Is There Space In My Schedule For...

Four years sounds like a long time. Over fourteen hundred days of being a student at UVA. It sounds like plenty of time to accomplish whatever you’re interested in. But if you want to do more than just one major, the semesters will fly by faster than you think. Here are a few things to consider when deciding how to structure the next four years.

How Many AP Credits do you have?

The more AP credits you have, the fewer requirements you have to take at UVA. This can leave your schedule open to take other classes. But not just any AP credits will help you on your journey. Each AP exam maps to a specific course, and each course has a required score to test out of a class. Some classes that your AP scores allow you to test out of may not be a part of your required schedule. In that case, the credits may just go towards an unrestricted elective. There’s only one way to find out - check out the AP transfer credit list, and see what courses your scores qualify you to test out of.

Do you have to apply to the major/minor?

At UVA, not just anybody can declare any major or any minor. Some majors can be freely declared by anybody; for example, if you’re a part of the E-School you can declare for any engineering major without restriction. But others, such as the business minor, are more restrictive and dependent on submitting applications and completing prerequisites. Declaring can also be time-sensitive, and some programs require you to declare or apply by a certain year in order to be eligible. If you already know you’re interested in a particular program, start looking into deadlines and requirements early.

How close are your major and minor?

If your major and minor are on a similar topic, there’s potential for overlap in required courses. However, some majors and minors explicitly prohibit double counting, so don’t just assume you can double count a course to save time in your schedule. Many higher level courses can be major or minor restricted, or restricted until you’ve taken the required prerequisites. Figuring out course dependencies and the process to declare as soon as possible will help ensure you get the courses you need to graduate on time. It’s important not to wait, because not every class is offered every semester. Staying on top of things and prioritizing required courses is a must for staying on track to a timely graduation.

How much can you realistically handle?

Taking more than the minimum required credits can help you get through the required courses faster and graduate on time even without bringing AP credits in with you. But be realistic about the course load. If you’re a week into the class and you can already tell the amount of work you have to do across your classes is going to be overwhelming, consider dropping the class and taking it another semester. Even withdrawing later on is better than a F on your transcript. If you really want to keep it within the standard four year timeline, consider paying for a J-Term or summer course. But keep in mind that not every course is offered during these time periods, so be intentional about what you take now and what you save for later.

Stay on Track

UVA SIS has a feature called the ‘What If’ report. This report will allow you to choose a theoretical major, minor, or double major, and it will display all the courses you would have to take to meet the requirements. While it’s still up to you to figure out what you need to take during which semester and which classes are restricted, it’s a good starting point and can save you a lot of time and stress. Of course, the best authoritative source is going to be your academic advisor. It’s their job to help you organize your schedule, and they’ve helped hundreds of students navigate undergraduate academics.