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Summer Courses: Worth It?

By Julian Wilson
Co-Opinions Editor

Many full-time college students look forward to kicking back, relaxing, and ridding their minds of all things regarding school and academia in the summer. However, if this is not the lifestyle you choose, you may be able to enroll in a summer course and still have just as much time for yourself to relax as you had hoped for. If you’re thinking about taking summer courses, there are a couple of points to keep in mind.

It’s essential to know what these various summer courses can do for you personally. According to a group of collective authors, the Varsity Tutors USA Today’s article entitled, “3 Benefits of Summer College Courses,” (May. 20, 2015), summer courses can offer the same level of education as a spring or fall semester, in a condensed period of time.

One of the benefits of summer college courses is that they offer you the chance to catch up on your work or to get ahead of any coursework if you choose to do so. “Summer courses are a great idea even if you are on schedule to graduate. If you would like to work ahead or lighten your standard semester load, taking one or more summer college classes can help you do so,” according to the Varsity Tutors.

Other benefits include condensed class sizes, and fewer distractions in class, as well. According to the authors, “Summer courses are typically smaller in size than classes available during the traditional academic year. (This is due to lower summer enrollment numbers). Thus, one benefit of the summer term is its increased student-professor interaction.” In regards to fewer distractions than a regular class, the site states, “With a reduced course load, you will be able to focus more on the class or classes you’re enrolled in.”

Freshman psychology and forensic science double major, Shanice Arthur, believes summer courses are beneficial to pursue. “To me, learning in the summer is easier because I don’t have to worry about doing work for five other classes. I go, get my work done, then I still have a lot of free time to myself,” she said.

Junior broadcasting major Stephanie Mocerino agreed. “I think it’s definitely beneficial because you’re able to get ahead of things and set yourself up so that your schedule isn’t as busy in the fall. I haven’t enrolled in a summer course thus far due to traveling and working a lot over summer, but I have always wanted to and I may look into it this summer,” she said.

I believe that taking summer courses in college can only help and not harm in the long run. You’re receiving the same education but in a condensed amount of time, and for what it’s worth, I would definitely take advantage of summer courses, if it means making my workload lighter and overall, relieving substantial amounts of school-related stress.

What about you? Have you taken, or do you plan to take, a summer course? Please forward your thoughts about it to the Pioneer at liupostpioneer@gmail.com.

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