Should My Student Take Summer Classes?

As your student continues to track their progress toward their degree, they may find themselves behind the pace they set for themselves. If so, they might consider is to take classes during the summer. Many college students do this, and your student may find it valuable as well.

Why Take Summer Classes?

There are several good reasons to take summer classes. One reason is it may allow your student to graduate early or to catch up if they’ve either failed a course, changed their major, or otherwise find themselves off the pace. Another reason is that the summer courses may cost less per credit hour either at their own institution, or at a local community college. Paired with the lower cost is often the smaller class size, so students may receive more individualized attention.

Another feature—which could be good or bad–is the fact that students only focus on one course at a time. That’s the good news. The challenge is that classes move at a much faster pace. A typical summer class could be as short as three and a half weeks up to about eight weeks—a typical half semester. If students already have difficulty keeping up during a regular term, imagine how challenging it might be with only one fifth the time! These courses may meet up to four classroom hours a day, so the pace can be grueling, and is similar to taking five courses over a regular semester. On the other hand, many students report that the pace of the course required them to study everyday consistently. They knew they couldn’t afford to slack off, so they didn’t.

Other Things to Consider

Something else to consider is the scheduling of courses at your student’s home campus. Some academic departments only offer courses on an occasional basis. So, if your student misses a course during their sophomore year, they may not be able to take it until their senior year. Other schools offer some courses—such as brief study tours or special field classes—only during the summer. It may be worth your student’s time to see what unique opportunities their college offers during the summer and plan accordingly.

Another potential downside is that it’s likely your student’s summer course will be online. While your student may have become quite competent with online courses, that’s something to consider. Finally, taking a summer course may delay your student’s arrival back home, and with that delay, they may miss out on some summer employment opportunities.

While there are many questions to ask about summer courses, their value in helping students stay on track to graduate can’t be denied. Encourage your student to do their research to see if summer courses might be right for them.