The Pros and Cons: Taking Summer Classes (2024)

As summer approaches all college students become faced with the same universal dilemma: Should they take the summer off, get a summer job, or take summer classes?

The following series of blogs will attempt to address both the pros and cons of each of these scenarios, ending with the advantages and disadvantages of students taking college classes during the summer.

The Pros Of Taking Summer Classes

While spending your summer inside a classroom may not sound much fun, there are several advantages of dedicating part of your summer to doing so. Below are several reasons why you should takes classes during your summer break.

• You’ll be able to make more progress towards getting your degree & graduating.
• It's a great way to play “catch up” and retake any classes you might have dropped or failed.
• Summer semesters are shorter than then autumn and spring semesters.
• The class sizes are much smaller.
• You’ll have a chance to bond and establish friendships with your classmates.
• You’ll be able to get more individual attention from your instructors and more opportunities to ask them for letters of recommendation.
• If you’re an international student, taking summer classes is an ideal way to help you adjust to your new surroundings and role as a student in a foreign country.
• Syllabuses will be more concentrated.
• It's a better time to take any required classes that could be a challenge.
• Some classes have the option of being online classes.
• You’ll have more access to your teachers, advisor, and the college’s financial aid staff.
• You lesson your chances of becoming a victim of the “summer slide.”
• You could lighten your autumn or spring schedules by taking one or two classes during the summer.

The Cons Of Taking Summer Classes

While spending your summer inside a classroom is beneficialin more than one way, it does pose some challenges. Here are a few disadvantages of taking classes during the summer.

• They're more intense and you'll be expected to cover a large amount of material in a short period of time.
• You’ll be taking tests and quizzes more frequently.
• Class options are limited due to the number of students requesting them.
• Many types of financial aid packages don’t include provisions for summer classes.
• You won't have as much downtime due to classes, homework, and studying.
• Balancing school and a summer job could become overwhelming.
• You run the risk of suffering from student burnout.