While some college students are spending the summer months catching up on movies they missed during finals week, working to make some extra cash or lounging by the pool, other students are getting ahead of the game by repacking their backpacks and returning to the classroom for abbreviated summer sessions.
According to The University of Memphis office of institutional research, 8,952 students enrolled in summer classes last year, and around that many are taking classes this summer.
Dr. Carl Chando, coordinator of the Academic Counseling Unit, said summer school is great for some classes, but can make other classes more difficult.
“Courses like math generally don’t lend themselves to a summer session due to the amount of information to cover. However, a class requiring medium reading usually works well,” he said. “For language classes, it is difficult, because if you miss one day or get behind, the next day you have to move ahead with no time to catch up.”
Summer school is great to repeat classes, Chando said.
“It’s difficult for students to graduate in four years without summer school,” he said. “A student must take 16 hours per semester (each fall and spring) to graduate in four years. If students drop classes or don’t take that many hours, they must take summer school to catch up. However, we don’t recommend more than six hours be taken.”
Sophomore D.J. Paganoni is taking microeconomics this summer to make sure he has enough hours to be a junior going into the fall semester.
“I had dropped a class last fall, and it put me only taking 12 hours that semester,” he said. “So, I’m taking this class because it is required for my major and to give me enough hours to be a junior.”
Dr. Barbara Bekis, coordinator of the Educational Support Program, said summer courses are a good idea as long as students choose the classes they take carefully.
“If a student thinks a class would be challenging during the regular session, they should never take it in summer school,” she said. It’s a surprise to a lot of students the amount of work that goes into it. They should take something they know something about already. The work does not let up in summer school.”
The learning centers are open during summer sessions. All students need to do is call ESP at 678-2704 to find out where they need to go for help in their class. The ESP offers group tutoring as well as individual help. The support program also has information on dealing with study problems such as test skills and time management.
“Students need to think about what is practical for them,” Bekis said. “Some students create risk factors for themselves, like skipping class, and it’s hard to catch up. Map out the syllabus. Know from day to day what you’ve got to do.”
Nicole Cabrere, learning specialist for ESP, said students often have a lot to do in the summer and have trouble adding school responsibilities to that list.
“Students should set up a schedule early and stick to it,” Cabrere said. “Be consistent. Set aside time to study every day and be prepared before you go to class. Always review material after class.”
“Also, students should establish a routine with someone in their class to guess questions before tests and study together.”
Cabrere also suggests putting things down on a calendar when students receive their syllabus.
“You’re balancing for four weeks at a time. You can write out what you’ve got to do, and then you know how long you have to get it all done and when you should start.”
Cabrere is hosting a seminar for summer school students on July 25 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Dunn Hall, Room 101.
All students are invited to attend “Improving Test Taking Strategies and Reducing Stress and Test Anxiety.”
