Registration for summer quarter classes begins March 2. DU oftentimes touts these classes as an opportunity for any student to get ahead or catch up on courses for graduation. In addition, DU offers comparable financial aid packages for students who want to utilize the quarter. Although the summer quarter is an excellent option for students who may need the extra credits, most students should take other credit options into consideration before registering.
For most students, tuition cost and financial aid determine the value of a summer quarter. According to the DU summer program website, students will receive a grant comparable to the amount of DU aid they received during other quarters. Other parts of the aid, such as federal aid and outside scholarships received at the beginning of the year, will not be available for the summer quarter. As a result, some students may receive significantly less financial aid than other quarters. Ultimately, it depends on how much the student receives in DU aid and how much he or she can afford to pay for the summer quarter.
A hidden cost of the summer program also lies in missed hours of work. For many students, summer wages are necessary to pay for the remainder of the year. The summer quarter may then place a significant financial burden on these students.
In addition, the courses, online or otherwise, are more compact than other quarter classes. It isn’t as feasible, then, to take as many credits as in a typical quarter. It may even be more difficult or time-consuming to take these courses than during other quarters.
The summer quarter can be beneficial. For transfer students or students who need to catch up on credits, it may be worth the time (and money) to avoid a late graduation. A late graduation may very well eliminate a student’s outside scholarships, translating to a similar cost for a summer quarter compared to another fall quarter.
In addition, some students use the quarter to pursue another major, which may not be possible through their normal schedule. If students use the second major to appeal to a broader career range or increase chances of getting into a specific grad school program, this option can be extremely helpful.
For students who do not need the summer quarter to avoid late graduation or to pursue another major, the quarter has limited advantages. Most students would use these credits to graduate early. It can be helpful to enter the workforce a quarter early, but it will most likely be at an additional cost. Furthermore, for students hoping to enter grad school, the extra quarter of time will likely just be a longer wait until the beginning of classes, as many grad schools do not accept students in the spring.
Some students may use summer credits simply to increase flexibility in their schedule. Many of these credits, or the credits taken with extra schedule room, will likely translate to elective credits, which aren’t likely worth the cost.
There are even students who may be placed at a distinct disadvantage by taking summer courses. Students pursuing distinction in their major or a similar program requiring a senior thesis will need to take their entire senior year to complete a thesis. If they take summer courses to get ahead, they will either need to drop the program to graduate early, or remain a part-time student to complete the thesis, which can increase financial costs significantly.
DU’s summer quarter program offers many valuable courses and it is necessary to continue offering options during the summer. However, for an individual student, benefits are likely limited. Any student considering the summer quarter option should carefully evaluate potential costs and ensure there aren’t other, more valuable options for completing credits.
