How much earlier would I graduate if I took summer courses?

Question

I was wondering if I took summer courses/winter break courses in college if I would be able to graduate early... and how much earlier would it be?

Answer 1

It depends on how many classes you take during the summer, how many you take during the fall/spring semesters, and how many summer semesters you plan on taking. I'd say depending on your schedule you could graduate a whole year earlier.

Answer 2

It all depends on your major. In some majors, doing summer coursework would not change your graduation time because core courses for the major aren't offered in the summer.

Even if you can do summer courses in your major with the plan of graduating early, think carefully about this. I've seen many students get so burned out by never taking the summer break that their grades and their motivation slip badly.

Think about summers as a different kind of learning experience. If you can spend a couple summers as an intern gaining experience related to your major, that's a huge asset whether you do it for actual credit or not.

Your best bet to figure out the options in your specific case would be to talk to an advisor in your program and map out a strategy. Your advisor should be able to help you weigh the pros and cons before you make a decision.

Good luck.

Answer 3

If you took 15 credits per semester, then 10 summer 5 on winter, you could graduate about a year early. To graduate on time however you need at least 30 credits a year.

Answer 4

I took three extra credit hours every summer and by my last regular semester...I was able to have a "very" light load! :)