summer classes

Summer Classes Made Easy

Posted on by Olivia Meier

Summer Classes

Like many college students, I’m currently enrolled in a summer class. Adding a summer course is a good way to earn a few extra credits if you are falling behind. If you didn’t do well in a course during the regular semester, consider taking it over the summer. The reduced course-load is perfect for succeeding in any challenging class. However, taking summer classes isn’t always fun. Here are a few tips on how to manage summer classes and still have a great summer.

Online Courses

A variety of classes are available online, especially during the summer semester. Online courses are not for everyone, but they are a great alternative to being stuck inside a classroom during the summer. Online courses offer flexibility. It’s easy to go on vacation because all you need is a few hours and some Wi-Fi to complete the necessary coursework. With many online classes not taking attendance, you can work ahead and then miss a day without having to worry. No more, “Sorry, I have class.” Go out and enjoy the summer! However, don’t let all that freedom corrupt your work ethic. Make sure you submit assignments by the deadlines and participate in online discussion boards with other classmates.

Favorite Teachers

Let’s be honest, everyone has a favorite professor. At the least, they have a professor they’re more fond of compared to others. For an easy way to deal with summer classes, check if that certain professor is teaching any sections you need. As long as it fits within your schedule, take it! By selecting a professor you’re familiar with, you’ll already have an idea of what you’re walking into on the first day. Even better, you’re potentially already on their good side. It is less stressful to have a summer course with a professor you know and like. You may even have a few laughs along the way!

Shorter Term Classes

Many schools offer various course lengths during the summer. Some courses last the entire summer (from June to August), while others are only a few months.  The most intense courses can be as short as five weeks. Instead of being in class all summer, a good alternative is to take one of the shorter, more intense classes. It will be more work, but it only last a few weeks. Then once it’s over, you can have the rest of the summer to do what you please. What’s the greatest part? They’re all worth the same amount of credits, which means it’s a full class even though it’s shortened.

Deciding to take a summer course is never easy. You don’t want it to ruin your summer, but you also want to get ahead on your course load. Before you decide, consider these tips to make taking summer classes a little easier! 

Top 5 Summer Plans for College Students

Posted on by Liza Krein
Summertime image source

With finals approaching, this means one thing… summer is around the corner! As a college student you have to get out there and do something with yourself. So, my recommendation is to consider these top 5 summer plans for college students

1. Intern

Unfortunately you’re not in high school anymore so interning is a must.  It is very important to secure a great internship for the summer because this allows you to make connections, get experience and most importantly help your future. You never know where a summer internship may lead… it could possibly give you a career with the company one day. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Intern image source

2. Study Abroad

College is the best time to travel! Summer is even better because you’re not missing out on anything from the school year so it’s the best of both worlds. Take a look at this eCampus blog: Top 5 Reasons to Study Abroad, you can see a few of the many benefits of studying abroad. My recommendation would be to take a fun class you wouldn’t normally take at your university, maybe even one that is specific to the country you are in. This will definitely enhance the experience of your trip.

Travel image source

3. Get a Job

Of course the fall back to not interning or studying abroad is getting a summer job. Although, this might not be the most fun or interesting thing to do in the summer but at least you’ll be making some extra money for the school year right?

Summer Job images source

4. Take Summer Classes

This might be the most boring option to take for the summer but it’s also something to seriously consider doing. If you did poorly in a class this semester or even dropped it, taking an online or in-class summer session class could help you get closer to earning your degree. Also if you just changed your major and are behind in credits this is a great time to catch up instead of taking 21 hours next semester.

Summer Classesimage source

5. Soak Up the Sun

The last option for your summer plan could be to take it easy and relax. Maybe go to the park with your dog, hang out with friends or just lay out by the pool to get that golden tan you’ve missed all year. There’s nothing wrong with this option because sometimes after a long year of classes, taking a break is the best thing to do.

Relaximage source

What are your summer plans? Let us know in the comments below!

