Fleeting Knowledge: The downsides of summer courses for student retention
Audrey Strauss / The Samohi
The urge to gain entrance into competitive colleges causes high-achieving students to sign up for every AP and extra curricular possible- even if that means these courses will interfere with their summer break. In contrast, some students struggle to pass their regular academic school year courses - which leads to their obligational attendance in summer school. Regardless of whether a student is taking summer courses to get ahead or catch up, is squeezing a year’s worth of curriculum into one month actually beneficial?
Summer classes are classes that students can take in various settings; such as in person at Samohi and SMC, or online through various schools. The commitment level required of the student varies depending on the course, however they are all set to be completed within a condensed time frame.
It is nearly impossible to teach the same curriculum from a year-long course in the span of a couple weeks. Thus, teachers often cut the curriculum of their summer courses. This leads to students having a less holistic understanding of the content, as they do not have all the information they need. Eleanor Smith (’25) experienced the disparity of knowledge between taking AP World History in the summer and her friends who took it during the academic school year.
“A lot of my friends who were in AP world would be talking about all these things, and I was like, I never learned that,” Smith said. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
The shortened schedule can also lead students to cram their work, as they’re trying to learn so much in so little time. Although the students may appear to be well-versed in the knowledge, they are likely to forget exactly what they learned soon after they learned it. It is understood that cramming is not an effective method for long-term learning. Even while completing an assessment, students may score lower than if they had more time to learn and understand the information. Not only are students’ grades being negatively impacted, Stanford University conducted a study that found cramming puts the brain under stress- pushing students beyond their limit. This can lead to even more stress, fatigue, frustration and even confusion.
Not only do students in summer courses have a lack of time to learn, but the classes also cut into formative summer experiences. Kids tend to associate school with stress- as they’re under pressure to excel. Summer break is the time for students to pause and relax, it is a hiatus from school work. We as kids need this balance- too much stress can cause a multitude of issues, both physical and mental. Summer classes exacerbate the existing demands of school- all the while, they should be enjoying the fleeting moments of their childhood. Even faculty members, like M house counselor Lauren Takeshita, think summer is an important time to take a break.
“Summer is a great time to have fun…” Takeshita said. “Nurture your interests further and explore your hobbies.”
Ultimately there is no problem with taking courses during the school year, even if that means having a heavier workload. Shortened summer courses are not built for students to experience real learning- ultimately defeating the purpose. While some students may be able to thrive in summer courses, the most part- they cause more harm than good.
“It’s almost like peer pressure, right?” Takeshita said. “If you hear your friends are doing something, you want to do it, whether you like school or not.”