Greetings Readers,
I have thought about making a post about scheduling for a long time. I debated doing a post on just Gen Eds because I realized that my experience as a business major will be different from other majors. However, I did decide that sharing about my core classes was important since every major has these. I am also going to share some of my own advice overall and scheduling misconceptions.
- Let’s get into it with some tips!
- When building your schedule for next semester, consult your degree audit. You can find this on MyUI. This way, you can see what classes you still need to take before you graduate. It is important to pay attention to what classes are prerequisites for other classes so you can make sure you have time to take all your classes.
- I am typing this in all caps: MEET WITH YOUR ADVISOR! You are given an expert to help you with planning your schedule. Talk to them, let them help you. I am sure you have already heard someone say go meet with your advisor 2-3 times during a semester. I met with my advisor four times in the first semester and have met with her twice this semester. This way, I feel like I have built a good relationship with her over the course of the semester.
- Selecting your core classes is the next thing I am going to talk about. I usually take my advisors’ advice on which ones to select. My own personal recommendation is to not take more than 3- 4 core classes your freshman year if you can help it cause these classes come with lots of work.
- Now I am going to transition to a Gen Ed. (or General Education) break down.
- You are required to take these; however, different majors require more or fewer Gen Eds. My friend, who is a biology major, must take a sustainability Gen Ed. As a business major, I do not have to take this.
- Also, if you have AP/ IB, CLEP test, or Community college credit, you may have credit that counts for these classes. For example, I took a college-level biology class that gave me credit for the Natural Science category.
- Sometimes I feel like Gen Eds get a bad rep, but I have personally really enjoyed some of mine. My favorite was Ancient Medicine taught by Dr. Beydler. This class was extremely cool as it combined the basics of healthcare and the history of ancient areas known today as Italy and Greece.
- Frequently asked schedule-building Q&A:
- Q: Should I take an 8 or 8:30 am?
- A: I personally took an 8:30 last semester and am at 8 am this semester. It works for me because I can always mentally convince myself to go to these classes. You need to ask yourself whether I can make myself get up and go to class every time. If the answer is yes, then sign up for it; if it is a no, look for a later class time.
- Q: How many hours should I take?
- A: I have maxed out on credits, taking eighteen credits both semesters of being here. The first semester was a lot; however, I did it again, and this semester my grades have been better.
- Q: If I take 18 hours, when will I have time to do my work?
- A: My biggest life hack is to leave my Friday afternoons empty. From 12:30 to 6, I spend time studying, getting my homework done before the weekend, or doing volunteer work for my clubs.
- Q: What to do with time gaps?
- A: If my time gaps are only 40 minutes or less, I use them to eat. If they are longer, I pull out my computer and start working. There is always something that I could be doing.
I take all these aspects into consideration when I go about building my schedule. I hope that these tips are helpful for you when you build your schedule. Best of luck, Hawkeyes, and Future Hawkeyes!
Until Next Time,
Savannah
