Summer Options: Taking Community College Classes (2024)

FAQs

Is taking summer classes in college worth it? ›

Summer classes can save you money, set you up to graduate early, and help you knock out general education requirements in an accelerated format. But signing up for summer courses can also mean missing out on opportunities like traveling, part-time jobs, and internships.

In summer, two or three courses is usually considered full-time, with three to four courses being the maximum. As with fall or spring semesters, though, there is a chance you might be able to take more courses with approval from the relevant department.

The condensed schedule of summer classes may be challenging. Since summer classes are often shorter than fall and spring classes, you may find that you have less time to absorb material and prepare for tests and exams. For some students, this may not feel like a problem, but for others, it may feel stressful.

Colleges often see enrollment in summer school courses as a positive indication that a student is willing to go beyond the traditional school year to enhance their education. It can definitely be seen as taking initiative, especially if the courses are advanced or in line with your academic interests and future goals.

Inherently, summer classes increase the chance for you to raise your grade point average (GPA). GPA is the total score of all your grades divided by the number of classes you've taken. The more classes you take, the less each grade will impact your overall GPA - giving those tougher classes a little less influence.

Credit hours accumulated in summer terms are equivalent to those in the fall and spring. Yet, only about 30 percent of students at two-year colleges and 21 percent at four-year colleges enroll in summer courses (Attewell and Jang, 2013).

For a student that is comfortable with a 15 credit load during the fall or winter semester, the following is a recommendation for summer loads. A student here for 12 weeks should take a maximum of 12 Credit Hours. A student here for 8 weeks should take a maximum of 8 Credit Hours.

Not only will you not be stuck in that class for the full semester, but it can also open up your schedule to take classes that you are interested in during the school year. And on top of that, you might even graduate earlier!

For full-time enrollment, you will typically need to earn 12-15 credit hours, which translates into taking four to five classes per semester. On the other hand, for part-time enrollment, you will need to earn fewer than 12 credit hours per semester, which means taking three or less classes per semester.

As for the drawbacks: courses are expensive, you don't get that mental break to recharge if you're still grinding through classes in the summer, you lose the time that you could be putting toward the experiential preparation aspects of preparing for medicine, there may be less academic support (tutoring, office hours, ...

How long are most summer classes? ›

How Long Is Summer Semester? Summer term varies in length depending on the school. For quarter-system colleges, summer term is often the same length as fall, winter, and spring terms: around 10 weeks. For semester-based colleges, which have 15-week terms, the summer semester may be significantly shorter.

You can graduate with Ds, but you cannot go to college with Ds. Colleges will give you ZERO credit for the class, just like you got an F. This is true no matter what the class is, even if it is not a required class.

Yes, summer programmes look good for college and can help with your college admissions. They can demonstrate dedication to a subject, initiative, and reading beyond the school curriculum.

Most high schools will include grades from accredited summer courses in the calculation of your GPA. This typically means if you take summer classes offered by your high school or an accredited institution, the grades should be factored in.

Did you know summer activities can push your college application to the “yes” pile? Colleges want to see that you are committed to extracurriculars throughout the school year, but they also love it when you are making the effort to expand and stretch yourself over summer vacation.

Not only will you not be stuck in that class for the full semester, but it can also open up your schedule to take classes that you are interested in during the school year. And on top of that, you might even graduate earlier!

The long vacation doesn't simply hit the “pause” button on reading, math and writing skills. It can actually erode these skills. When it comes to certain kinds of knowledge, kids really do have to “use it or lose it.” This is especially true for kids with learning and thinking differences.