How do i make it with my online distance education class?

[cookderosa]

[SIZE="2"][COLOR="Navy"]Hi Jennifer! I read your mention of the fact that you took 21 classroom credits in 1 semester. Thank God for you!

I am planning to take 24 credits next semester because I feel the same way as you do about plowing through the rest of this so I can just get done. Anyway, I have attempted to illustrate my schedule here. Will you tell me if you think I am totally setting myself up to fail, or if it looks like it will be OK?

Total Quality and Team Development (UL-7 weeks long)
Applied Statistics (UL-7 weeks long)
Human Resource Management (UL-7 weeks long)
Labor and Industrial Relations (UL-7 weeks long)
Intro to International Business (LL-14 weeks long)
Principles of Accounting 1 (LL-14 weeks long)
Physics/Introduction to Astronomy (LL-14 weeks long)
Bowling (LL-6 weeks long)

In reality, I will never be taking more than 5 classes at a time because my upper-level courses run in 7 weeks increments (I am not counting the 1-credit bowling class because that is only 1.5 hours on Friday mornings for 6 weeks). Also, no more than two of the five courses will be "in class" at one time because the rest are available online. However, I am somewhat nervous that I am cramming several really difficult subjects into a short time span. What do you think?


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LOL You're crazy! Just kidding! That would kill me, but I am not a mathy-sciency person. I took my classes in the same semester, but like you, I had overlap from 2 colleges, so was never doing more than 5 at a time. That said, if you need an "A" then be careful- but if you can handle an occasional "B" then I say go for it. I did a very simple system- calculated weight and allocated my time accordingly. That semester I hardly gave any brain space to posting on the forums since it was generally 2% of my grade- I think forum posting can eat up hours of a week and that semester I didn't have the time, so I didn't blow it off, but...well...yeah...I kinda did blow it off I spent all my time on the big papers and assignments that carried weight and did them perfectly. I worked in the possibility of errors on exams, and banked on all the points I had within my control (homework). I knew point for point exactly what I needed to pull off A's and A- in each class. Of those classes that counted on my GPA, I ended up getting 2 "A-" while I took A's in my other classes. Knowing what I know now- I busted my butt for higher grades in classes that transferred in as only "credit" (my mistake) and I should have switched my efforts. So, my advice is to put your effort only where it will be rewarded- check the box and move on.

[dharmachic]

LOL You're crazy! Just kidding! That would kill me, but I am not a mathy-sciency person.

I second Jennifer's assessment . I'm currently taking 4 classes that had various degrees of overlap, but the overlap effect didn't make things easier as I had hoped, because in addition to getting to more advanced topics in your earlier classes, you now have to fit in and get accustomed to your newer classes. But by paring down your life to only the most essential, it's doable. I'm aiming for all A's in my classes, so 4 is probably the most I can take at one time.

Question: have you considered testing out of some courses? Depending on where you're getting your degree, you can get letter grades for certain exams, like DSST Accounting. I tested out for as many courses as I could, that gave me receive letter grades, because I prefer doing that than actual classes, and I believe the subject matter is easier overall. There is benefit to classes, since you feel like you're actually "learning" a subject, but if your goal is to finish as quickly as possible (which it seems to me that it is, judging by your workload), then testing out is a very good solution for you.

Helen

[lrgaul]

I second Jennifer's assessment . I'm currently taking 4 classes that had various degrees of overlap, but the overlap effect didn't make things easier as I had hoped, because in addition to getting to more advanced topics in your earlier classes, you now have to fit in and get accustomed to your newer classes. But by paring down your life to only the most essential, it's doable. I'm aiming for all A's in my classes, so 4 is probably the most I can take at one time.

Question: have you considered testing out of some courses? Depending on where you're getting your degree, you can get letter grades for certain exams, like DSST Accounting. I tested out for as many courses as I could, that gave me receive letter grades, because I prefer doing that than actual classes, and I believe the subject matter is easier overall. There is benefit to classes, since you feel like you're actually "learning" a subject, but if your goal is to finish as quickly as possible (which it seems to me that it is, judging by your workload), then testing out is a very good solution for you.

Helen

[SIZE="2"][COLOR="Navy"]Hi Helen,

Unfortunately, my college does not provide letter grades for any credit by examination. I am taking Principles of Accounting 1 in class, rather than through testing, because I need the graded credit for the master's program I am applying to next year. Believe me, I would love to test out of it if I could!

To tell you the truth, I have actually learned more from studying for CLEP exams than I have through the traditional class experience. Of course, this may be because I am consistently taking so many classes. In any case, I have found that I have to actually learn the material in order to pass the CLEP exam - I do not operate well on memory at all! It just seems like I am retaining more through independent study. Maybe this is because I am doing it on my own time, and on my own terms, which just puts me in a better mood to begin with???? [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[lrgaul]

[SIZE="2"]Thanks Jennifer! I am totally trying to set my priorities already. For example, Physics-Astronomy is the least important because I am a business major - taking a "B" hit in that one will be just fine. Fortunately, that is the class that I expect to be the most difficult for me. :o [/SIZE]