While building sandcastles on the beach is fun, building your knowledge is a summer option students should take seriously. It's easy to get carried away with summer vacation fun, but it's also a valuable time to invest in your cap and gown.
During the summer, many college students devote their time to some combination of vacationing, sleeping or working for some extra cash. However, more students should consider adding on a few additional courses to alleviate their future class load.
ASU offers a flexible schedule both online and in person during the summer, providing convenient full and half session courses which allow students to choose when the most optimal time for them is. Session A courses begin May 16 and last until June 26, session B courses run from June 29 until August 9, and session C courses run from May 16 to July 10. Therefore, summer classes don't have to consume the entire three-month break.
“It’s a great way of getting more courses under your belt,” said Elenore Long, an associate English professor at ASU.
In addition, ASU caps the summer session hour limit to 14 credits, which allows students the benefit of being able to devote more time and care to particular subjects, to receive extra help and to boost their GPA. Meanwhile, other students take classes in the summer simply as a means to get ahead and graduate in less than four years.
“There’s a depth that we’re able to gain by being able to focus on a single topic together," Long said.
Summer courses also give students an opportunity to develop more one-on-one connections with their professors, allowing a better opportunity to network and build relationships than in a 200-person lecture hall.
For those taking classes in person, summer housing is available with options ranging from $950 to $1250 for the entire summer. All students enrolled in at least one credit hour of classes are eligible to live on campus during this time.
More students should consider registering for ASU’s summer classes instead of spending their summers lounging on the couch or napping on the beach. Using this time to get ahead is valuable and can save students time and money.
If the cost of summer tuition is a burden for students, ASU also offers opportunities for summer financial aid.
Long said that however students decide to take classes, summer session can be a “reprieve from the heat outside.”
Reach the reporter at dkodonne@asu.edu or follow @Devynnodonnell on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the authors’ and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 500 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
