Hey guys, I was thinking about dropping one of my courses this semester to lighten the workload for myself.
What I want to know is:
1) Does the credit/point system require me to have a certain amount of credits per year, or is it like highschool where i only need a certain amount of credits in my 4 (or 5) years of being here? The reason why I ask is because the course I am dropping is my elective which turned out to be Econ 1BB3, which would mean I only have 16 credits this semester (and only 34 this year). If the credit system allows it, I would just make up for the course in a different year.
2) If it's possible, would anybody recommend doing this?

Thanks in advance!!!

bumpady bump bump

Hey mon
No, there is not really a credit system so much as there was in Highschool. If you make yourself have a lighter course load then you might suffer a bit on your OSAP seeing as I expect you said you would have %100 of a full course load. Also some professional schools (such as medicine) want you to have a full course load.
So basically it depends on what you're planning to do after your undergrad. If you're not particularly bothered you could arrange to have a light course load every year and do a four year honours degree in five years. I know people doing this.

Also, if you decide to do this, you arrange it on your own using SOLAR.

I would never do this personally, but then I'm looking to keep my options open for Post graduate studies and professional schools

Hey man, thanks for the help and advice!
So would I be able to make up for the dropped course in a different year so that in the end it would still show up that i had a full course load over my undergrad career?

Careful when you drop it!

Originally Posted by tats

Careful when you drop it!

I believe taking a full course load means taking at least 30 units per year. So if you take 8 courses during fall/winter and take 2 during the spring summer session, you are still completing 30 units, but not taking a full course load. Some professional schools like McMaster's Medical School don't care if you have taken full course loads, whereas other schools do. Be sure to find out ahead of time.

Originally Posted by tats

Careful when you drop it!

Do you have any advice as to why I shouldn't?

Originally Posted by Kamil.M

Hey man, thanks for the help and advice!
So would I be able to make up for the dropped course in a different year so that in the end it would still show up that i had a full course load over my undergrad career?

No. It tends to be measured Sept-Apr of each year, not including summer, and they look at if you had a full courseload each year.

Originally Posted by nerual

No. It tends to be measured Sept-Apr of each year, not including summer, and they look at if you had a full courseload each year.

***edit**** ok thanks

Originally Posted by Kamil.M

Ok and would a full course load be 37 units? Because i just read in a different thread that a full course load is only 30 :S.

Depends on your program. For everyone except engineers, it's 30 units (which was in this thread btw). If you're in engineering, it's 37.

Originally Posted by R633

I believe taking a full course load means taking at least 30 units per year. So if you take 8 courses during fall/winter and take 2 during the spring summer session, you are still completing 30 units, but not taking a full course load. Some professional schools like McMaster's Medical School don't care if you have taken full course loads, whereas other schools do. Be sure to find out ahead of time.

Ok so with 16 units this semester and 18 next semester, I should be fine?

Originally Posted by nerual

Depends on your program. For everyone except engineers, it's 30 units (which was in this thread btw). If you're in engineering, it's 37.

Haha sorry, I just realized that.
Well that sucks :(
Does anybody have any advice for me? I don't really have a choice of any easy electives and I would hate to have to burden myself with a useless course that I'm not even interested in. I don't really know if I'll be pursuing a graduate degree anyways (probably not), but I am applying for co-op.
Would dropping a silly elective have that much of an impact?

Originally Posted by Kamil.M

Haha sorry, I just realized that.
Well that sucks :(
Does anybody have any advice for me? I don't really have a choice of any easy electives and I would hate to have to burden myself with a useless course that I'm not even interested in. I don't really know if I'll be pursuing a graduate degree anyways (probably not), but I am applying for co-op.
Would dropping a silly elective have that much of an impact?

Yes, it could.
Engineers require those two electives from a specific list. Taking less courses is also taken into account when calculating your average to get into programs in 2nd year (someone with a worse average than you who takes 37 units could still have an advantage over you, because they took more units).

If your in first year then I recommend it. I transitioned into undergrad easily, but a lot of people around me got so discouraged from the change in first year than the rest of uni sucked/they dropped out. Ease your way and and make it up with some summer classes in your first year. In the end you'll still have all the courses you need to graduate, you'll graduate on time (as long as you make it up with some light summer work), and you'll ease your way into uni much better.