This is a guest post from the blogger behind Studenomics a personal finance blog that offers common sense advice for college students and recent graduates. Studenomics is the ultimate resource for young people looking for advice on how to survive this current recession, grow their careers, manage their finances, and still be able to enjoy the weekends.
I know the last thing anyone wants to do in the summer is to go back for more school, but hear me out please. I used to look forward to the day I wrote my last exam and summer began. The first few weeks you will relax and enjoy the freedom, but then you will eventually find yourself completely bored. As time went on I realized the benefits of taking college courses in the summer:
1. Finish college early. Even just by taking a few courses every summer you could graduate college earlier than all of your friends. Even if you enroll in one or two courses all summer that last a couple of hours in the morning during the week, you will still have the ability to earn some money and have enough time to enjoy the summer. The earlier you graduate the earlier you can start making money or better yet go on that trip to Europe.
2. Avoid school in the winter. I donβt know about you guys but I absolutely hate traveling to school when there is 10 inches of snow on the ground or when there is snow blowing in my face all of the time. By attending summer school in 2007 I was able to work the following winter semester and not have to travel to school through the treacherous weather.
3. Less time for going out/going drinking. I personally think that all college students should keep themselves busy because if you donβt then you may find yourself spending money foolishly. We as college students need to create barriers that prevent us from spending money. People thought I was insane when I took a full course load at college a couple of years ago. I ended up saving more money than anyone else and I still had fun on the weekends. The only negative was that my schedule was packed Monday to Friday. Unless you have the ability to practice strict discipline, odds are that school is needed to help you focus this summer.
We all want to have a productive summer but we just don’t know where to start. Here’s a little secret: you can start by reading The Summer of George- The Most Productive Summer a College Student Will Ever Have:
Summer of George Introduction @ Studenomics.com
Work Abroad This Summer @ CashMoneyLife.com
Enjoy Cheap Summer Activities @ MoneySmartLife.com
Learn a New Language @ TotalCandor.com
Take Up a Sport and Become Good At It @ FreeFromBroke.com
Help Your Local Church @ GatherLittleByLittle.com
Take Some College Courses This Summer @ PoorerThanYou.com
Summer Jobs With Little Startup Funding Required- Part 1 @ MoneyNing.com
Summer Jobs With Little Startup Funding Required- Part 2 @ PTMoney.com
Take Control Of Your Financial Situation @ Bargaineering.com
Nice post. I consider summer school one of my worst “pf mistakes” as I had some scholarships and such that didn’t apply to summer, and I mostly used it as a reason to not work full time.
I see now I should have just worked more hours (and probably still done a summer class or two). But still.
Good tips, but if you want to go to grad school, don’t graduate in the fall/winter. No funding.
@Kris Well I agree that there may be no funding but to look at the other side of the coin. You will have extra time to prepare for the entrance exam/work to save up money. Just a thought.
Lots of students get into the trap of hanging around in school. College is expensive and the quicker you get it over with the faster you can start earning some real money. summer school can get you our into the real world a year early if done right. Thanks for the post.
As a graduate student, I take summer classes because I’m going to be doing research anyway. Now I get a few hours a week to spend on something else (another class). Plus, my advisor is paying for a tennis class in the fall (1 credit) because I’m getting a class out of the way this summer! π
Taking a college course during a summer session could be very boring at times. Usually, during summertime, college campuses lack an awful amount of students. This makes taking summer classes uninteresting at times.
Its highly advisable top register for summer college courses.
In my case it was easier course in the summer. The lecturers
made all the students to pass. And yes, you have more time on the winter to go out, enjoy life! Work harder in the summer and have fun in the winter – great deal.