The fall and spring semesters are packed with classes, leaving summer as the ultimate season for rest and relaxation. Given the many reasons for taking a much-needed break, why even consider taking a summer class? Enrolling in one or two summer classes is more beneficial than you may think.
1. Get Ahead on Your Academic Plan
Summer classes can help you get general education courses out of the way so you can complete your degree on schedule — or even earlier. Since general ed courses are usually prerequisites for classes related to your major, finishing them early frees you up to focus on your major. You might even have time to take extra electives.
2. Make Time for More Difficult Classes
You already know how hard it is to carve out enough study time for a single class when you’re taking a full course load. Instead of overwhelming yourself, save those difficult classes for summer. For instance, if you’re an English major who has difficulty with math, wait until summer term to devote all your time and energy to that dreaded calculus class. Summers allow you to tackle your most difficult subjects without distraction
3. Save Money
It’s no secret that delaying your graduation results in more student debt. The best way to keep your student loans to a minimum is to graduate on time or even early. Enrolling in summer classes accelerates your graduation plans and keeps overall costs down.
4. Keep Your Brain Sharp
It’s easy to get out of the habit of studying and writing research papers when you take a couple of months off. If you’re the type of student who works best with a steady routine, taking summer classes can help you maintain your stamina and keep your brain sharp. Summer classes are also ideal for subjects requiring multiple courses.
For example, meeting your foreign language requirement is easier if you can take Spanish 101 and Spanish 102 in subsequent terms. If classes are full during the fall and spring semesters, taking the summer off could mean losing everything you learned in the first course.
Enrolling in summer classes keeps your brain sharp in other ways, as well. You’ll maintain good study habits from one academic year to the next without feeling like you’re starting over every fall.
5. Enjoy Online Options
More colleges and universities have started offering online classes to help students meet their general education requirements. Summers give you the perfect opportunity to enroll in an online course while working a seasonal job to save money for tuition and personal expenses. Even if you want to spend time at home with your family over the summer, online classes allow you to enjoy some downtime without experiencing a break in reaching your education goals. You can even go on vacation while still getting another required course out of the way.
With so many reasons to take a summer class, why not give it a chance? Summer terms allow you to finish your education requirements early, take smaller course loads throughout the academic year, and better balance your job and personal life.
