Nerdify Reviews 5 Reasons Why You Should Attend Summer Courses
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With the spring semester coming to an end, while students deserve a nice break, the nearly three months of summer quickly lose their luster. After a month or so, many students start scratching their heads, wondering what to do with all that extra free time for the next two months. An excellent investment of your time would be to take a few summer courses over the summer. Read below why our Nerdify reviews experts recommend taking summer courses as a great way to get ahead of your studies.
1. They Only Last One Month!
Summer courses are condensed courses that only cover the month of, you guessed it, May. Since the summer sources typically count the same number of credits as a class in a typical semester, you’ll need to complete the same amount of class time in that short period. As an example, suppose a regular semester at your school is 15 weeks, and you take 3-credit classes, spending three hours a week in class. In that case, you’ll have to divide up those 45 hours of class time into four weeks, totaling about 11 hours a week. For that reason, our Nerdify reviews experts recommend you don’t cram too many summer classes at once. Many college-aged Reddit users on their campus subreddits say they take two courses if they want to study full-time, or just one of the Redditors is working during the summer. While it is a lot of work, say Reddit students, those four weeks of class fly by, and when you’re done, you’ll have a few credits under your belt, giving you a leg up for your next semester. Summer classes can get you ahead not only in credits but also in GPA.
2. You Can Take GPA-Boosting Classes
Often during summer, professors offer a mix of challenging and more manageable classes, so if you took a difficult class last semester that brought your GPA down, taking a more accessible class over the summer can help balance out your GPA. Since your GPA is an average of the number of credits you take regardless of their difficulty, the more easy-A courses you’d be able to take, the better. Our Nerdify reviews experts note that you shouldn’t be deceived into thinking that taking a class like drawing is effortless. Those not artistically inclined might be surprised how difficult those classes are work- and grading-wise. For those that have been wanting to take creative electives and don’t usually have time, a summer course is a great option to do so! In addition to taking classes you wouldn’t during the fall or spring, you might also be able to study in locations you might not otherwise travel to.
3. There Are Study Abroad Summer Options
Studying in another country during May is a terrific option for so many reasons. Though there are options to study abroad during the fall and spring semesters, it can be daunting to leave your home country for three or four months at a time. It could be difficult logistically—needing to find a sub-leaser for your apartment, find out what to do with any pets, etc.—but you’ll also miss out on a semester with loved ones and friends. If you studied abroad during summer, you’d only be gone for about a month, which is much easier to organize, and you’re unlikely to get homesick or tired of your host country. You’ll basically be able to take a month-long vacation while also getting some credits out of the way.
4. Get Rid of General Education Classes
Especially if you go to a liberal arts college, you’ll likely have a bunch of courses not related to your major that you’ll need to take. While those classes are enriching and worthwhile for many, they can make scheduling for the fall and spring semesters difficult. Our Nerdify reviews experts note that you can take care of that pesky history, math, or English classes in May that would otherwise weigh down your semester schedules. Even if you don’t currently have a major, the sooner you get rid of your gen ed classes, the sooner you’ll be able to find a field of study you’re passionate about, ensuring you’ll finish your degree on time. Or, maybe even earlier.
5. You Might Be Able To Graduate Early
Suppose you take even two summer classes at three credits each for three summers. In that case, that’s 18 credits right there, three hours over the typical college semester of 15. That means you’d be able to graduate college at least a semester early! This can be great for several reasons. Other than obviously saving four months of your time, you’ll also be likely saving money, depending on how your school calculates tuition costs. If you plan on continuing your education after graduation, you’ll be able to focus on admissions due in January without juggling the start of a new semester, and take even more time perfecting rolling admission applications. Or, you could use those extra months to focus studying on higher education tests, such as the GRE or LSAT. If you’re going to start working right after graduation, by entering the workforce in December, you’ll be competing against fewer applicants for each job, increasing the likelihood that employers pick your resume. Taking summer classes gives you an advantage with your GPA score, study abroad options, and completing credits early, all in about four weeks.
