Summer school. These two words may bring up images in your mind’s eye of sitting in a blazing hot classroom taking a repeat class of a course you hated or struggled with the first time. But, taking college summer classes can be a very smart choice. You might consider the following benefits before deciding that summer classes aren’t in your future.
Get ahead
Some degree programs squeeze in so many credit hours that it is challenging to get them all completed in 4 years with a solid GPA. Taking a summer class or two each year can take off some of the pressure so that you can be sure to graduate on time without having to take huge credit loads during the regular school sessions.
Get caught up
There are many reasons why a student may need to get caught up on classes so that they can graduate on time. Maybe you lost credits when you transferred colleges or changed majors. Whatever the reason, taking classes in the summer can mean that you don’t have to add an extra semester or more to your graduation date.
Get more attention from your professors
Smaller classes mean professors can spend more time with each student. So if you need to take a class that you think you will need extra help with, summer might just be a great option for you. Smaller classes also allow for more connections to be formed between peers, which can be an added benefit for learning and building friendships.
Be in a classroom with focused students
It has been my experience, both as a professor and as a student, that the type of student who registers for summer classes is motivated and attentive. That means less time wasted while the instructor tries to manage wayward students and more time spent on actual, solid instruction. Serious students find this refreshing and often report learning more during summer school than they expected.
Relaxed classroom atmosphere
Often summer college classes are more laid back and informal that the same class given during the regular school year. With smaller classes and more focused students in the classroom, that is possible. Also, don’t forget that it is the professor’s summer also! They frequently enjoy teaching these classes and loosen up the restrictions and policies for the class, as long as students are working hard.
Finish unappealing or difficult courses more quickly
Summer classes are generally much shorter than the 16 week semester, so you can get finished with a class in 5 or 10 weeks instead of drawing it out. Some students prefer to take classes that they aren’t looking forward to during the summer to get them finished quickly.
Complete required classes sooner
A great deal of the classes that are offered at universities in the summer are general education classes. If you still have some of these to finish up to meet the requirements of your college, you may want to get them out of the way over the summer. For example, I always teach English classes in the summer. I often have students take an English 101 class with me in the first 5 weeks of the summer and then take English 102 with me the second summer session. In just 10 weeks, they can get all of their English requirements completed, rather than needing to take two 16-week semesters of it.