There are many reasons why college students may choose to take summer classes. For those with demanding majors, students may decide to take summer courses in order to fulfill institutional requirements, while those who may have financial issues can take summer classes to reduce the overall amount of time it takes to complete a degree.
Regardless of the reason for taking summer classes, there are several things that students need to know before taking summer classes, either at their college or university or at a school closer to home.
Know The Rules Regarding Summer Classes
Almost all colleges and universities have rules regarding summer courses, who can take them, and how summer class registration works. For the most part, students can take a limited number of credit hours, usually between fifteen and eighteen, during summer sessions. Additionally, students have to take a minimum of six credit hours in order to be eligible for federal Stafford loans, says J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
Each college and university also has rules regarding who can register for summer courses and when students can register to take classes. Some schools will allow students to take summer courses no matter what, while others may require that students pay for the course in advance, have a minimum cumulative GPA, or have a certain class standing in order to take summer classes. Additionally, colleges and universities may have specific registration deadlines for summer classes or may even allow students to enroll in courses until the end of the first day of classes for that summer session.
Know the Types of Summer College Classes
There are two main types of summer classes that colleges and universities may offer: summer sessions and intensive courses.
Summer session courses are the same as traditional classes that students can expect to take during the academic year, only offered four to five days a week over the course of five to six weeks. Students usually receive the same number of hours of instruction in a course as they would during the traditional school year, but over a shorter amount of time.
Intensive courses can be offered over summer vacation or during any extended school holiday. These courses last two to three weeks and are often in session for several hours five days a week.
Intensive courses cover all of the same material as the same course in a traditional setting or summer session, but at a much quicker rate. Professors keep the pace of the class going at a constant high rate in order for students to absorb as much material as possible in a short amount of time. Students who need to study and review material frequently in order to do well in classes may want to talk to professors prior to registering for intensive courses, as the time for review and test preparation may be limited.
Take Advantage of Transient Student and Community College Offerings
For students who need to take summer courses on a budget, being a transient student or enrolling at a local community college may allow students to take summer classes and save money on tuition and transportation.
Transient students are able to take courses at a different college or university than the one in which they are enrolled and transfer the credits back to their home institution. Each college and university has unique policies regarding registration for transient students, but the process often requires completing an application and obtaining course descriptions from the other college or university to guarantee that credits will transfer and fulfill intended requirements upon transfer.
For transient students on a budget, community colleges offer a variety of summer courses at a fraction of the cost of private and public colleges and universities. Students wishing to take classes at a community college closer to home will often have to follow the same procedures as students wishing to be transient students, but for those who wish to seek more information, students should make an appointment with their school's registrar's office for specific information on taking summer classes at another college or university.
Summer classes are a great way for students to catch up on courses needed to graduate or spread out the number of classes a student has to take each term in order to graduate in a certain amount of time. Students should be aware, however, that colleges and universities have specific guidelines regarding summer classes and registering for these courses may be difficult if the guidelines are not followed.
Sources
- "Applying for Student Loans" J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Office of Financial Aid, accessed 4 May 2011.
Ashley Anderson - Ashley is an Ohio-based writer and editor with specializations in higher education, writing, and social activism.
Join the Conversation