Controversy surrounding the effectiveness of summer classes at EC has cycled through the campus before. Some students who take advantage of this precarious offering may look forward to an expedited graduation, easier work-loads in the fall and spring, and cheaper tuition prices, but the payoff may not be easy to accomplish.
Jose Vasquez, full-time, year-round student, is in his third semester at EC and expects to be done with school by the spring semester of 2010. He is taking math 40 during the summer so as to “finish faster.”
“The summer session is better because there are fewer people and you get the semester over with quickly because you get a lot of work done in a short amount of time,” Jose Vasquez, 21, business management major, said.
Summer school can be demanding and intensive and involves proper time management skills. Students lacking these skills may find summer school to be much more of a commitment than they can handle.
Jeremy Fuoco attends the University of Nevada Las Vegas and is taking a biology course during the summer at EC to speed through his required units.
“My biology class is a lot smaller than I expected and it’s not quite as overwhelming because we have fewer people and my teacher is able to give more individual attention than at UNLV,” Fuoco, English major, said. I am not used to studying hard for my classes, but I definitely have to study for this class if I want to pass it.”
Maureen Mukora, 27, is participating in the nursing program at EC and is taking advanced pharmacology this summer so as to lighten her load for the fall semester. Students participating in the nursing program take eight week classes, consecutively, during the fall and spring semesters, so it is not that far off from the studying required in a summer six week course.
“This class is a lot of information in a short time, like the memorization of drugs,” Mukora said. We have weekly quizzes that cover 7 to 8 chapters and I have to study at least four to six hours a day. I usually will reread my notes, I use outlining and I do a lot of group work.”
Summer session consists of three increments of six-week courses, condensed from 16 weeks to six weeks. Summer session the same amount of class time as a 16 week class, but the amount of time in between classes is much shorter and leaves the student with less time to prepare.
“I am a huge procrastinator and that is not an option in summer school. It feels like every time I turn around I am butting up against another test. For example, I have nine more classes of biology class left, two weeks worth, and I have two tests, a final and one project due. I do not find that in a normal semester class, usually I have weeks to prepare,” Fuoco said.
Summer school sessions, in essence, require great study skills and a use of EC’s resources, like the Writing Center.
“I can see the effects of the stress on the students,” Sean Patrick, Writing Center tutor, said. In some cases students express surprise at the amount of info they have thrown at them, but they are also relieved that they can find help at the Writing Center and they are not totally on their own.”
Students who take summer session generally settle down and find the discipline within, which is required to pass their classes because they are goal-oriented and generally committed.
“I don’t necessarily like spending part of my summer in school, but it’s worth it in the long run,” Megan Taros, journalism major, said.
