...I just realized that my course schedule is terrible.

It seems to be the season to be discussing the application process for graduate school - personal statements, site visits, and the like (or maybe I am just reading these things because I am procrastinating). It is too early to say whether I'll end up applying to graduate school or not, but these discussions remind me of just how much further do I have to go before the end of my bachelor's degree.

Note: the following is essentially a long rant...unfortunately. I have a feeling I will be ranting like this on occasion for the next few years.

Because my school is not amenable to unorthodox double degrees, a lot of luck and begging is required for me to get into the courses I want, when I want them. Hence my numerous complaints about the Registrar, bureaucracy, forms, and the act of chasing professors all over campus for signatures and related purposes. But wait, it gets worse!

Assuming that I get into all the courses I want, every single term, and do well in each course, it will take me 16/3 years (um, 5 and 1/3) in all to complete my degree(s), simply because some courses are offered only once a year, and my degree requires me to work every four months. This means that I will complete all my course requirements in the Fall - meaning, around December. Meaning, around the time when graduate school applications are due. At this point, most of my peers will graduate about eight months before me. This is somewhat awkward.

There are several options for me to shorten this process.

1. Take more courses. Given that I am already planning for 7 - 8 courses per academic term, on top of things like TA-ing and undergraduate research (I hope), this will drive me insane. Well, more insane than I already am. Not that I have a social life anyway... (I miss math parties.)
2. Take courses during work terms. This would be an option - if the courses are offered by "distance education". They aren't. Anyway, from my (admittedly limited) experience, distance eduation courses are absolutely foul.
   
3. Cut one degree out, or switch from major to minor. This is not an option, at all - my readers will undoubtedly know better than I do just how many cool courses are offered to majors only. (I said cool courses. Not "useful" courses.)
4. Change my degree to one without a "work experience" designation. Since I might want to work after my Bachelor's instead of going to graduate school, this is not an option either. And I have to admit it, I like playing with the toys available at work. Expensive toys. Lots of expensive toys.
   
5. (The only one which might, might! be actually doable) For work terms, work under a professor full-time, and take courses too. For this one, I'll have to see. Things like whether research is actually for me, whether a professor will be willing to have me, and so forth.

Now that I think of it, I need a reminder to self: find out what are the prerequisites for taking graduate-level courses. Yes, I am eyeing the X-ray Crystallography one. And the Measure Theory one, too. Too early to think about them, but...*Twitch, twitch*

Very random, and very minor, upside to this mess: I actually like the vocabulary list required for the GRE general test. *Ducks potential projectiles.* Of course, this will probably change in a few years...

*Points at above* This is what happens when I have too much time on my hands. Can't wait until next Tuesday, when I'll have work again...