5 Types of Online Classes to Check Out This Summer

By Lorena Roberts on June 19, 2017

Are you behind in your classes? Have you changed your major and you’re going to be “taking a victory lap?” (Or two?) Maybe you just refuse to take 15 credit hours per semester and now you’re three years deep in a degree that you’ve barely scraped the surface of.

Don’t fret; I have the solution: take classes over the summer… online. 

If that sentence makes you anxious because you’ve never taken an online course, stop it. It’s way easier than you think it’s going to be. You get to do all the work on your own time (or ahead of time) and you can creatively collaborate with all your classmates just like in a regular class through apps like GroupMe. Need some recommendations? I’ve got you covered.

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1. Math

If math just isn’t your thing and you only need a “C” to meet the requirement, take it over the summer. Online. Sometimes these are hard to find. You definitely have to search. Talking to your advisor could also open some doors for this, as they may know some community colleges where it’s easy to get in and pass an online math class.

2. Political science/history/anything with reading

All the classes that are usually pretty “reading heavy” during the regular semester are much easier to handle over the summer. Professors don’t have time to give you 10,000 reading quizzes online like they can in the classroom, so you can probably get away with not knowing the material as well. Plus, without in-class discussion and participation counting, you’ll be able to get by with much less effort.

3. English/literature

If you don’t have anything else to do over the summer, try to get into an online English class. The reading will be much lighter than it usually is during the regular semester. Plus, you’ll have a lot more time to give thought to your papers and therefore will (hopefully) make better grades.

The only downside to taking an English class online over the summer is that you won’t get to feel the professor out before turning in your first paper. Admit it. We’ve all turned in crappy papers to the professors who seem like they don’t really care. And we’ve all worked our butts off for the professors who seem like hardcore graders.

Taking a class online has its disadvantages for sure. Be conscious about what kind of English class you pick!

4. Electives

No one wants to waste their time taking their GenEds or their electives. We go to school because we’re interested in something. All this other required bologna is just that — bologna. So take your electives over the summer online. You won’t feel like you’re wasting time taking them during the semester and will instead get them all done during the summer months.

Additionally, I can advocate for the fact that the General Education/Elective courses are much easier during the summer than they are during the regular semester. After all, the professors want to be there no more than any of the students do. It’s typical for summer school teachers to be more “lax” on their students than they would regularly be during the typical school year. If you’re wanting to get out of those classes that are (for whatever reason) required, my advice is to take them over the summer!

5. That one really hard class that you keep failing

Organic chemistry? Calculus? What’s the hardest class you’ve ever attempted? Have you already failed it once? Maybe twice? Summer is a good time to re-take it. But here’s my advice:

Don’t get a full-time job. Instead, dedicate your time to taking the course and maybe instead of just expecting to pass, get an “A.” 

Schedule time to sit down and work on your class. Sure. Summer is supposed to be all fun and games, but you don’t want to be the friend who dropped out, do you?

Hold yourself accountable. Take the class with a friend of yours (maybe someone who’s a bit better at the material?) and study, study, study.

Take advantage of the office hours and tutoring services that are held over the summer. Just because it’s not August through May doesn’t mean there aren’t some of the same services! If you’re worried about failing this class (again) you should definitely take advantage of what the university is offering. Additionally, going to the office hours of the professor always pays off in the end when your grades are borderline.

If you decide to take summer classes, whether they’re online or not, you should give yourself at break at the end of the summer before the fall semester starts up again. It’s tough to jump right back into the semester after feeling like you worked your behind off all summer. It’s easy to get burnt out. Remember to take a little vacation and relax before the full load you signed up for smacks you in the face in August.

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