I’m an incoming freshman student for the fall. Lately I’ve been thinking of maybe taking a class over the summer to fulfill one of my gen ed requirements. My school requires the completion of a math class and one lab science, so I’m looking at either Statistics or environmental science. I would be taking the class at my local community college, and transferring the credits to my college won’t be an issue.
Some info abt myself: Math and science are both my weaker subjects which is why I want to get them over with as soon as I can. I’m undecided in my major, but I’m looking towards the liberal arts. Both courses would run for abt 6 weeks (July 5 - August 15). I’m trying to decide between the two of them. I don’t think I should take both bc that’s a lot of work to handle and I don’t want to completely stress myself over before the fall.
How is each subject? Which one would involve more work?
I’m leaning towards maybe taking Env. Sci bc I feel like that would be easier than cramming stat into 6 weeks. I have a few friends who’ve taken AP Env. Sci and they’ve told me that its pretty easy, although i heard that for some people, its difficult. However, the Env. Sci class meets twice a week, for 6 hrs each day (3 hrs lab, 3 hrs lecture) - I don’t know if I want to be stuck in a classroom for that long. There’s also the fact that I’ll be working part-time as well.
I still havent fully decided if I do want to take the summer class. I’m considering just spending my whole summer working to save up some money. What do you think would be more beneficial?
I would spend my whole summer working. I am not sure that having your first college class in areas you are not strong in be smooshed into less than half the time would be a good start. Wait and start with the rest of your class. Have fun with your friends.
Also I am not sure if you are allowed to take a class at another college before you start…if you think you want to, contact your college first and ask if it is allowed.
Since you said math is a weak subject for you what is the last math level you took? Does it meet the prerequisite math needed for stats? Also some colleges may not count stats as the required math class and may want a math class like calculus instead so just make sure you confirm that stats counts as your required math or is needed for your major. Are you ready for a faster paced math class?
A lab science class may be very time consuming for a summer class. You would be cramming what is normally a 15 week class into 6 weeks and labs can be a lot of work in general. Both classes can be a lot of work but it is hard to say which will be more time consuming for you.
Also confirm with your college that if you take a class after graduating high school but before starting there it will not interfere with financial aide plus will transfer.
my kid is doing something similar - he’s taking a a fun and (hopefully) easy English class at his CC that will fulfill one of his GE requirements (actually it will fulfill 2 of them!). And it’s an online class. Instead of paying ~$1300 for the class at the university, he’s only paying $150 including the cost of the book. He’ll have all summer to tutor and do whatever he needs to prepare for school. The only bad part of this deal is that it takes away one class that he could have used for his university GPA.
In your situation, Stats might be good. Perhaps a lot of homework, but the subject itself is not as difficult as other math classes (at least for most people).
My son is dyscalculic and was a victim of the Common Core travesty in NY on top of that. This summer, after his first year of college, he is now taking the lowest level gen ed math class that will transfer to his college at our local CC. In his case, it was to keep from destroying his GPA. However, it turned out there are only 6 students in the class and a couple of days, he has been the only one who showed up. The teacher is an older man with many years of teaching experience and my son is finally learning math. He got a 95 on the first test. In HS, I think that was the score on several of his geometry tests added together. Part of it is the small class, part of it is that it’s not common core, part of it is that it’s a teacher who knows how to teach but I think the largest part is that he only needs a C to get the credits and the grade doesn’t go into his GPA. There’s a relaxation to it.
For you, OP, unless you need stats for your major, if it’s not your strong point, why not do what my son is and just take the lowest class you can. When I was going to college, I took CLEP to get out of my math and science requirements but my son isn’t as strong a test-taker as I am.
If you take any classes be I would contact your college to get them pre-approved in advance. For example at my S’s college once you are an accepted student they will not accept any classes from a 2 year college.
That is a good point. It’s a prime reason why my son waited until after the first year of college to take CC classes. He also had to get pre-approval from his school and advisor.
i already contacted my college and they said the credits would transfer.
@momtogirls2 I took pre-calc my senior year. i’m probably going to end up with a C as my final grade. it was a bit of a struggle since it took me a while to grasp the concepts in pre-calc.
For my college, they offer Calculus and “Probability and Statistics” as math classes that would satisfy the gen ed requirement. I’m undecided but I know I’m most likely not going down the STEM route, so I don’t think calculus is necessary for my major. I also heard that stat is more practical for humanities majors too, and that are different types of stat classes (one that is more math-based and one that is more geared to non-STEM kids).
However I’m not sure how math-based the courses are at my college. Here are their descriptions. Do they sound heavily math-based?
Calculus: “A thorough introduction to the basic concepts and techniques of the differential and integral calculus of elementary functions, including a study of limits and continuity. Applications to the physical, biological and social sciences are studied in detail.”
Stat: “Covers the basic principles of descriptive statistics, experimental design and statistical inference. The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to statistical thinking and methodology, and their use in the natural and social sciences.”
I’m just mostly worried abt the effort that I will have to put in to summer classes. If I choose to take stat over the summer, I also have the option to take it online. How tough would that be?
Before you take any summer class, confirm that transferring in a class will not change your status from freshman to transfer student. It does at some colleges. Just being told you can transfer it in may not be enough information.
I would say with a C in precalculus there is a very good chance that a summer Calculus I class will be a struggle since it will be taught at a fast pace. I would suggest looking up some beginner stats to see how that seems to you and if you think the fast pace will be doable.
My daughter did two years of dual enrollment. She took a finance class online since it was only offered that way. She received an A in the class. She would not recommend an online class if there is an in class option. She felt like she missed out on things like stories professors can tell to teach a concept, having the ability to talk to classmates and the professor quickly before/after class etc, seeing more examples worked out etc. She could email the professor but it wasn’t the same as immediate feedback. She missed the classroom aspect and hopes she never needs to take an online class again. I’ve never had an online class myself.
The other question to answer (to yourself) is why is it an advantage to take a class this summer. If you can complete your degree and all classes within 4 years of full time attendance why do you need to take a summer class? Why pay for a class when it is already covered by your full time tuition. Can you do something more interesting this summer instead?