Various benefits come as a result of taking summer classes — whether at UT-Austin or elsewhere — and students should not disregard these opportunities for academic progression and stability. Summer vacationing is lovely, but don’t let your summer plans deter you from considering summer courses. 

The first opportunity for students to sign up for summer classes at UT has come and gone as daily course registration for the summer and fall took place through the end of April and early May. However, with UT’s first summer session beginning the first week of June, summer course registration reopens for both continuing and readmitted students from May 28 to May 30 — allowing students more time to plan out their summer objectives.

Sure, tuition can be expensive — some students utilize their summer breaks to work jobs in order to cover their fall and spring semesters. Tuition should not be overlooked, but at the same time, tuition should not deter you from considering summer classes altogether. While the financial concerns presented by summer tuition costs may be intimidating, taking summer classes may end up saving you money in the long run. 

“There’s no doubt that taking classes during the summer is going to help you and it does so in many ways,” associate psychology professor Juan Dominguez said. “(Taking summer classes) eases the burden in the amount of classes you have to take during the fall and spring semesters.”

From an academic perspective, taking summer classes gives students an opportunity to advance in their collegiate careers. For students who seek to graduate earlier than expected, committing to summer classes aligns with this objective.

For students who contemplate taking summer courses, academic progress is not the only potential benefit. Having coursework throughout the summer can also provide intellectual stability going into the fall semester. It’s common for students to return to the University in the fall semester mentally unengaged because of taking approximately three months away from a learning institution.

“Summer’s always great, but I always then completely get in a different state of mind, so going back into the fall semester is always tricky ­… it’s just a pain trying to get back into it,” said government sophomore Emilee Guernsey. “(Taking summer classes) helps me personally to stay focused on school.”

Summer courses not only keep you active intellectually, but also allow students to transition smoothly back into their academic studies in the fall.

“Mentally it’s also beneficial … it keeps you sharp in terms of your ability to integrate information that you may not be able to do if you for example took this summer to do things that were not of an academic nature,” Dominguez said.

Additionally, Dominguez addresses the point that using summer to take a break from classwork can also be purposeful as some students need that break to reenter the university rejuvenated. He concluded, however, that students who have good time managing skills should have no issue taking summer classes.

“If you’re a student who can balance your schedule well then you should have no problems taking summer classes,” Dominguez said.

West Jr. is a journalism major from New Orleans, Louisiana.