The media widely shows summer school as a horrible monster that ruins a teen’s summer, but I disagree. Summer school can be quite helpful. 

Taking classes during the summer has its advantages. Students can earn credits that they need to graduate or get bothersome classes out of the way. They can get the necessary classes out of the way to make room in future schedules for other elective classes a student may want to take. 

It is true that the courses are fast-paced; they need to cram a semester’s worth of information into a short period. This can deter some students as it can seem overwhelming because if they miss one day it’s like missing a week of class. Students need to focus on what’s being taught and ensure that they are taking notes and do the work. 

Of course, many students don’t agree with me on this and don’t think that summer school is helpful. This could be for many reasons, such as having the help of friends who may also be taking the same course, students can come together and study for quizzes and tests together instead of alone. While that may be true, with the motivation to want to pass the class, any student can take the class and get a passing grade. If anything not wanting to retake the class is a good motivation to show up and do well.

According to a recent Fielder survey,  of the 119 answers, 31 of those students had taken summer school. Out of those 31 students, 27 found that summer school was helpful or effective for them. So while there are students for whom summer school didn’t work out, the majority of those who took it felt that summer school was an advantage to them. Overall, summer school is an opportunity that shouldn’t be overlooked.