The Best Reasons to Take
Summer College Courses Online Why Spending Summer in the Classroom Might be Worth It

For students who are proceeding according to schedule, the addition of online summer classes might enable them to graduate before their planned date. For students who dropped a few courses in the past, took some time off or otherwise fell behind, enrolling in summer courses can help them meet their original graduation date. Students with an eye on early graduation can also take advantage of summer courses by using them to knock out prerequisite coursework.

At many colleges, online summer sessions expose students to educational opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have the chance to experience — and these opportunities aren't limited just to special courses. At Penn State University, for example, some College of Education students can satisfy core requirements by participating in a three-week, inner-city immersion program called the Philadelphia Urban Seminar.

By taking just one or two summer courses online at a time, students can concentrate their focus on subject matter that stokes their passions or requires more dedication than regular coursework. Since class sizes are typically smaller during summer, students can expect to receive more individual attention. Students say they also prefer smaller class sizes because an environment with fewer classmates fosters more intense in-class discussions and stronger out-of-class study opportunities.

According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, enrolling in even a single summer course can provide educational continuity that traditional students miss out on. Since online summer courses start when the spring semester ends, students avoid the long gap in learning that usually takes place over the summer. Without a summer session, most students have to spend critical time in the beginning of the fall semester getting re-acquainted with the routines and rigors of college-level study.

Students considering changing, adding or declaring a new major or minor often find summer to be the perfect time to focus on their new concentration. Students can use online summer courses to dabble in their new course of study to make sure it's right for them or take summer sessions in order to satisfy prerequisite obligations so they can begin the new program without delay in the fall semester. Some may need to take summer courses to catch up on major coursework.

Summer online courses can also be a great way to beef up a resume and impress admissions officers or future employers, who are on the lookout for students who went the extra mile in high school and college. Summer sessions also allow students to free up their fall schedules for internships, which are far less competitive in autumn then they are in summer, when many more students are off and looking for internships.

According to Colorado State University, many students who take summer courses earn a higher summer-term grade point average than in fall and spring terms. This could be because there are less distractions than during the regular school year or fewer extracurricular activities that generally go along with summer study. If summer gives you the opportunity to divide less of your time, it may be the perfect opportunity to take online classes to bring up grades or boost you GPA.

By completing summer courses, particularly one that is difficult and time consuming, students can relieve the pressure that comes with the return of the hustle and bustle of the fall semester. Similarly, if a student knows that a particularly grueling course awaits in the fall, that student can use the summer to complete one of the easier courses that would have otherwise cluttered up the already challenging fall semester. Check your school’s policy for academic class loads per semester; depending on your major, it may be easier to spread credits into summer months than take heavy course loads during the fall and spring only.

Summer can be the perfect time for high schoolers or other pre-college students to get a jump start on their college coursework before they dive into a full semester of classes, or even formally enroll in college. Taking summer classes online gives these college-bound students the opportunity to accumulate credits early and begin to carve a path toward graduating ahead of schedule. It can also offer new students the chance to connect with their classmates, learn the ropes and adjust to a college-level schedule.

Students considering summer courses might be pleased to find that popular classes that fill up quickly during the regular semester are wide open in the offseason. With far fewer students competing for seats, summer sessions make highly coveted courses available to students who might have otherwise been shut out of them or put on a waiting list.