About using all 18 of your credits

Sarah Klein, Staff Writer

As you likely know, us students are given 18 credit hours to use up every semester.

Most classes are three credits, so realistically, you’re only able to take six classes in a single semester without paying extra.

As someone with a double major and a minor I try to make use of the full credit load whenever possible.

In fact, now on my sixth semester here at Mercyhurst, I have consistently taken as many credits as I could each and every semester.

This is to satisfy major and minor requirements, REACH requirements, and even to take on a few classes just for personal interest.

However, most of my semesters have not been able to get beyond 16 credits, due to iMU, Beyond the Gates, and a lab class for REACH.

These classes are only one credit, effectively leaving students with two credits left over that they can’t do all that much with.

This is four semesters now where I have been unable to use up all of my credits, despite not having substantial workloads for these 1-credit courses.

I believe that I could have been able to manage an additional class.

I am lucky that I have the flexibility in my school schedule to be able to take classes just for fun, but many of my friends do not.

It can be a challenge for them to satisfy their major or minor requirements when they are limited by circumstance to five classes a semester for four out of eight semesters.

It can be especially difficult for those majoring in the science field, as these students must take several four-credit classes.

If a student must take a sixth class in order to graduate on time, putting them over the 18-credit limit, then this can pose a serious financial burden as they must pay for each additional credit.

As I’m sure we’re all aware, the current system has its fair share of issues.

In an ideal world, I feel as though students should have the opportunity to take six entire classes each semester, not just 18 credits.

This would give students the freedom to take more classes for their major or minor, or even just for fun.

It would give students more freedom to navigate their graduation requirements and work around the one and four credit courses.

I try to take advantage of the full 18 credits whenever possible because I will pay the same tuition whether I take 12 credits or 18.

I would recommend that other students do the same.

I think that you should try and get as many courses as you can out of Mercyhurst.

I enjoy spending time learning about other subjects outside of my majors and minor.

Whenever I have the opportunity to take a class outside my comfort zone, I jump at the chance.

I think that other students should have the ability to do this as well.

Although I have only been able to take a few “fun classes” so far, I plan on taking more in my upcoming senior year, when I have fewer required classes left to complete.

I hope that other students get to do the same.