Most liberal arts colleges require students to take around 60 core credits no matter which major or minor a student wants to choose. These classes are designed to make a student well rounded. Core classes usually consist of subjects such as world history, a foreign language, math and science. It is recommended that students begin taking these classes freshman year. One reason is because they are part of graduation requirements and need to be fulfilled. The second reason is that not every freshman has declared a major, so freshmen may not yet be eligible to take major-related classes during their first semester at certain schools.
If you are a freshman who has not declared a major, then it may be beneficial to see what 101, or introductory, classes are open to freshmen. Usually during the second semester of the freshman year, students may be eligible to enroll in these courses. Taking Psychology 101 can help you to determine if you are suited to be a psychology major. Oral communications, biology and accounting may be other helpful courses to take at a 101 level. If you excel at this level of course and have an interest in the subject matter taught, then you may want to continue on in this area of study as your major or a minor. However, if you are bored to death at only a 101 level, then chances are that it is not the correct field of study for you.
If you have already picked a major, then you can probably start taking classes for your major as early as the second semester of your freshman year. This can help you to stay on track for graduation. It also gives you the chance to actually feel what it is like to be a major in a particular subject. If you are truly unhappy taking the first class in your major, then you usually have until the end of the sophomore year to change your mind and pick a new major.
If you are unsure what classes you should be taking during your freshman year, then it is always best to book an appointment with your academic adviser. Your adviser is there to help keep you on track with your courses. Your adviser will know what order you need to take classes in, which semesters certain classes will be offered during your four-year learning career and how many credits you should be taking at a time. Throughout your years of study, you may want to take different credit amounts, such as 12 or 18 credits per semester, but most full-time students should start out taking 15 credits per semester. If there is a reason that you feel you should be taking more or less, then your adviser can guide you in your decision-making process.