Summer classes, or ‘summer school,’ often receive a bad rep. Since I was in elementary school, talk of summer school was everyone’s worst nightmare. Generally speaking, I feel as if it is fair to say that this stigma continued on throughout high school and even college. What no one talks about is the potential to reach goals in a much shorter period of time by adding summer classes every summer. Taking on summer classes is also a great way to keep busy; I know many people that are constantly complaining of being bored in the summer! Take that boredom and make great strides toward your future success.
I graduated from Wheeling Park High School in May of 2015. It is now May 2017, and I graduated from Ohio University Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in English. I graduated two years ahead of schedule. Some of this was due to completing many core college classes while enrolled as a senior at Wheeling Park, but I feel as if most of it was due to my summer classes.
More than just finishing school early, I learned how to better manage my time to balance my summer work while taking 9-12 hours of classes (some in person and some online). Additionally, I think taking classes also trained my mind to stay prepared and in the zone with school. I maintained good study habits and found it easier to not only keep my priorities straight by doing this, but also earning a high GPA, too.
Advice for all high school and college students working on getting a degree: all of the hours add up! Taking a couple of extra classes here and there will help you reach your goals fast and stay motivated!
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