Right now, I am feeling elated. My spring semester is complete, and so far, I have finished with excellent grades (fingers crossed for my remaining two classes). It’s time to party it up and have a great time with my friends, go on long trips, and soak up the sun, right? Wrong.
I’ll be taking summer classes this year. I’ve been thinking about my summer classes lately, and although it oftentimes is saddening to think about the studying I’ll be doing over the next couple of months, there are lots of benefits to taking summer classes. Here are five reasons why summer classes are actually a pretty great idea!
1. Take a full credit class in a short amount of time.
This, for me, is the number one reason to take a summer, or preterm, class. My university offers preterm classes in addition to regular summer classes, and both versions of a class will be some form of a condensed lecture. With preterm classes –which are offered in May, August, and in December before the spring semester starts – you can get an entire class out of the way in just one or two weeks.
It may be a couple of weeks where all you do is class from nine to five, but you can get an entire class out of the way. Let me repeat that: a couple weeks is all it takes to get an entire class out of the way!
2. Lighten your load during the regular semester.
While taking a class over summer can help you get a class out of the way in a short amount of time, it can also help you lighten your load over the regular semester. Taking a summer class can take one of the classes you were going to take in the fall off of your plate when the regular semester rolls around. This is especially useful if you know in advance that one of your classes in the fall is going to be ridiculously hard.
3. Get to know your professor better.
At least at my university, summer classes are sometimes smaller in size than regular semester classes. Additionally, some professors are only teaching one section of a class whereas in the fall or spring they may be teaching three or four. This makes forming lasting connections with your professors even easier – and getting to know a professor is absolutely positively never a bad thing. It’s one of the best things you can do in your college career!
4. Graduate early!?
Or in my case, on time. If I wasn’t taking these summer classes, I would have to stay at school an extra semester. Just think about it; taking two classes a summer for three years (plus a couple of preterm classes) can easily knock out a semester or even a year of classes. At the very least, it can make your final semester a little bit easier!
5. Spend your time (and money) wisely.
For me, summer can sometimes drag on and end up being unproductive. I do work over the summer, but this summer I’ll be working and going to school, rather than taking a break from one. I’ll be cutting off that extra semester I mention in number four, as well as putting my entire year towards getting my degree. While a break is definitely great, it’s smarter for me to keep the momentum going and knock out a couple of classes.
The idea of summer class may, for some, cause cringe-worthy thoughts. For me, though, there are far more benefits than there are negatives to taking summer classes. I’ll be furthering my education and getting one step closer to my goals this summer. What about you?
