Summer is quickly approaching, and for many college students, summer break means time to relax, recharge, and spend time with friends and family back home.
But, for students looking to get ahead in their studies and college careers, summer is an opportunity to take a few additional classes to earn extra credits, learn a new skill, or simply expand their knowledge on a subject that interests them.
Summer classes can be convenient for many reasons, allowing students to get ahead and ultimately graduate early. We recommend maximizing your time off this summer by working toward educational and career goals. Let’s discuss seven reasons to take summer classes this year.
1. Save Money
Generally, summer classes offer a unique and cost-effective opportunity to save on overall tuition costs. Many colleges often have lower per-credit tuition in the summer.
And by taking more classes per year, especially lower-cost classes in the summer, students can spend less time in school and graduate sooner, saving even more on costs. Plus, they’ll be on the way to a solid career and salary to repay any loans in no time. Additionally, textbooks can cost less because it’s easier to find used books during the summer, when fewer students are in class.
2. Approach Graduation Sooner
Taking summer classes is a great way to graduate early. This is extremely beneficial if you have a job waiting for you, are eager to begin graduate school, or want to take a trip or gap year before tackling your career goals.
Additionally, taking summer classes to graduate early can impress prospective employers and demonstrate drive, self-discipline, and motivation to excel. If you plan on taking summer classes at a different college or university than the one you’ll graduate from, check with your school in advance to ensure they’ll accept credits from your summer school course.
3. Access High-Demand Classes and Professors
Some college classes are more popular than others because of the subject matter, the esteemed professor, or the cap on class size. These factors can make it harder to enroll in courses during the regular school year.
Not every student elects to take summer courses; thus, those popular courses have less competition, and you have a better chance of landing a highly coveted spot in your school’s most prestigious classes.
4. Smaller Class Sizes
Much like not having to fight over in-demand classes due to lower enrollment, summer courses generally have smaller class sizes than the courses offered during the regular school year. Smaller classes mean everyone in the class has the opportunity to ask in-depth questions, get involved in the coursework, and participate in classroom discussions. Not to mention, there is a greater opportunity for individualized attention and support if needed.
Lastly, small class sizes give you, your professors, and your peers more opportunities to get to know one another.
5. Fewer Distractions and Better Focus
Technologies and methodologies are constantly evolving and changing. It can be challenging to keep up with those changes when you are bogged down with day-to-day responsibilities and business during the school year.
This is why the slower pace of summer can be a great time to hone your experience and reinforce your skills by taking specific classes in the summer.
6. Complete Pre-Requisite, Core, or Challenging Courses
Every college curriculum includes a set of common courses that all students must take to graduate. These prerequisite courses can directly relate to your major or include general education subjects like literature, social sciences, history, humanities, math, and science.
Enrolling in summer courses allows students to complete required prerequisite courses during the off-season, and register for more advanced and interesting classes related to their major in the fall. Additionally, summer classes are often shorter than fall and spring courses, making it the perfect time to power through courses you dread or worry about the difficulty level.
Students should be aware that while classes are shorter, the condensed time frame likely means the material is more concentrated, so be prepared to work harder and faster in summer courses.
7. Sharpen Your Skills
“Summer brain drain,” i.e., experiencing learning losses over the summer, affects many students as they relax, forget about their schedules, and stop rushing around. This slowing down makes returning to school in the fall even more challenging. But by taking summer courses, students can avoid seasonal setbacks, stay mentally stimulated, and ensure they don’t start from scratch come the fall semester.
Summer classes present students with many great opportunities and benefits, from saving money on their college career overall, the opportunity to focus on required or more challenging courses, and ensuring their brain stays sharp throughout the year.
Registration for summer courses begins on March 6th, and summer classes begin on May 8th at University of Bridgeport, with in-person, online, and hybrid classes available for undergraduate and graduate students.
Reach out today for more information and get a head start on your summer plans!