Whether you are at a community college or a university I want you to consider taking a winter class. Winter Semester is a terrific opportunity for students to get ahead, complete a required prerequisite, catch up, stay on track, or graduate on time or even early. You can also use a winter course to lighten your Spring semester load if necessary.
Winter Semester will help you accelerate your education by offering traditional semester-long classes. Each class counts as a full credit and shows on your transcript for Spring term. The best part of taking a Winter Session class is it can result in savings, both time and money and it gets you one step closer to graduation.
Here is an in-depth look at, How Long Is A College Semester?
When Is Winter Semester
The Winter Session is a very short session that’s offered between the Fall and Spring semesters, during winter break. Depending on the school, it can have a different name. Some colleges call it, Winter Session, Winter Intersession, Wintermester, Winter Semester, or January Term.
The Winter Semester typically starts in late December or early January and runs for 3 to 4 weeks. Winter courses are known to be intense and fast-paced due to their short session. Though that doesn’t mean they are harder.
As you can see from my transcripts below, I utilized a Winter Semester when I was earning my associate degree, from Butte Community College. I was having a difficult time getting into a Public Speaking class. I needed the class to fulfill a Gen Ed requirement. Taking the class during winter break was a lot of fun and the perfect way to complete my requirement. It was accelerated, we met 5 days a week, 4 hours a day, for 15 days.
There are many benefits to squeezing in an additional course. Let’s jump right in a look at them.
Online Winter Classes
When I took my winter course it was in person. However, many classes are held online. This allows you to enjoy your holiday break at home with family while taking a class. The flexibility, as well as the swift pace, can be the perfect convenience for a busy student. Or a student who wants to get a class out of the way quickly. You can even squeeze in an online winter class if you are working.
Take A Prerequisite During Winter Semester
A prerequisite course is a required course that must be completed before enrolling in a more advanced course within the same subject. Prerequisites can be a nightmare and ruin your academic schedule if not properly planned. The Winter Semester is a good way to get a prerequisite class out of the way so a more advanced class can be taken during the Spring or Fall. I always recommend getting prerequisites out of the way as soon as possible.
Use Winter Semester To Catch Up
For students who were unable to fit a class in during the regular semester or those who have missing credits, taking a class over the winter break is a good way to catch up and earn credits. A single class may be all that you need to meet a requirement for Gen Ed or to get into your program of study.
If you have failed a class repeating it during the Winter Semester may be beneficial because of the accelerated schedule. A student can focus on a single course more intensely as their study time is not split between many subjects. Chances are, even though you didn’t pass, you learned something in the class. It’s wise to retake the class while the information is still fresh. It’s also beneficial mentally to get it done and over with.
Use A Winter Class To Increase Your GPA
A student’s GPA does more than rank academic standing. It also determines class rank, graduation, acceptance into a major, continued enrollment in your major, honors, academic warnings, financial aid and scholarship eligibility, future employment opportunities, eligibility for athletic teams, and acceptance to graduate school.
In college, GPA is not everything, but as you can see from the latter, it is important and affects a variety of factors. For whatever reason, if you need to increase your GPA, taking a class during Winter Sesmester may be your answer.
Save Money By Taking A Winter Class
Winter Semester courses are typically offered at an affordable tuition rate, which means a single winter class can be completed for a lower cost. Community colleges, which usually offer more Winter classes, have lower tuition fees, so it costs even less. When you factor in graduating a semester early you can save thousands of dollars and reduce your financial stress.
As I mentioned in the article, Summer Semester, it’s not necessary to take classes only at your college. If you find one at another university or community college that fits your schedule don’t hesitate to take it. Just be sure the class will transfer.
Graduate Sooner
One of the biggest benefits of enrolling in a Winter Semester is graduating faster by earning credits in just a few short weeks. When you pair Winter Sessions with Summer Sessions, they can boost the number of credits a student earns very quickly. This puts you on the fast track to graduating sooner. Get additional tips on How To Graduate College In 4 Years Or Less so you can earn your degree sooner rather than later.
Winter Semester begins very soon. Register now!
—Sensei
