Incoming BME freshman worried about first-semester courseload. Should I try to move BME 1400?
Hi everyone,
I’m an incoming first-year planning to major in BME, and I’m worried about my fall schedule. Right now I’m registered for:
- BME 1400 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
- CHEM 1601 Principles of General Chemistry I
- CHEM 1751 General Chemistry Lab I
- MATH 1520 Calculus II
- PHYSICS 1740 Physics I
- PHYSICS 1741 Physics I Lab
I know some of the extra section listings are just discussion/lab/recitation components, but as a first-semester schedule this still feels like a lot with chemistry + chem lab + Calc II + physics + physics lab + BME 1400.
I’m also hoping to minor in writing, potentially take some business classes later on, and work in a lab as a volunteer this year as I've secured a position, so I’m trying to think about my schedule long-term rather than just surviving the first semester. I don’t want to overload myself so much right away that I have no room to explore anything outside of technical requirements.
For students who have taken these classes, especially BME majors: is this a normal/manageable first-semester schedule, or is it a bad idea? Would it make sense to ask my advisor about delaying BME 1400, or would that mess up the BME sequence? Are there other parts of this schedule that people would recommend moving instead?
Any honest advice would be appreciated.