Whether you want to lighten your course load for the fall or just learn something new, summer classes are your ticket to a productive break. Students take summer classes for a multitude of reasons. Before you check out for the summer, consider what you might be missing.
4 Reasons to Take Summer Classes
Get Ahead and Graduate Early.
Enrolling in summer courses will accelerate your degree path. Not only can it help you save money, but it will also allow you to finish your education early. Graduating early can be a significant advantage, especially when a company is in need of your expertise.
If you can sustain a large workload, you can take up to 12 credits, which could reduce your graduation date by a whole semester. Don't worry if 12 credits seem overwhelming, taking 3 credits over the summer can still accelerate your graduation timeframe or at least lighten your semester load.
Reduce Your Fall or Spring Semester Workload.
Sometimes a semester is so crammed with challenging courses that you know you are going to struggle. Before resigning yourself to burnout, giving up your free time or stressing over your GPA, look at what summer courses are being offered and lessen your workload. These classes could cover a Stout Core credit or a major-specific credit.
Expand Your Knowledge through a Specialty or Experimental Course.
You will always find courses offered over the summer that focus on a specific skill or subject. Specialty courses can allow you to dive deeper into a subject or cover emerging topics, such as AI. Make sure to check what courses are going to be offered every summer term to ensure you do not miss out on a great opportunity to expand your knowledge.
Get a Second Chance on Missed Credits.
Sometimes, college classes don't go as planned and can throw off your graduation date. If you need to retake a course to stay on track, one option is to check if the course is offered over the summer. If not, talk to your advisor about taking a summer class that fulfills another required credit to make space for the retake in the fall or spring.
