Growing up, kids and teens are afraid of going to summer school. Commonly, you didn’t perform well academically, and you need to make up work or grades. It also means less time for you to have fun during the summer. In college, however, it’s different.
Curb your fear of taking summer classes, as ignoring the stigma will only bring you closer to graduating.
Taking summer classes helps to distribute your fall and spring workload so you don’t end up taking too many hours during those regular semesters. Getting some of those daunting classes out of the way creates more opportunities for you to focus on classes you prefer. For those that plan on leaving town, schools often offer online and asynchronous class options so there is no obligation to commute to campus in the summer.
Rise above any prior misconceptions of why you should not take summer classes. Stigmas from middle school or high school simply don’t apply in college. You may be able to boost your confidence because you never realized that you could get so much done in so little time before. That confidence can be gained from opportunities a lot of people wish they had. 51% of families say that they would take advantage of summer learning if they could, according to the National Summer Learning Association.
Taking summer classes will keep your mind engaged and sharp for the next school year. In a study by the University of California, Merced of first-year students’ retention rates, they found retention was higher when students took summer classes, as 98% of those who took a summer class returned for the fall semester, compared to 84% of those who had not. Taking summer classes is also the perfect opportunity to get all of your electives done or learn skills that don’t necessarily apply to your degree.
For summer semesters, instructors condense their syllabuses since they are shorter at commonly five weeks. The summer semester is less stressful since classroom sizes are smaller and you get more time with your instructor. So, forget what you knew in high school. College is different and requires a different mindset.
Since the semester is so short, you also have the ability to take electives that are less challenging, more relaxed or more fun. It helps to expand your academic toolbelt and build off skills that matter or that will help you get a job after college, as you most likely will not get a scheduled summer break to learn these things in your future career.
For some students, taking a summer class is not an option because of insufficient time or money, work obligations, vacations or job searches. Some just may not like the fast-paced environment and constant workload. If this is you, then do not feel like you absolutely need to sign up for summer school.
This is not an article trying to convince you to take summer classes. There are a lot of factors to consider when enrolling for the summer, but if those things are not a problem, then don’t let fear, laziness or stigma stop you from fulfilling your educational goals to the fullest.
– McKenna Bailey is a digital media innovation senior
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