As college students, we count down the days until we make it to our final class of our final spring semester. But summer semesters often get overlooked. College students should consider the beauty of summer semesters as they strive to further their education. For easier, fast-track classes, look into summer semester at the U.
On average, just over 7,000 students take full-time semester classes during the summer, and over 26,700 students take full-time semester classes during the fall at the U.
Students have noted that during the summer, classes have easier course work, the classes are shorter and there’s a better commute. These are all possible factors that influence students’ grades and learning experiences during the summer at the U.
The U offers various summer courses to ensure students are able to learn year-round.
The summer semester classes may be broken up into half sessions or taken as a full semester. The first half session begins May 16 and runs through June 22. The second half session begins June 23 and ends August 3. Full semester-length courses begin May 16 and end August 3.
Students may choose classes that fulfill general education, major and minor requirements. Many classes are provided with flexible hours and even on weekends or evenings. There are also off-campus classes that are located in Bountiful, Sandy or online.
The U summer semester also provides classes for the LEAP programs, honor classes and hybrid classes to work around busy summer schedules.
Many students take summers to work full time to pay for spring and fall semesters. But some students, such as Josephine Johnson and Kassidy Samuels, have taken advantage of the flexible online and hybrid summer courses provided for the U during the summer semesters.
Johnson is a geoscience major who works 40-50 hours during the summer while taking seven online credits. She feels summer online classes are easier than fall and spring classes. To incoming freshmen, she advises, “Take online classes in the summer to help make fall and spring semesters easier.”
Samuels is an Emergency Medical and Business Management major. She works 40 hours a week during the summer while taking 12 credit hours. She says teachers in summer semesters are more relaxed, but more teachers should be available to teach during the summer semester.
Samuels said, “Summer semesters are always easier, the teachers seem more relaxed and class sizes are typically smaller than spring or fall semester. Online classes are more likely easier.”
Samuels gives advice to incoming freshmen to prepare for their future years at the U by taking summer and online courses. “Come your senior year, you will be so grateful that you took summer semester/online classes. It makes for a much more enjoyable senior year in college.”
For more information on summer courses, go to https://student.apps.utah.edu/uofu/stu/ClassSchedules/main/1166/attribute_index.html?type=FLXU
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