Getting into the Mindset for Summer Classes

Posted on by Tonya Nelson

You’ve decided to get ahead in school or retake a class to get a better grade. When you were first signing up to take your summer classes, your parents were proud and you thought it’d be no big deal. But now your night of hanging out late with friends is making an early morning wake up for class difficult. Even a class in the afternoon is torturous, as the sun shines beautifully in a gorgeous blue sky just outside the classroom window. Seriously, how can they expect you to pay attention and do well?

Set yourself up for success by getting yourself into a particular schedule. With an online class especially, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to take  the time to prepare for your class and actually get your work done. Between internships and a social life, it’s easy for summer classes to become ignored—who wants to study during the summer anyway? Depending on the kind of class you have, specifically schedule time to do your homework and study. Even if you’re in a classroom a certain number of hours every week, make sure to set up some extra time outside of class to attend to your school obligations. There’s no point in taking a summer class period if you’re not going to even try to pass it.

Do your best to ignore the weather and your phone while doing your work or sitting in class. Close your curtains or move to your basement to avoid being distracted by the sun or tempted to take a break that stretches on for the entire afternoon. By turning off your phone for a while, you’ll avoid the temptation to hang out with your friends when you really just need an hour to write your response paper.  It might sound lame and anti-social, but hanging out will be much more enjoyable without your parents grounding you for the rest of the summer to get your work done or knowing you have no time limitations on your outing.

You can also try setting up a mini reward system for yourself for getting work done. After completing one homework assignment, give yourself a snack break or a quick swimming break. Power through an entire essay and allow yourself a day at the movies or a shopping trip. By giving yourself different motivational factors, you’ll be more likely to get your work done quickly. But don’t try to rush through what you have to do either to get to your fun time either. Putting no effort into your work is only one step up from not doing it at all.

Just treat your school work during the summer as you would during the year (which hopefully means putting some effort in, at least). It might mean having some less fun than the rest of your friends, but in the end it will be worth it. You’ll get your credits, you won’t have wasted your parents’ money by failing a class and you’ll have at least one worthwhile accomplishment of the summer. There’s plenty of time or fun, you can give up a little of it for your work.

Good luck!

 

 

Summer Classes 101: To Register or Not to Register?

Posted on by Kelly Craig

On one hand, getting some credits out of the way would be great, but is a summer class really right for you?  To take a summer course, a person needs to have:

First of all, there is an issue of money.  Summer courses generally cost more than a couple hundred bucks, unless you are taking them at a community college.  If you are a freshman or sophomore, look into how many courses you can transfer in from your local community college.  Transferring in a pricy lab course could save you hundreds!

Also in terms of money, will you be living at school or commuting? With the way gas prices are right now, that might not be too much of a difference…  Housing at school for the summer may not seem like a ton of fun, but it might beat out long commutes on crowded highways in the summer heat.  Don’t forget to take gas and wear and tear on your car into consideration (that is if you have a car).  Train passes and bus passes can get pricy as well depending on locations.  A lot of this decision making has factors specific to your personal situation.  Just be sure to factor everything in before registering.

By taking a summer course or two each summer, a student can graduate a whole semester early, which will save money on a semester’s worth of meal plans and housing costs.  Just food for thought…

Also in terms of money, were you planning on working?  Taking a class over the summer is very time consuming.  Working full time and taking a few credits can leave you so drained that come September, you are in need of a break.  Be sure to balance working and schooling without overdoing it!  Telling a boss early that you can only work part-time during the month or two you will be in school tends to be the best way to go.  Don’t forget to leave time in your schedule for homework and some summer fun.

Even after you choose to take a summer course, your decision-making does not end there.  Will you be taking an online class or an in-class lecture?  Like anything, there are pros and cons to consider.  Online classes mean no commuting and a more flexible schedule, but they make procrastination easy.  In-class lectures give you more structure which can be an academic advantage, although you will be commuting.  Facing a teacher is also something to consider.  How much do you rely on communicating with your professor?  Is the professor you will be taking known to be a slow with getting back to students?  Check all of these things out before registration!

-TravelBug