving myself a healthy dose of mathematical backbone before I decide to dance with that devil.


I guess I would just feel more confident in my abilities if I took some refresher courses (as well as some new stuff to expand my horizons).

Well, I don’t blame you, was just checking to make sure you know you probably don’t need all of those classes.


For what it’s worth, I’m not that great at math either, took a year of refresher algebra and then pre-calc and now calc, and I’m doing just fine. That being said, the most important thing you can do is take calc directly after pre-calc (or college algebra, whichever you take last)…I waited a year to take calc after taking pre-calc, and it’s why I only got an 86 on the first exam and probably a low 80 on the second I took today. Forgetting (or being bad at it) algebra will kill you in calculus.

I won’t be TOUCHING a single science until I get up to the 4 year, or a math


I did something similiar to you and I now regret it. I took all of my gen ed classes at a community college, to include basic survey-type science and math courses in order to receive my AA degrees. Now that I am at a four year college, all I have left are science and math classes. This means that I have to load up on nothing but math and science courses in order to remain full time. I have found this to be difficult so far, and I’m only taking freshman science courses. Since my degree is cell and molecular biology, things are only going to get more difficult.


My difficulty lies less with the information being presented than with finding enough time to do the homework and study. I had to actually drop two classes because there just wasn’t enough time to get everything done. I live 1.5 hours from the university; my wife works at night, which means I play Mr. Mom when I get home and cook dinner, help the kids with their homework, take them to their various activities (which they have every night). Plus I live on a ranch and own livestock, so there are those responsibilities as well. I’m not whining, I knew it was going to be difficult. One thing I didn’t count on though was having 50-60 math problems for homework every night. When I went through basic and intermediate algebra, we did every other odd problem for a total of probably 20-30 problems.


Anyway, in hindsite, I think I would have been better off if I would have originally went to the 4 year university and taken classes in a more traditional manner.

Merlin,


You have the ability to make calculus as easy or as hard as you choose to make it. Calculus is, believe it or not, a very interesting and straightforward subject. It gets a bad wrap ONLY because people allow it to scare them. I would say this: do very well in college algebra and learn the fundamentals of trig. Honestly, calculus is pretty much algebra on steroids with a little trig as a chaser.


Believe me brother, I was a guy who couldn’t add fractions coming out of high school & I did it. You can too.


Also, just as a point of free advice: it’s good to have a plan, but don’t obsess on the big picture & how much longer you have to go. That’s like looking down the grand canyon. Just take it one day at a time, one course at a time, one term at a time. Relax, enjoy the ride & don’t engage in paralysis by analysis.


Good luck


Justin

Thanks a lot for the words of encouragement. I haven’t even started this yet, and some of this stuff already scares me. You’re right, though. Looking at the big picture is too much. This is too huge to obsess over 7 or 8 years from now. As you said, one day at a time, one course at a time, one term at a time.


I just want to do the best that I can do. I’ve screwed up enough in my life, and I don’t want to make the same mistakes here.