Throughout the school year, UConn students' inboxes are flooded with e-mails from the registrar that offer information about summer courses. Many of these e-mails are pushed aside, because as long as students take the norm of 15 credits per semester, they can graduate on time.
Many students come to college with Advanced Placement credits or participate in supervised internships that give them more credits toward graduation. Because of this, students could potentially graduate early and save a lot of money. While college is a great place, and one that I personally never want to leave, it is also exceedingly expensive.
It is possible, if students plan their credits out accordingly, to graduate at least one semester early. If students have meaningful meetings with their advisors rather than just lifting their bars in a brief meeting because it is more convenient, they could learn how to save a semesters' worth of tuition, housing and meals.
I have always ignored the summer course e-mails because, to be frank, who wants to spend those sweltering summer months pent-up in a dilapidated classroom in Arjona instead of lounging by a pool and shopping? Well, Arjona is looking increasingly more appealing, because maybe if you make that choice, you can use the money you saved to purchase a pool of your own.
By the end of junior year, many people are finished with their required classes and are just racking up credits to graduate. This means that students can take transferable courses at a campus closer to home and have enough credits to graduate in December. Not walking to get a diploma - thanks to UConn's graduation cancellation - may be a discouragement. But those winter graduates can simply walk in the spring with the rest of the students. The real goal is the confirmation that all of those long hours of trying not to fall asleep in your textbook at the library paid off.
Most people aren't itching to graduate and step foot into the job market right now. But think of it as a head start. If you take winter and summer classes to graduate early, you will have a five-month advantage over the next wave of graduating seniors. It is an option that is worth contemplating at the very least.
There is a big, scary world outside of college and many students won't think of graduating early as a head start, but as sliding head-first into a hellish job market. If so, go to California for six months. Spend money and help stimulate the economy, so when you return from your rendezvous you may be able to find a job, or at least avoid economic turmoil. Of course, this depends on the funds available to you after college. Maybe you can use that tuition money that you're saving for the trip.
No matter how you picture the world after college, taking a few summer courses is worth thinking about. You can still work a summer job and go to the beach and Six Flags. The only difference is that you will have homework. But isn't doing homework on the sand better than doing it on a desk in your dorm room? I think so. There are significantly more benefits to racking up credits early and saving money than there are downfalls.
Every UConn student should at least see if it's possible, with the way they mapped out their credits, to put a summer course plan into action. Reach deep into your inbox and find that e-mail from Monday that tells you how to register for a summer course.
An additional course doesn't just help students save money but it also allows entry into a major requirement or a class that fills up quickly. UConn even offers classes online so you can still lazily sprawl out on your back porch and enjoy the summer sun while learning. It isn't just an economically smart decision to take one or more summer courses, it could benefit you in numerous other ways - not only in your college career, but also in your future. So take a bold step and call up the registrar - it could save you enough money, and buy you that pool you've always wanted.
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