Summer classes have their perks and their struggles. Here are some that you're probably familiar with.
1. Smaller Classes
The Good
Smaller classes make teaching easier on the professor, and understanding easier on the students. Professors can take advantage of the petite summer classes by giving more flexible assignments that would not work well in the normal classroom environment. Also, less students equals less distractions.
The Bad
The fewer the students, the more attention the professor grants to each. You could probably get away with not participating in a class discussion in a class of 100 students, but you won't get away with it in a class of only 10.
Taking Advantage
Small classes are like little families. Although the summer semester only lasts a quarter of the length of a regular semester, professors and students are able to bond more over the summer. Classes meet more often during the week, both parties understand the tenseness surrounding the course, and there is room for an actual academic relationship.
2. Time Frame
The Good
We all have at least one general requirement class that we wish we could completely disregard because we don't see the relevance it has on our specific degree. For instance, a chemistry major probably has very little interest in Art Appreciation. The summer semester is a great opportunity to get these classes out of the way in a very condensed course.
There are no Friday classes! That being said is enough good alone. That means that three day weekends are every weekend. Three day weekends are great for studying, catching up, and getting ahead. `
The Bad
The summer semester is very abridged compared to the length of the fall and spring semesters. This yields a vast volume of information being compressed in each class meeting. You can forget about having a 50 minute class. The majority of summer courses have classes that run approximately three hours.
You think you can skip class once in a while? Wrong. Attendance is mandatory. Missing one day of class could mean you are missing three chapters (if not more) worth of information.
Taking Advantage
Taking summer classes equals no vacation, but wise management of time can make it more enjoyable. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and so is time. Take initiative of spare time and weekends.
3. Getting Ahead (or catching up)
The Good
The summer semester is an advocate of your ultimate goal: graduation. Taking classes over the summer puts you one step closer to graduating by trimming down semester hours.
The Bad
You have to watch your friends suffer from sunburn.
That is all. No one ever complained about graduating early.
Taking Advantage
There are students that take classes over the summer to get ahead. There are those that take classes over the summer to replace an unsatisfactory grade. No matter the reason, taking classes over the summer is challenging, but it is worth it. By taking advantage of the summer semester, the course load of the fall and/or spring can be reduced. This gives you the convenience of focusing more attention on the more strenuous courses.
