As the spring semester comes to a close, many college students are focused on that great summer break until late August or September. For some students, though, they are focused on those couple weeks they have off before classes resume again. Yes, there are really people out there crazy enough to take summer classes.
There is a negative connotation around taking summer classes because of what it meant in high school: you failed and this is the only solution to passing on. That is not the case in college. Taking some credits during summer semesters means you have less of a workload during regular semesters, or you could graduate early. The classes are typically smaller, so you have a chance to connect with your fellow classmates and get more one-on-one with a professor. Many students can be afraid of professors because of their busy schedules in the regular semesters. During summer semesters, they are there to focus on you and fewer students than in other semesters. Starting to sound pretty good, isn’t it?
Of course, there are some drawbacks, as with anything in life. Taking summer courses means your summer break is interrupted. Some days you will have class all day, meaning you can’t go swimming or the heat will be sweltering. Some days you will have a night course, which means all your socializing has to be done during the day. In addition, many summer semesters are very shortened versions of regular semesters. This means longer class times and shorter periods of time to complete assignments, not to mention more things you have to learn in a day. The drawbacks do certainly put a damper on things, but every con should be compared with a pro.
For many, summer school just seems like an absurd option. For some, it’s a great chance. What do you think? Leave your opinions below!