5 Students Explain Why You Really, Really Shouldn’t Take Tons of Classes in One Semester

You’re signing up for classes, looking at the seemingly insane amount of credits needed to graduate, when the idea to take a full load or even overload, strikes you. There are many things you can do in college, like joining clubs and traveling abroad, but enrolling in more than four classes definitely falls into the Things You Really Shouldn’t Do category.

While taking a bunch of classes may appear great–making it through college faster, being able to learn more or even just having a chance to take that one class that you hear is fun–here are several big reasons why you shouldn’t take a ton of classes in one semester (trust us!).

1. More Credits Means More Money

“You should [take more classes] if you want to get your credits out of the way, but it [could cost] extra money so you have to consider that. If you take music classes, those don’t usually count for overload so those are a good way to get extra credits for the normal amount of tuition.” –Sarah, Alma College, Class of 2018

The poor college student stereotype can hold strong when you take more classes, as some colleges or individual classes charge you more for taking them. More classes and less free time means less time to work and more money to pay, unless the credit hours somehow fall outside of that. If you want or need more credits, making sure there aren’t extra charges is a must.

2. Time Management Becomes Pivotal to Passing

“I think as a freshman, in your first semester, it’s best to avoid overload credits. Despite having less class time in college, the workload is heavier and you have to set your own work schedule, so the majority of students will not have the mentality necessary to handle it. A lot of students struggle with their first semester of college anyway, so overload would tank your GPA if that happens. The risk isn’t worth the reward of a few extra credits you could get later on. If you’re accustomed and think you’re ready, then it’s worth considering and talking to an adviser about.” –Alexander, University of Michigan, Class of 2020

Beyond having money, one of the most important things to have in college is time management. The problem you get from taking on more credits than recommended is that you have to be super careful with how you schedule; that’s something that students coming out of the rigid scheduling of high school might not know how to do. If you can give up free time to do something last minute, maybe it’s worth it.

3. It’s Better to Do Well Than Do More

“Do it if you either need the credits to graduate on time, or do it if you are really interested in whatever class you’re taking in addition to the ones you already have. If you have the time and the desire to learn, then you should definitely go for it, but if it detracts from your ability to do well in all your classes, don’t.” –Emily, Kalamazoo College, Class of 2019

Don’t compromise your ability to do well in fewer classes for the chance to be passable in more. If the extra classes will hurt your ability to graduate and/or show your full potential, why risk it?

4. Take Fewer Classes to Manage Your Stress

“The best choice I’ve made this far in my college career was going down to four classes a semester. Taking more than the recommended 15 credits a semester basically means you’re going to be studying the entire semester from beginning to end. It doesn’t leave you for time for a job, joining clubs, participating on campus, volunteering, socializing, or participating in any of the other things that shape a person’s college experience. The academics is important, but in different ways so are all of the other aspects of the college
experience.” – Dana, SUNY Oneonta, Class of 2017

The most common advice someone with more than the recommended credit hours hears is, “Don’t burn yourself out.” Stress from the classes and the lack of time will slowly eat away at you if you don’t know how to manage it. If stress is something that drives you, go forth, but don’t take those extra classes when they will make going to them more of a chore.

5. You Can Get the Credits Without Overloading

“In four years, you should be able to get the credits you need for graduation. Honestly, if you do 18 credits every semester, you can probably [graduate] in three, plus any more than 18 is super stressful if you are in anything other than just class. Everybody does something more than just class.” – Audrey, Alma College, Class of 2017

Overloading your schedule isn’t the only way to pass college quickly. Often the highest margin for a full schedule is the amount needed to get through, with even a semester less of time if you only have a single major. If you don’t need the classes, why take them?

Taking those two extra courses is not worth it in the long run if you’re stressed, broke and tired. Give a good look at what you need to graduate and what you need to have fun in college, because overloading your schedule is, more often than not, the wrong choice.