Who attended college this summer or summers past?
What course and how did you do? Benefits to summer? Challenges? Would you do it again? Would you recommend others to take summer courses?
I’ll start:
8 weeks, June-August 2009, Prealgebra (3.6), Spanish I (3.7) and II (3.7). 16 credits. The benefit is that it is over in 8 weeks and I can choose to take 2 classes a quarter for the next 6 quarters. I am eligible to transfer to University.
The challenge for math: work on your own, nobody to explain a challenging concept. Which had I been in live lecture I would have understood more quickly. My learning style, I suppose.
The challenge or Spanish I and II. We only got 4 weeks for each course. It is the FULL schedule of 11 weeks packed into 4 weeks. The homework was 2-3 hours a night on top of the 3 hour class. We would learn conjugating verbs into past tense on Monday and would be tested on Weds. This is a concept that HS’s take weeks and weeks to teach. So, it’s fresh when you are tested, but, if you didn’t get it, there was no time to stop and really teach it.
Would I recommend it? Well, I don’t know. I know that I do not want to do it again. LOL. That it was a huge risk to my goals. Yet, what a challenge to see how my family and I could do at such a pace.
Looking forward to the next 5 weeks off from school.
I did Expository Writing (A), Calc I (A-) and Calc II (A-). (11 Credits) It was definitely a LOT of work and I am glad it is over.
I was just starting along on this path and wanted to dive in. I go to a SUNY (State University of NY) and they didn’t offer any sciences in the summer. So, I opted to take the writing, to get back in the swing of things and the Calc to get it out of the way and bone up my math skills. The writing was AWESOME and I would recommend taking humanities classes anytime. It was an online class that ran 9 weeks and I had about 4-5 hrs of homework a week, 2 small papers, and a Term Project. IT was reasonable. Calc I and II met for 5 weeks, 4 hrs a day 4 days a week (plus the hour commute each way) Then, I literally had 6-8 hrs of homework each night and yet still NEVER felt like I mastered the material, and I normally enjoy math and do very well. I think it is just way too much info to get through in a 5 week class; I would have done much better in the regular 15 wk semester… but those cards have been dealt.
All in all, I LOVED being back in school, exhausted or not. I am one week through a two week break and trying to review my Bio and Chem to be able to get through Genetics in the fall… errr next week !! I am repeating Bio and Chem (1997) because they have “expired” according to some of the NY schools I am considering. I opted to wait on the Cell Bio, fearing that 4 labs the first semester back was pushing it, so I am taking "Intro to Proofs - a math logic class that is the prereq for upper level Statistics. I wanted to make sure I had a full load, since I am not working and going at this full time.
All in all, I think summer classes are useful, and a great way to bang lower division classes out. I am not sure that you learn for anything other than the upcoming test in upper division classes which is concerning. I am afraid that there was no life long learning going on in my Calc classes!!
Based on my experience, I will not take any pre-reqs over the summer. Things to make me more well rounded, or just for fun…heck yeah!
Hope everyone else had a good experience too!!
GM
I guess I’m the slacker of the group…only taking 4 units, upper division labor market economics. I was taking 8 units but the other professor was so atrocious that I wanted my 800 bucks back after the 2nd lecture…can honestly say that’s the only time I’ve dropped a class for that reason.
Anyway, I’m not sure if I’d do it again. Economics is a lot of mathematical equations in addition to concepts, and while they’re pretty straightforward, the only way to memorize equations is through lots of repetition which the summer quarter doesn’t make easy since it’s almost half as long here…6 weeks as opposed to 10 weeks.
I have a midterm on monday and I’m still forgetting a couple equations here and there although I did a 12 hour shift in the ER wednesday night into thurs morn, no sleep until thurs night, did a 12 hour shift in labor & delivery today, another 12 in L&D tomorrow and then a 12 hour shift in the ER sunday night into mon morning and hopefully a 4 hour powernap before studying for the midterm later that day. Obviously, my paramedic clinicals aren’t helping the situation but either way I think I’ll do fine on the exams…just not sure if I’d do it again. I guess if I wasn’t pre-med, so grades weren’t so crucial, I probably would to get done faster but not as a pre-med, no.
Tim- You are definitely not the slacker. I wish I would have only done 5 units. It was a challenge. If I ever take another summer quarter it will be a class that does not require memorization. I might take an English class to give me a full year of English. But, that does not take memorization. I will not do a math class again, spanish or chemistry in the summer.
I’m just finishing up Physics (Calculus based) this summer. I have my 3rd and final test on Tuesday and then the final on Mon Aug 24th. It was an 11 week course, normally taught in 14 weeks, so the compression wasn’t too bad. I unfortunately had no option to take a trig based Physics course (they are introducing one next year - figures!!). It hasn’t been too bad as the prof took pitty on us and went easy on the calculus.
I’m sitting with about 80-85% when all tests, assignments and labs are factored in. Crossing my fingers for the final!!
Lynda
Fingers crossed, I hope you knock it out Lynda!
I did Organic I and II a few summers ago. Each was 5 weeks long and each had 3 exams and a comprehensive final. I’m still recovering
Gen Chem lecture and Physics Lab this summer. Full year in 10 weeks, and I have a week and a half left. I am taking a break from studying for my midterm tomorrow. 4.0 so far! I can’t afford anything else considering my undergrad gpa.
It’s a lot of work but a great way to boost my gpa and get those credits in over a short amount of time. I will be grateful for the break before fall term though. I couldn’t do this much longer.
Downsides definitely include not having a study buddy, but I seem to be doing ok on my own so far. Also, my husband doesn’t get to see me much 
Back to the grindstone…
Just finished my first quarter back to school this week… I Only took one class to ease back into things. It was an introductory Chemistry course and I got a 4.0, so I’m very happy :). Starting gen chem in the fall.