Hi my name is Jerry and I’m officially a senior majoring in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Public Health. I’ve been at the university for quite sometime now and i know a thing or two about what classes are like at USF especially during the summer.
Remember in elementary school when having to go to summer school was the end of the world? Summer vacation as you pictured it was over. You had to trade in morning cartoons and the beach for textbooks and homework. Unfortunately, summer school still has that negative connotation even for college students.
The truth is summer school for college students isn’t all that bad; in fact I think it’s a bit easier than the fall or spring. During the summer, classes have to cover the same amount of material in a shorter amount of time, which works in our favor. Since the professors cannot go as in-depth into the course material as they would like to, they cut things out, thus making tests easier.
Sometimes I wish I could take summer semesters in place of fall and spring. Not only are the classes great, but because most of the student body is away you can actually find an available computer in the library, a quiet spot to study, or even an outlet for your laptop. All of a sudden, USF goes from feeling like a huge hustling and bustling university to a small intimate college feel.
When starting summer school, it is important to also make sure you have everything straightened out with financial aid. Certain scholarships you may have may not pay for summer tuition and that was a roadblock I faced when starting. Not only that, but you need at least 6 credits during the summer to even qualify for financial aid, which put a damper on my plans to only take one class. If you are thinking about summer school, go for it. It’s an excellent way to catch up on classes to ensure that you graduate on time. In my experience, despite the swiftness of the semester, the course work has been slightly easier.