Does anyone think it is feasible the take classes primarily during the spring and summer
sessions? I am nearing the end of my first semester and having barely squeezed through
trying to work and keep up with school at the same time I feel wiped out. I think my current
Game plan is to take this spring off and build
up my savings. Then return for summer
Classes. From then on I would keep a
spring/summer term schedule. But i don’t know it this is feasible. Has anyone heard of this
being done? Opinions?
What signal does that send to potential employers?
It might work if courses you need for your degree are offered every term. Courses needed in a certain sequence that are not offered every term could pose a challenge to get completed when you skip terms. Could you go part time as an alternative?
Summer term classes are often more expensive than the ones during the year. Taking a less demanding course load consistently might be an alternate - 12 credits rather than 15-16, for instance.
You need at least 12 credits per semester to keep your financial aid.
Some universities in Florida have this exact design - you start in the summer, have a Fall off, return for Spring and summer, etc. It only works for some majors and not all classes are available. Any major that requires a sequence (especially Stem and the firs 2 years for a Foreign Language major) will be tricky.
HOw many hours a week are you working?
At semester system schools, summer terms are usually half length, so you would normally take half the number of courses or credits during the summer (i.e. consider the summer as a half semester). Also, most schools and departments offer fewer courses, particularly more advanced courses, during the summer.
That the student’s financial situation going into college was poor, requiring a large amount of paid work to afford school?
Do you work primarily in the fall, rather than throughout the school year? Is it seasonal work? Why would a Spring/Summer schedule be preferable to a Fall/Spring schedule with summers off?
I think it depends on your school and your major. Things I would be concerned about and think you should look into:
- Are all of the courses you need offered during the summer? At my school, there was a very limited number of courses offered during the summer, and they were often with poorer or newer professors (the best or most experienced professors typically taught during the Fall or Spring). You might have a smaller choice for elective classes, and it might not be possible if you go to a school where a certain class you need is only offered in the fall.
- Do you think you can do well in summer classes? Summer classes are often completed in half the time of a normal semester, and that can be a very difficult pace for many students. Classes are longer and meet more often during the week, and exams come faster. It can be particularly brutal if you need to take lab classes over the summer. It can be harder to schedule in more classes because they are more likely to conflict with each other. It can also be harder to work and go to school during this time, if you are trying to take a full load (you would like need to do both summer sessions, if that's the way your school does summers) to make up for missing the fall semester.
- How does your housing situation work? Are you living on campus, off campus, commuting from home? This would be a very difficult and expensive proposition if you live on campus, but if you live off campus or commute from home, this is less of an issue. There are often less on campus resources available during the summer than during the school year (places around campus like the library, the dining halls, the student center, the bookstore, academic advising, the career center, etc might have reduced hours or be closed for the summer, there likely won't be events or other activities like during the school year), so that is something to consider, if it is important to you.
- Are you in a field where it is important to get job experience, internships, and/or research experience? Many internships and research projects geared towards undergraduate students focus on the summer because that's when students are typically available to work full-time. It may be harder for you to get these experiences if you are unavailable during the summer.
- Would it affect your financial aid and/or any scholarships you have? Is there a cost difference between summer and fall classes?
- Does it matter to you when you graduate? Depending on how your school does it, you may not be able to graduate with your entering class. Probably not that important, but to some students, when they graduate matters to them and to their families.