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Should a student in college consider taking summer school classes?

I want to know if it’s a good idea to take summer school classes to finish off earlier than four years. #csusb #college

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Ken’s Answer

The answer is maybe. Summer presents various opportunities

1 You could take summer classes

2 You could take advantage of or create career exposure opportunities, which would allow you to become more familiar with your major/career area and create valuable networking opportunities, which would help you throughout your education/career journey.


Based upon my years in Human Resources and College Recruiting where I hired too many college graduates who did not like the job they were hired into after graduation - Is this really what a Mechanical Engineering graduate does? Is really the practical application of my degree? Practical career exposure through career related summer jobs and internship programs is a very important part of your education/career journey.


Here are some tips, which I have found to be very useful and helpful to many:

Ken recommends the following next steps:

The first step is to take an interest and aptitude test and have it interpreted by your school counselor to see if you share the personality traits necessary to enter the field. You might want to do this again upon entry into college, as the interpretation might differ slightly due to the course offering of the school. However, do not wait until entering college, as the information from the test will help to determine the courses that you take in high school. Too many students, due to poor planning, end up paying for courses in college which they could have taken for free in high school. This is a very important step in either confirming your career area or discovering what might be best for you to pursue, thus making career exposure most beneficial.
Next, when you have the results of the testing, talk to the person at your high school and college who tracks and works with graduates to arrange to talk to, visit, and possibly shadow people doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get know what they are doing and how they got there. Here are some tips: ## http://www.wikihow.com/Network ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1 Many times these contacts can lead to summer jobs and internship programs which would be very hepful.
Let me share an interesting story about internships: During my daughter's senior year in high school, the highlight of the year (and of the whole high school experience) was to be a several month long internship program. Everyone signed up and indicated the type of internship that they wanted - all except for one girl. This girl wanted to become a doctor and wanted her internship to be with the local EMS unit at the local fire station. So, she talked to the head of the EMS unit and got his approval and made arrangements with the school to create her own internship. Of all of the students about which I heard, she was the one who benefited the most by her internships. My daughter's was definitely not the highlight of her school career. Her first choice fell through and her final assignment was not really what she wanted and did not give her the type of exposure that she had hoped for. This shows that you can create your own internship! Locate a company that fits the parameters of the type of experience and exposure that you are seeking and work with them and the appropriate people in your school to put it in motion. After all, if there is an internship program existing today, anywhere, it had to be created by someone.
Locate and attend meetings of professional associations to which people who are doing what you think that you want to do belong, so that you can get their advice. These associations may offer or know of intern, coop, shadowing, and scholarship opportunities. These associations are the means whereby the professionals keep abreast of their career area following college and advance in their career. Here are some tips: ## https://www.careeronestop.org/BusinessCenter/Toolkit/find-professional-associations.aspx?&frd=true ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/9-tips-for-navigating-your-first-networking-event ##
It is very important to express your appreciation to those who help you along the way to be able to continue to receive helpful information and to create important networking contacts along the way. Here are some good tips: ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-informational-interview-thank-you-note-smart-people-know-to-send?ref=recently-published-2 ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-tips-for-writing-a-thank-you-note-thatll-make-you-look-like-the-best-candidate-alive?bsft_eid=7e230cba-a92f-4ec7-8ca3-2f50c8fc9c3c&bsft_pid=d08b95c2-bc8f-4eae-8618-d0826841a284&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_20171020&utm_source=blueshift&utm_content=daily_20171020&bsft_clkid=edfe52ae-9e40-4d90-8e6a-e0bb76116570&bsft_uid=54658fa1-0090-41fd-b88c-20a86c513a6c&bsft_mid=214115cb-cca2-4aec-aa86-92a31d371185&bsft_pp=2 ##
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Austin’s Answer

Hi Nayeli,

Great question!! The advice below is really good so I do not have that much more to add. I both worked and took classes during my summer breaks in college. Both were rewarding experiences that I am deeply thankful for. Interning allowed me to gain vital work experience and led me to the great job that I have now. My internship(s) were great learning experiences and I learned a lot about my interests as well as myself during those experiences. Summer school also was a great decision as it allowed me to graduate a semester early and save a good amount of money (saving money was really nice). Getting classes out of the way is always nice and it can never hurt. Taking summer school classes early on will get you ahead and allow you to take classes that you actually want/study abroad/graduate early; summer school provides you with academic flexibility and freedom that you would not be otherwise able to enjoy. Deciding between working and interning is really a personal choice that depends on you and what works best with your overall schedule and priorities.


Think about what is more of a priority to you and what would set yourself up the best for life after college. If you really need the money then work, but if you need work experience then intern.


I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck in your decision!!


Best,

Austin

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