Students Taking A Lot of Units..Harmful? Or Healthy?

[Postergirl7]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately this year. Especially after the engineering kid committed suicide in October. I have heard of a lot of students, especially architecture students and eng students, that take more units than they should.

What do you think about students that take more than the allowed units? I think there is some kind of rule that you can only take up to 20 units. If you take more than 20 you have to get it approved by a faculty advisor.

Do you think this is harmful? Do you think it is healthy? Why do students do it? Are we pushing ourselves too hard? What do you think? What is your experience?

[zoedragon]

I think it depends on what classes they are. If you balance difficult classes with not-so-difficult classes then I think it works out for maintaining one's sanity. But those who overload themselves with a courseload that requires massive amounts of studying are being unrealistic and needlessly stressing themselves out. Some people handle stress better than others.

Why do they do it? Most likely pressure to finish school as quickly as possible. You don't see elementary or high school students pushing themselves so hard because it doesn't cost anything to attend (assuming public school). Maybe it's the parents pushing, maybe it's the student, sometimes it's both!

I was lucky in that my parents funded most of my college, however I was keenly aware that they were not rich and the money would run out if I dawdled. I didn't get much pressure from them, probably because I made sure I never had less than 16 units each quarter. I'm sure they would have leaned on me more if I started slacking off. They did frown upon my request for a single dorm room rather than sharing with a roommate.

Anyway, I can see some parents being unreasonably tough. Mine trusted my judgement and sensibility, but not all parents think that way.

[i2ealphaze]

College is expensive... and alot of people gotta make the most out of their full time.. However some people take it to the extreme. My friend told me of his sister who took 28 units and would stay in her room from the end of the day through the night studying almost every day. Her dad made her promise never to do that again. So I guess some people can just handle it. Also people are competitive. They dont want to get left behind or let someone else beat them. So what we humans do is always try to out-do our friends, and yearn the attention from it. I guess...

[PandaMoOo]

There are many reasons to take a lot of units, I do think a lot of people do it to try and rush out of school (i knew someone who did 26 units to graduate and make money faster.) Or to generally improve the value of the school, but cases i see in other people are entirely money driven.

However, I personally want 20 units because my otherwise I get bored. I've only been able to get 12/14 units these last two quarters and i've been bored out of my mind. I don't pay for school, and have no job so I have plenty of free time.

I know people who can barely handle 12 units of school, whereas if I needed to do 24-28 units I probably could handle it ... but I hardly have to study, so it depends entirely on the student. That 28 year old first year-first quarter student was a mistake though, it takes at least a couple of quarters to get find your ideal units.

[tweetyhack]

College is easy. Especially if you are in the field you have interest in(which I hope you are). I hardly study cause I pay attention in class(cause I'm interested)...plus I know just as much as those loser instructors anyway. Sometimes, I don't even have the book(cause I'm too cheap). Man, must be nice to have someone else pay for college though.

My advice, stick to a subject that interests you and pay attention in class. Learn it the first time and there won't be any need to spend time studying. It works.

I don't think its about competition but more of trying to finish college and get a real job ASAP. I've done semesters where I stayed on campus practically the whole day.

[Cal Poly Woly]

20 units or more does not sound like a good time management. More like damaging oneself.

[zoedragon]

Originally Posted by tweetyhack

My advice, stick to a subject that interests you and pay attention in class. Learn it the first time and there won't be any need to spend time studying. It works.

Good advice, however not so easy when some of the requirements involve things that DON'T interest you, like some of the general ed classes. I tried to pick stuff that interested me when I had a choice, but sometimes you don't have a choice, like having to take Finance and Statistics when you abhore math.

[PandaMoOo]

Originally Posted by zoedragon

Good advice, however not so easy when some of the requirements involve things that DON'T interest you, like some of the general ed classes. I tried to pick stuff that interested me when I had a choice, but sometimes you don't have a choice, like having to take Finance and Statistics when you abhore math.

Thats true. There are some general ed classes which don't interest people, but I know people who are majoring in Liberal studies who don't like school. I know people who are majoring in food & nutrition and didn't want to see "super size me" (the movie.) There are too many students who are majoring in stuff they don't truly want...

[JPWRana]

i have never taken over 20 units, but i have taken 18 and worked, and now taking 19 and working. If you take GOOD notes, paired w/ taking a few slack off teachers, then u should be fine.

I know of some guys taking 31 units and has 2 jobs. that guy spent all day copying hw.

[Talon]

Originally Posted by zoedragon

I think it depends on what classes they are. If you balance difficult classes with not-so-difficult classes then I think it works out for maintaining one's sanity. But those who overload themselves with a courseload that requires massive amounts of studying are being unrealistic and needlessly stressing themselves out. Some people handle stress better than others.

Why do they do it? Most likely pressure to finish school as quickly as possible. You don't see elementary or high school students pushing themselves so hard because it doesn't cost anything to attend (assuming public school). Maybe it's the parents pushing, maybe it's the student, sometimes it's both!

I was lucky in that my parents funded most of my college, however I was keenly aware that they were not rich and the money would run out if I dawdled. I didn't get much pressure from them, probably because I made sure I never had less than 16 units each quarter. I'm sure they would have leaned on me more if I started slacking off. They did frown upon my request for a single dorm room rather than sharing with a roommate.

Anyway, I can see some parents being unreasonably tough. Mine trusted my judgement and sensibility, but not all parents think that way.

Good point zoedragon. When your in high school and elementary school, its seems as if students don't care as much. But, when you get to college then students seem as if they are in a hurry to finish everything. Why are students in a hurry now and not when they are in high school or elementary school? Now that I think about it, it seems a little strange to me.

[Postergirl7]

I was also wondering lately about how students get to take so many units? I ran into a friend today who said that he was taking 22 units a quarter. I thought that students have to get an OK from faculty advisors. If so many students are getting approved, are there any students that aren't getting approved to take more than 20 units? And if there aren't any students not getting the approval for more than 20 units, what is the point of having the rule?

[swagner]

Originally Posted by Postergirl7

I was also wondering lately about how students get to take so many units? I ran into a friend today who said that he was taking 22 units a quarter. I thought that students have to get an OK from faculty advisors. If so many students are getting approved, are there any students that aren't getting approved to take more than 20 units? And if there aren't any students not getting the approval for more than 20 units, what is the point of having the rule?

I thinkt that you must have a 3.0 or more to get a waiver.