If you’re trying to improve your GPA and take a higher credit load, I suggest you balance taking a few tougher classes with a few classes you know you’ll find easier. Since I don’t know what you’re really good at (math, writing, science, etc.) I can’t advise you specifically.

Generally speaking, intro classes are not hard, but require a fairly large amount of reading. Keep that in mind, since you have two intro classes. You may study like crazy, and you may even read fast, but intro classes cover a LOT of ground in a short amount of time (unless you have semesters, not quarters), so I’d caution you to not take two intro classes unless they fall on opposing days (that is, one is T/Th and the other is M/W or so). Otherwise, you could potentially find yourself up all night reading 100 pages, every other night.

Statistics can either be incredibly hard or incredibly easy, depending on your facility with math, and how well the teacher can actually teach. I’ve had to take statistics a number of times, since I’ve got a background in research psychology and computer science. Frankly, I hate statistics, but having taken it, I hate it even more. Ha! It’s useful, and well worth learning, but if you’re not statistics-skilled, I’d seek out someone who’s taken the class, or find out via the campus-rumor-mill how hard the class is.

Alternatively, go to the professor and say that you’re excited to take his/her class, but you’re concerned because you’ve got a full schedule this term and want to be sure you’re not overloaded and will be able to give the course the attention it deserves. Mention your concerns about the course because of XYZ and so on. Professors always love students who are proactive and love it when students are respectful enough to say that they want to give a course the respect it deserves. Yeah, well, unless it’s a mega course, and it’s taught by TAs, but they would probably still love to hear it, and they would think much more highly of any student that came to them before trouble manifested than after the student started failing.

Actually, I suggest you do that before any course you take where you foresee trouble. Almost any professor you have would think you were a model of a mature and intelligent student if you came up to him/her at the first office hourse, or after the first day of class (whichever makes sense) and said, “I had some problems adjusting my first year at school, and messed up my GPA. I know I have some problems coping with classes sometimes, so I want to be sure that I give your class the time and respect it deserves…” Don’t give a sob story, but let them know your glad to be in their class, that you sometimes screw up, but you intend to come to them if you do so. Do this if you’ve had them for another class where you’ve not done well, for sure.

Another thing to consider is taking a “study skills” class. Some schools offer them, and they are required for students who are on academic probation, but you can take them even if you aren’t on academic probation. I taught this class for part of my thesis in educational psychology, and I found this to be helpful even for people with better than 3.5 GPA in terms of actually focusing their study skills and time. Even people who are smart and do well in school can learn to study smart and use their time more wisely.

One more thought: On your first term back from summer break, you might not want to take as high a credit load. Peer pressure from your sister isn’t always the best reason for making decisions. Yes, you want to finish in 4 years, not 5, but if you fail courses, you will take longer, too. You want to finish college feeling like a success, not feeling like you could have done better. College should also be an enjoyable experience, not drudgery. Keep that in mind, and keep a balance in your life. Enjoy your life, but focus on school.

Good luck, it sounds like you’re on the right path!

Since you want to raise your gpa then I would highly suggest you taking 12 units. 12 units is full time and you shouldn’t be pressured into taking more classes than you feel ready for. Remember it is not the amount of classes that is important, but what grade you get in those classes. Its useless to take 16 units if you are getting C’s, whereas if you take 4 classes and get all As or Bs then you are on your way of raising your gpa. During my first few years of college I got all Ds and Fs, so I’m speaking to you from experience. Afterwards I wised up and consistently took 12 units each semester until the day I graduated and got all As and Bs, nothing lower. Don’t take more than you can handle. Failing a class can actually hurt you more and push you back a semester or two.

Grade 7 8:30-9:15- Spelling or English 9:15-10:00- Math 10:00-10:45- Spanish 10:45-11:25- Lit or Vocab 11:25-12:10- Lunch 12:10-12:50- History 12:50-1:30- Religion 1:30-2:10- Science 2:10-2:50- Specials* *Music *Art *Computers *PE 2:50-3:00 Dismissal

You said that you got your 2.5 gpa last year, and that you are DETERMINED to ‘do better’ this year. It might be better to take only 12 credits, but you should ‘know’ whether you can ‘handle all 15 credits’ within the first 3 days of class … so I think you should ‘go for it’ but don’t ‘feel bad’ if you must ‘drop’ the HARDEST class til next semester.

Don’t let your sister pressure you. She is not the authority, and she is not you, even if she means well. You know your confidence is low right now, and focusing more on fewer classes sounds like a good strategy right now. Yes, it will mean that you need to take a make-up class in summer school, but it would be worth it. The schedule is fine, but under the circumstances, I would trust your first instinct to limit yourself to 12 units, at least until you get your confidence back.

i would play it safe for awile and once you think you are doing a whol elot better then take on the extra classes. just remember you could get overwelmed and end up failing and don’t think you want that to happen. take a class in the summer so that you can catch up sure you will have to do a little school work in the summer but you would get the credits you need to graduate in four years. Good Luck

Are you a sophmore?!

The best way to raise your GPA is too be in more classes.

Classes that you know you’ll do good in.

Try adding some electives, like woods or something. You’ll be sure to raise your GPA and it’s an easy A.

Try for 15, you can do it. Don’t take hard classes, it’s not worth it. Go for subjects your good at, and at an easy level. If you did REALLY bad in a class, retake it this year so you’ll get a better grade, and you GPA goes up.

Good luck!

I would avoid taking a philosophy class if you are interested in making good grades. Philosophy professors are very argumentative (obviously, because they have a PhD in philosophy) so it is hard to please them.

well i think its good, and dont worry people like u all do this at same times

Only you know the true answer to this