Getting Ahead Of Your Coursework With Summer Courses

july 2018

While the concept of taking classes in the summer may not sound very appealing, it is actually a hidden jewel that educational institutions offer students to help them get ahead in their coursework. If you are a college student, read about these benefits of summer classes, and the important role they can play towards the completion of your education:

Get Your Degree Faster

Taking advantage of summer courses is one of the best ways to accelerate the completion of your academic journey. For most of us, summer is a time of relaxation and refueling for the upcoming school year. Although that break is usually needed and well-deserved, it never hurts to look at your end goal of graduating with a degree – and to see if there is any way to compete your education sooner. Summer courses are a great way to keep a solid pace with your overall plan and to sharpen your skills, year-round. The amount and quality of work that can be accomplished when all other stresses of everyday academic life are removed is amazing! Summer is a time when colleges offer classes that are either off-cycle or consist of two-part courses that require one class be taken before the other. Getting these types of courses off your checklist and putting them behind you will give you some breathing room. It is also beneficial to take these types of courses in a tighter timeframe, so you can retain everything before the fall semester begins.

Lighten Your Workload in the Fall and Spring

Another benefit of taking advantage of summer coursework is how it will prevent overloading your fall and spring semesters. You never know what courses will be offered, so it may be to your advantage to take one or two when they are offered, as you can concentrate on these alone. I know that I have always personally chosen to take one or two classes per session in the summer, so I could take fewer classes during the fall and spring. This was great, because as I progressed further with my studies, my major courses required more of my time than other classes did. Throughout my undergraduate work and into my master’s program, properly scheduling my summer courses was what got me where I needed to go quicker. Taking fewer classes at a time even helped my GPA! If I had waited and only taken courses during the fall and spring, I am not sure if I would be where I am today.

As a Centenary University alum for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as being a current adjunct professor at the same university, I encourage you to stay on top of the offerings that your school has each summer. To this day, I always offer two summer courses for graduate students to take as a means to help them along. Centenary’s staff allowed me to take advantage of this many years ago, and it is my honor to pay it forward for future students. Wherever you go to attend classes, or if you plan on transferring them into your institution of choice, please take it from someone who has learned this valuable lesson: Taking a summer course is your best move. If you put the time in, it will pay off! Trust me – a little sacrifice now makes things easier as you continue on your journey.

To learn more about undergraduate and graduate programs at Centenary, along with summer class offerings, please explore the Centenary University website.

— Kenney Lutz
Centenary University Alum and Current Adjunct Professor