Most students spend summer break avoiding academics and taking a break from school. Spending two months away from the classroom can be a big obstacle in the trajectory of your academic progress. Instead of having to restart and rebuild your learning habits each fall, it is a good idea to dedicate some time to schoolwork throughout the summer.
Summer learning is not just for students who need to make up for academic shortcomings. Consider how spending time on your schoolwork throughout the summer can improve your performance in class, improve your grades, and prepare you for heavier course loads.
Are you looking for ways to be more competitive academically but feel overwhelmed with the daunting task of getting ahead of your peers? Whether you are signing up for summer school, reviewing your previous courses, studying for future classes, or preparing for the ACT and SAT exams, summer learning can help you get ahead academically.
Here are 10 ways summer learning can help you get ahead academically.
- Review And Retain Information From The School Year Before
It is extremely common that the months spent away from the classroom result in a loss of knowledge and loss of skills. After spending months learning and applying your skills, you should not let your academic growth go to waste. Instead of forgetting what you have learned, you can use the summer months to review and ultimately retain information from the previous school year. Most students lose what they have learned in their months off from school, so you can pull ahead by working to preserve your work from the previous school year. For some students, this means reviewing notes from class, reviewing key points from exams and quizzes, or considering their teacher’s feedback to understand their performance throughout the previous year.
- Prepare For Hard Classes In The Fall
Another way to get ahead academically is by actively preparing yourself for upcoming courses during the summer months. If you have difficult courses scheduled for the fall semester, you may decide to begin the semester early by reviewing key concepts or working to understand the skills and knowledge you will need to apply to succeed in the upcoming months. It is a good idea to review course outlines, textbooks, syllabi, or any other resources you may have for upcoming courses.
- Balance Your Time Better During The School Year
Summer learning (be it through study time or summer classes) is a great way to better balance your time throughout the school year. Think of it this way: working on your studies or test prep in the summer months means that you can evenly distribute the work throughout the year (rather than throughout the school year). Consider two months off in the summer as a chance to lessen your workload throughout the school year by organizing, studying, and preparing for your classes, ACT exams, and SAT exams ahead of time.
- Take Summer School Courses And Get Ahead On Your Graduation Requirements
Taking summer school courses can help you get ahead on your graduation requirements and make room for more Advanced Placement classes. With fewer classes in your semester schedule, you will also have more time for test prep work. You may also benefit by allowing yourself the flexibility to take more electives, should you complete your requirements ahead of time.
- Taking AP Classes Can Help You Get Ahead With College Credit
Something that is important to consider throughout your course selection process in high school is if you are prepared to take courses that can contribute to your college credits. By working in the summer months and making time to take more AP classes, you can get ahead on the general education requirements colleges and universities require for first-year students. Whether you are looking to save money on tuition or get ahead on major-specific or minor-specific classes, making time for additional AP test prep can help you get a head start on your college course requirements.
- Focus On One Course At A Time
Some students struggle to reach their full academic potential by juggling multiple classes at a time throughout the year. If you feel like the number of classes you are taking is affecting your grades and GPA, consider signing up for summer school. By focusing on just one or two classes (instead of six or more), you can spend more time on your studies and build a better understanding of the concepts you may struggle to keep up with. This is also a great way to alleviate the stress of a full course load.
- Smaller Class Sizes In Summer School
Some students benefit from smaller class sizes. Less stress, more one-on-one time with the teacher, and fewer distractions can result in more efficient work and a more positive academic environment for students who enroll in classes during the summer months.
- Set Yourself Apart As An Exceptionally Hard Worker
College admissions is a competitive process. To set yourself apart from applicants who have similar academic careers, consider how your extra effort during the summer months can boost the impression you make on the admissions board.
- Work on Test Prep
Summer learning may include taking test prep courses. To avoid cramming too much into your senior year, it is a good idea to begin preparing for the ACT and SAT exams early. You may find that the test prep you accomplish during the summer months is the most effective use of your time (as your distractions and outside schoolwork will be much less demanding than throughout the school year). Take advantage of the time off by working on test prep during your summer break.
- Maintain Strong Study Habits
Every fall, students face the challenge of reevaluating their study habits when diving into their schoolwork. Going from “0 to 100” so quickly can be stressful, and for some students it takes weeks to readjust to the focus, organization, and energy that it takes to succeed in school. To avoid the whiplash you may experience in the first few weeks of the fall semester, you can maintain strong study habits in the summer months. Stay ahead academically by avoiding the drag of the first few weeks of school.
While everyone else is taking time off, you may decide that summer is a great time to get ahead in your classes by signing up for summer school, reviewing the previous year’s curriculum, or studying for future classes. Spending months away from the skills and knowledge you have acquired throughout the school year means that you are sure to forget some of it. By participating in summer learning, you can avoid the stress of playing catch up during the first few weeks of fall classes. Summer work minimizes the need to review what you have already been taught.
To get ahead of your peers academically, you will need to dedicate time. You do not need to spend your entire summer studying, but regardless of whether you are taking a summer class, or participating in another form of summer learning, you can get ahead of your peers by participating in academics throughout the summer.
Summer learning can help you get the acceptance letter to your dream school, learn more efficiently and with less stress throughout the school year, and allows opportunities for classes that offer college credit. Learning and working on your academic skills throughout the summer months is not something you need to take on alone. FLEX College Prep offers tutoring services and online classes to help you get ahead. If you are looking for support, structure, and guidance with your summer learning, check out FLEX College Prep!
Students need to stand out in the competitive admissions landscape. FLEX College Prep is a team of the best strategists in the industry and takes a holistic approach to ensure students use their pre-college years in intentional, enriching, and personally satisfying ways. Since 2001, we’ve worked with families to help students unlock their potential and find happiness, meaning, and success in college and beyond.