Making $ense Out of Summer School

When most high school students and college students think about their summer break, most usually don’t think about taking summer courses.  Increasingly, colleges have realized this as well and many colleges are now offering tuition discounts for summer courses in an effort to increase their summer enrollment.  Duquesne University offers a 25% tuition discount to undergraduates in select programs, while the University of Vermont offers a 15% discount.  Indiana University offers in-state students a 25% tuition discount at each of its eight campuses.  For students who want to take summer classes, this can be a great way to not only earn college credit, but to also keep extra cash in your wallet.

Aside from potential cost savings, summer school can provide many other benefits.  For starters, many students often take advantage of the fact that they’re only taking one or two courses by electing to tackle the traditionally more challenging courses, such has a hard science or an advanced course in one’s field.  Also, for those students who live on campus during the academic year, it’s usually pretty easy to find off-campus housing at an affordable rate during the summer months as many off-campus students are often scrambling to find subleases.  It’s also nice to simply allow yourself to relax more (less stress) during the regular academic semesters while you focus on giving your best effort in each class – this is especially important for students who may be attempting to double-major.  Take it from me, instead of attempting 18 hours during the semester, try taking 15 each semester and 6 during the summer.  I always found that I got more out of my classes when I only had four or five during the semester, as opposed to when I had six.

Tip: check with your college about the summer courses they offer and ask if they offer any tuition discounts for summer sessions.