One major concern for many double majors is graduating on time. When I told many of the colleges I applied to I was double majoring, they thought I was crazy, and some would not let me. My advisers at Gannon said they would do what they could to help me make this work. Here are all of the tricks I have learned to help me graduate as close to on time as I could with a double major.

Substitution Courses

If a course in one major can be substituted for a course in the other major, do it! If you can substitute a course in your major for an elective you want to take, do it!

Take Summer Classes at a Community College

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If you could take two courses at a community college over the summer, it means you have less classes to take at Gannon during the school year. Make sure you get the form for the course taken at another institution signed by your advisers, the dean, and the Gannon department head that offers the class.

If You Can Take a Hard Course at Another Institution, DO IT! 

If you take a course at another institution, you need a minimum of a C for the credits to transfer and the transfer credits do not impact your GPA. You get the credits and no grade.

Take 18 Credits Each Semester

18 credits are the greatest amount of classes you can take each semester without having to pay extra. Sometimes, you have to do this to come as close to graduating on time as possible.

Save Some Liberal Studies for Later

Make sure you are saving some courses that are offered every semester for the end, because that one class you need to graduate may not be offered the semester you need it.

Meet With Your Advisers Regularly 

Make sure you are on a reasonable track to graduate and you are not going to accidentally miss taking a course that might not be offered very often.

Try Mixing Up Some Easier Courses With Harder Courses

If you can take a class or two that is an easier course for you while taking a course that is killer, do it.

Carefully Plan Your Extracurriculars

I met with my education adviser to make sure that I am not over-involving myself. After discussing, we agreed that I should not do more than three extra-curricular activities. I did a really bad job at following this and currently write for Edge, perform on 90.5WERG, perform for the theater and am a member of the Honors Theatre society Alpha Psi Omega and the Honors Education society Kappa Delta Pi. I’ve handled it really well, but the important thing is that I know my limits. And that is my advice to you: Know your limits.