This summer, I decided that it would be in my best interest to take as many summer classes as possible. I thought that it would not be that bad, but it has been more stressful and I have had many restless nights of trying to get work done and manage a 15 credit load of classes. This article will give you some tips on what to do when it comes to taking summer classes.

It was important for me to take these classes this summer because I wanted to get ahead and also eliminate all the prerequisites that were required by Marquette University. I decided that I should take a whole semester load of classes in the summer which would equal 15 credits. Now you are only allowed to take a max of four classes in total for both summer sessions. There was a loophole in the system which allowed me to take four in the first session and one in the second. I knew it was going to be a lot of work but I did not think it was going to be this bad!

These classes started just a week after regular classes end for the Spring Semester. The first week was easy, just introductions and getting ready for the amount of work that each class requires. Once that week was over, it went down hill from there. Since these classes are accelerated since they are only six weeks which means double the amount of work and with four classes that means more work than I anticipated.

The one suggestion that I have for people is pick classes that are online. I was lucky and got all online classes, but I have friends who have to go to school each day for six weeks starting at 8am. With these online classes, print out their schedule sheet (most classes will have one) and mark things on your calendar so you know when they are due. It helps you plan ahead so if you have other things (such as a job or social life) you are able to work around it.

The one major thing that you need to do is order books ahead of time. You need to have your books by the start of the class otherwise you will fall behind. I did not order my boos ahead of time and found myself ordering them off Amazon, and not the hard copy. So even though I was able to adapt, it made the situation harder because I was not able to have the book physically in my hand. One other thing you need to do is to make sure you email your professors with any questions. If you are worried about something, make sure you email them. Then it is documented and you have proof if you are going to need it for future references.

My final suggestion is to plan out your schedule. This means that when you go to pick classes, you need to be able to plan for the next semester and the semester after that. Once that is done, then you can see where you are in terms of when you are going to graduate and what classes you might need to add on in the future. This plan will lead to a successful college life and also lead to less stress. I know that 15 credits are a lot to take, but if I want to graduate in four years or less it was completely necessary.