Post #38 Three Things to Know About Summer Courses
Virtually nobody enjoys taking courses over the summer. It sounds great in theory because you can retake courses or get ahead in your curriculum. But after a week or two into it, have you found yourself wondering why you enrolled? Trust me when I tell you that come August, you will be thankful you got these classes out of the way. There are three things to know about summer courses to help you take full advantage during summer school.
Do NOT Fall Behind
Think about the fact that a normal semester lasts about 18 weeks. If your college is on a 3-semester per year system, your typical courses last about 12 weeks each. Your task in summer school is to take what you would learn in a normal semester and instead learn it in about 8 or 9 weeks. That’s a tough challenge considering other students on campus are probably out and about enjoying the outdoors. A good rule of thumb for you: do not fall behind. It is much more difficult to catch up during summer school as opposed to a regular semester. If you want to make your summer session easier on yourself, stay on top of every assignment, lecture & presentation.
More Professor Availability
It is usually the case, but not always, that professor availability increases during the summers. A lot of them have to be on campus either for research or because of college requirements. The summer is a perfect time to take advantage of office hours or to become familiar with their personalities. I discussed how important it is that you get to know your professors in Post #15. They would enjoy meeting each of you on a personal basis if time allowed. During the summer, time may allow so get your rear in their office if you are taking one of their courses. And even if you’re not taking a course, you can still introduce yourself and work on your networking skills.
Smaller Courses
Another summer advantage is smaller courses. You can get more individual attention during summer school. It is easier to form study groups and to meet classmates since the school environment is often more relaxed. Classmates’ schedules are usually more flexible during summer school. You will need all the support you can get because as I mentioned, summer courses move very quickly. If your course size ends up not being smaller, that’s still okay. A major advantage of summer sessions, regardless of class size, is the flexibility and willingness of students to help each other out.
In conclusion, there are three things to know about summer school. Do everything you can to keep up with the pace because courses move extremely fast. Go talk to your professors whether you need help or not. And last, take advantage of the smaller class size that typically comes with summer courses.