As summertime approaches, many high school students wonder how to make the most of their break. When it comes to summer planning, we are often asked if it’s “worth it” to take classes at a local community college or university.
Whether or not it is “worth it” depends on your personal academic goals and circumstances. So, is this the right choice for you?
In this post, we’ll explore why you might want to take summer classes and provide advice tailored to each situation.
Why Do You Want to Take Summer Classes?
The first step in deciding whether to take summer classes is clearly defining your goals. Are you looking to get ahead in certain subjects? Earn college credit while in high school? Explore new subjects? Boost your GPA?
Your unique reasons can help you decide whether summer classes are a good idea for you, as well as what type of courses to consider.
I Want to Boost My GPA for College Applications
Let’s start with one of the most common scenarios we are asked about.
A lot of students are interested in pursuing summer coursework because they hope to increase their GPA and gain an “edge” in the college admissions process. However, it's a common misconception that taking summer classes to inflate your GPA will look good on college applications.
Don’t misunderstand—a strong GPA is definitely a good thing! But colleges know how to spot a padded GPA. That’s why colleges emphasize your individual grades in your classes more than your overall GPA. They pay particular attention to final grades earned in core academic classes (some colleges will even recalculate your GPA only based on core classes). So, earning an A in Introduction to Jazz Studies over the summer at a community college to raise your GPA isn’t as impressive to colleges as an AP science course—even if your school weights them the same for GPA calculation.
I Want to Improve My Class Rank
Another scenario that sometimes comes up is boosting your GPA to improve class rank. This is a more nuanced and personal situation. Will moving from the 11th to the 8th spot in your high school class or from the top 26% to the top 23% make a big difference in the admissions process? That’s hard to say, and if so, it’s probably not as big a difference as you might think.
But maybe it’s a personal goal to finish in the top 10. Or it might be common for students in the “class rank race” (which can indeed feel like a race to the finish) to take extra classes, and you feel you will be disadvantaged if you do not.
If taking extra courses aligns with your goals and doesn’t add too much pressure to an already full plate, you might decide it’s “worth it” to you. Just be sure you’re making an informed decision and clearly understand the implications.
I Want to Get Ahead in Certain Subjects
Sometimes, students are interested in pursuing summer coursework because it can impact their four-year academic plan.
We see this happen most commonly with math tracks and foreign language tracks because the courses a student takes in early high school can often determine what courses they are eligible for later in high school.
For example, let’s say the farthest you can advance in math during high school is precalculus, but you are interested in engineering and need to take calculus to be competitive at colleges on your list. Taking a summer math course can help you advance your curriculum so that AP Calculus is an option for your senior year.
Or maybe you want to take an AP exam for a foreign language course, but you won’t have enough years of that language to meet the prerequisites for the AP class. A summer course can help move your curriculum forward.
If you are hoping to take a summer course to advance your curriculum options, there are a few tips you need to consider:
Not all high schools will let you substitute a summer class taken somewhere else for the same course in their curriculum. To avoid taking precalculus twice, make sure you understand your high school’s policy.
Some community college classes are offered online, and summer courses are typically a few weeks rather than a few months. Consider the course's format and intensity to ensure it meets your learning style and summer schedule.
I Want to Take Classes in a Subject My School Doesn't Offer
Summer classes are an excellent opportunity to explore subjects not available at your high school. Similarly, there may be classes at your school that you want to take but can’t fit into your schedule. For example, maybe your school only offers AP Psychology every other year, or maybe your options are limited because fourth period class is always taken up by band. Summer courses can provide a chance to explore these interests.
However, this is not an excuse to take a summer course because you are avoiding the same course at your high school. Colleges would rather see you take AP Biology at your high school than Biology 101 at a local community college—even if you’ve heard the AP Bio teacher is a hard grader…
If you are pursuing summer courses to explore new subjects, here are some tips for you:
If you want the coursework to appear on your transcript, make sure that your high school’s policy allows for outside coursework
To add more context to your situation, use the Additional Information section of your college application to explain any course availability or scheduling issues that have led you to pursue summer coursework.
I Want to Earn College Credit During High School
Earning college credits while still in high school is an ambitious and practical goal. These credits can make it possible to graduate early and reduce college costs. If this is your reason for pursuing summer coursework, choose your courses wisely.
Colleges have different policies for accepting transfer credit. If a college does accept your transfer credits, it may transfer as a general education requirement, a major requirement, or an elective course, depending on the course you take.
Research both the college where you plan to take summer coursework and the colleges where you want to apply to ensure that transfer credit is offered and accepted. You may find that your university system provides a list of transfer equivalencies for your local community colleges, but get in touch with admissions officers at each of your colleges to be sure. You can also speak with your school counselor or college advisor to understand how these credits will fit into your college plan.
I Did Poorly in an Academic Class
If you’ve struggled with a particular subject during the school year, summer courses can offer a chance to catch up or even retake courses to improve your understanding and your grades.
If you are hoping to retake a course, make sure you communicate with your high school. Not all schools allow this. You may find that tutoring is a more effective way to catch up on course material before the next school year.
Taking summer classes can be a valuable opportunity depending on your academic needs and personal goals, but they are rarely something you “must” do in order to be successful.
Whatever your reason for pursuing summer courses, be sure that your choices align with your long-term educational goals. Remember, learning doesn’t always have to happen in a classroom. The best use of your summer is pursuing what brings you personal growth and satisfaction, setting you up for future success on the path you choose.