Taking an extra semester
 

I'm finishing up my second semester in my sophomore year and am on pace to finish in 4 years. My parents are ok with me taking an extra semester if I want and I would like to take some time off before grad/work. I'm also pretty involved on campus so an extra semester would allow me to continue to get work experience while taking it easier on my class schedule and maintaining the grades.

Anyone else considering this? Know anyone who has and what they thought?

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

I was having a rough time of it during sophomore and junior years, fell behind a couple of courses, and told my parents I would take an extra semester to finish school.

Then late in junior year, I decided, screw it, I want to finish with my friends, I don't want to hang around this place after they've all gone on to the real world. So I took six courses each semester of senior year (standard load for engineers is five) and worked my ass off. I didn't tell my parents.

When I told my Dad, late in spring of senior year, that I was finishing on schedule, it was the first time I ever caught him speechless. I graduated with my buddies on a beautiful day in late May.

Best decision and course of action I have ever taken in my life, period. Of course, ymmv.

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

OP, the classes tend to get rougher in the 2nd and 3rd years, so prepare for a heavier workload...

that being said, not much of a sample, but 2 of my friends stayed on an extra semester, one because he wanted to spread out the work, another because he fell behind...

neither liked it, i guess it was hard without friends around or to be able to get into study groups...

that being said, if u really think ur grades will drop, then yea, take the extra semester because that helps in the long run imo...

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

I took an extra year to get a masters, best decision ever. I had lots of younger friends and grad student friends though. I would have stayed another year to get a double major or something if my parents would have helped out financially, stingy bastards. College is a blast, no need to rush through it. Work isn't going anywhere.

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

I don't know anyone, other than myself, that is going to graduate in 8 semesters. They either graduate in 5-7 (w/ AP credit and such) or 9-10. The only way I am graduating in 4 years is the few summer school classes I took.

Those are a very viable option to keep you on a 4 year path. Over the summer, most universities allow you to take community college courses to fill your general requirements or have distance learning courses that you can take online.

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

At my school, a ton of people stay an extra quarter or two for various reasons - went abroad and it didn't count for much, double/triple majoring, took quarters off to work/co-op, etc.

It's super standard here, and it isn't really "falling behind" at all.

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

1.) Its a waste of moeny

2.) It looks bad on a resume unless oyu plan to lie about it.

Interviewer: Mr. Smith, Why ddi it take you 4.5 years to earn a 4 year degree?

Mr. Smith: I wanted to relax and take it easy.

Not good. Unless you lie. Then its fine.

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

[ QUOTE ]
1.) Its a waste of moeny

2.) It looks bad on a resume unless oyu plan to lie about it.

Interviewer: Mr. Smith, Why ddi it take you 4.5 years to earn a 4 year degree?

Mr. Smith: I wanted to relax and take it easy.

Not good. Unless you lie. Then its fine.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is stupid. A lot of majors are considered 5 year majors, expecially when you factor in things like internships and co-ops. Even without an internship or a co-op many majors will take more than four years if you don't have any college credit coming in.

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

djj,

What planet are you on?

Re: Taking an extra semester
 

[ QUOTE ]
djj,

What planet are you on?

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe it differs from school to school. At my school we are on quarters and an ECE major requires 201 credits. Engineering classes are worth 3 credits and most students take about 15 hours a quarter which is a standard load. I've been taking about 17 on average and won't be able to graduate in four years with over 20 hours of AP credit from high school. I only know of three people in my ece classes that are graduating in four years and they had more AP credit than I did, and they didn't miss any quarters due to internships. I'm missing two quarters due to internships, but even without that I would probably take four years and one extra quarter to finish.