Considering summer courses? Summer term can be a great way to stay in the academic mindset, get ahead, catch up, or study subjects you don't have time to explore during the regular academic year. That being said, there are a few important things to keep in mind when choosing whether or not to take summer courses:
- Courses taken during the summer at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities contribute to your cumulative and technical GPA. However, courses taken at any other University of Minnesota campus (Crookston, Duluth, Morris or Rochester) will only impact your cumulative GPA.
- Courses taken at another institution (eg. a community college or four-year university outside the University of Minnesota system) will come in as transfer credit. The grades of those courses do not contribute to your cumulative or technical GPA.
- Summer courses taken at the University of Minnesota count towards academic standing requirements. Therefore, it is possible to do poorly in a summer course and find yourself on academic probation or suspension fall semester.
- Tuition is different for summer courses because the 13-credit policy does not apply. Review the University's 2015-16 undergraduate tuition fact sheet for more information.
- If you are taking courses at another institution, be sure that the courses are equivalent to what is offered at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Check out CSE's technical course equivalencies, as well as the liberal education course equivalencies for each school.
- Summer courses move quickly and meet more frequently than you might be accustomed to. You need to manage your time very carefully and understand the commitment you are making.
- Be conscientious of the amount of credits you are taking. What might be considered a manageable credit load during a standard academic semester could be very challenging during summer.
- It can be pretty tempting for newly admitted students to jump into courses right away in the summer instead of waiting until fall. While it's great that you want to get started, you should very carefully consider if it is in your best interest. If you are not prepared for the pace or rigor, the stakes become high. We want you to start off at the University of Minnesota feeling positive and confident. It's perfectly okay to take the summer off from academics to refresh and regroup!
Most institutions are starting registration now for Summer 2016 courses. If you choose to attend another school, it's your responsibility to understand the institution's policies for taking courses as a non-degree seeking student.
Also remember that official transcripts need to be submitted to the Office of Admissions to receive transfer credit.
Keep your academic advisor in the loop! We can offer insight to help you decide if summer courses are right for you.
