Any current or future career can be enhanced by investing time in a summer course, as enrolling in such a course has many benefits. Gaining more knowledge and keeping up-to-date with career-enhancing skills are benefits that students expect. What individuals may not expect is that taking a summer course often preserves valuable knowledge and study skills, making the return to school much easier at the summer’s end.
Background
Demand for education and training remains very high in various fields of study. In a country where there is serious unemployment even amongst people with tertiary qualifications, people are realizing that it is essential to have marketable skills.
What is a summer school?
A summer school is a form of education provided by higher education institutions during holidays, with courses usually lasting 1 to 8 weeks. Students engage in full-time, intensive classes related to a chosen subject and have the option to attend extracurricular activities designed to encourage socialization and integration and stimulate cultural awareness. Summer schools offer a wide range of courses, and may aid students in revising a subject studied during the previous academic year, further exploring a known subject, or discovering information related to a new interest. They may also involve lectures held as part of an academic course or as an independent course for personal or professional purposes. They provide students with educational experiences that are not available within their university programme – subjects that are not conventionally offered. They incorporate a variety of fields trips that may not be possible in day-to-day education. Participants receive first-hand experience of another culture and way of life and are also able to improve their foreign language skills.
Short learning programmes do not always require the same entrance qualifications as formal programmes. The minimum requirement is a matric, Standard 10 or Grade 12 certificate. For this reason no short learning course will count towards any formal degree. Modules from short courses (i.e. CENSE modules) and formal programmes cannot be cross-credited or interchanged.
Reasons to attend a summer school
1. The academic benefits
The academic value of a summer school is significant, whether it is aimed at helping lower-achieving pupils improve their grades or coaching the brightest pupils for entrance to top universities: successful admission is dependent on proof of academic merit, good grades and strong references from teachers.
– Intensive tuition
The focus of a summer school is to learn. You completely immerse yourself in a subject for days or weeks. The result is a solid grounding.
– Develop academic skills
Intensive tuition and small study groups are geared towards developing graduate academic skills that are vital for university success. This could be engaging in academic arguments and debates, or more practical skills such as essay writing and exam technique.
– Unique educational environment
A summer school offers an educational environment that allows students to flourish, an academic bubble away from normal school deadlines. Many find these surroundings a refreshing change from school life, and it is excellent preparation for university. Summer schools often offer the opportunity to study in the buildings and facilities of world-class universities.
– Demonstrating your enthusiasm
Attending a summer school is a great way to demonstrate your enthusiasm for a subject to the universities you intend to apply for. It will look good on your university application to have built on skills and knowledge relevant to the course you want to study, and you will be better prepared to write an interesting personal statement and to pass an interview.
2. The social benefits
– Make new friends
Summer courses are a great way to make new friends. The small groups and residential nature of a summer school allow you to get to know your fellow students well. They are often attended by students from all over the world, resulting in a cosmopolitan environment and friendships formed with people of many nationalities.
– Develop social skills
Summer schools typically offer tuition in small groups, a setting in which the more shy students are able to speak out and offer their opinions to a group discussion. Mixing with peers from multiple nationalities, you will learn to interact with people from different backgrounds, and you will develop confidence through being away from home.
– Recreational activities and sightseeing
Summer schools generally offer a range of recreational activities to help students unwind. A summer school is a good opportunity to combine academic studying with the chance to be a tourist in a foreign country, and to learn about its culture.
3. The career benefits
– A stronger CV
You can put the summer school attendance on your CV, listing some of the skills you learned and how it helped you to perform better academically.
– Access to better universities
Because of the knowledge and skills you acquired and the valuable preparation for university, you will potentially have access to better universities, with better grades and a stronger application. This has a direct impact on your CV: a well-respected university on your CV will create a favourable impression with a potential employer.
– Transferrable skills
Summer schools help develop transferrable skills. An example of a transferrable skill is ‘people skills’, or the ability to interact with people. This is a vital life skill and particularly important in a job setting. Other examples are time management, organization and written English skills.
– An edge over your peers
Attending a summer school helps you stand out from the crowd. Universities or employers see dozens of applications from similarly qualified applicants. Your summer school attendance could mean the difference.