http://oes.umd.edu/summer-term/registration
Is registering for the summer session a good idea if I’m accepted fall class of 2016? Should I live at home or on campus? I live really nearby.
Either one is fine, nothing really happens on-campus in the summer anyway, so you won’t be missing anything and you will still get to know the campus before your class comes in the fall. Living on-campus during the summer is that it’s expensive and since you near I wouldn’t waste the money honestly.
@DDOUser - Just curious but what is the reason behind considering summer session?
getting ahead.
I’d advise my kid not to sign up if “getting ahead” is the main reason. Hope you think it thru carefully before jumping in.
what would be the risks with taking it in the summer?
@DDOuser - I am not against summer classes per se. It’s just that, for incoming freshmen, the transition from HS to college is difficult enough because classes are harder/faster compare to HS classes. The summer sessions - covering 1 semester of work in 6 weeks or so - move much faster than regular semester classes. Unless you are 100% committed, it’s easy to fall behind. I’d also be concerned about getting burned out before fall semester even starts.
Keep in mind, in college, you don’t get ahead by taking more classes than others. It’s all about building your portfolio (e.g., high GPA, good internship, research experience, networking with professors…etc.) so you can pursue next phase of your education (or job) after college. So, in a way, you don’t compete with other kids, you compete with yourself. My two cents. Good luck.