Correction: In the story, the author states the course catalog for the summer 2023 semester is not available. However, according to the school, the summer course catalog has been available for several months.

Summer courses at Augustana are not worth it for students. There is not a great variety of classes to choose from, and these classes are not affordable even though  the majority of them are online. For those not online, it is not worth the price of living on campus or in the Quad City area for summer school.

These claims are made based on the courses offered in summer 2022 because the course catalog for summer 2023 is not available yet. 10 of the classes the college offered last summer are course equivalents taught during the Andes or Dijon summer programs. 

When looking at the course catalog, the summer courses offered are only upper-division courses, with maybe two or three exceptions of entry-level classes. These courses are not useful to students not studying any of the subjects offered during the summer. 

With Augustana’s policy of full-time tuition having a flat-rate cost for 34 credit hours, it seems difficult for students to not complete major requirements within four years, maybe even three depending on the area of study.

Summer school cannot be an option for everyone since many students use their summers to work or take internships.

If students need more classes or credit hours, a more affordable option would be to take these summer classes at a community college.

Students are able to fill out a form and transfer courses they have taken at a college closer to home if they are in good academic standing, decreasing costs if they are a resident in the state or district of the college. Classes at a community college can easily be transferred over if they are entry-level classes. 

These could fulfill learning perspectives or course prerequisites. 

Another option for students is that Augustana works with a site called Acadeum, which allows students to enroll in summer classes at other schools at the same rate as online Augustana classes, $600 per credit hour (for in-person classes, credit hours are $954 each). While the rate is the same, this would increase the variety of classes students are able to take and decrease any travel costs they may incur if they took classes on campus. 

There are limits in terms of what is available to students. 

However, there are online classes offered at many universities and colleges, so there is bound to be an option a student needs.

General classes should be offered as summer courses so that students can fulfill prerequisites if they need to. 

These classes should be even cheaper to make them more accessible. 

A potential idea for this issue could be a partnership between Augustana and a community college in the area, like Blackhawk, which offers many affordable online summer classes. 

There are already financial aid opportunities in place for students that need it. There could also be financial aid through a partnership that aims to help students if they have financial trouble. 

Creating a partnership would relieve stress on students wondering if their summer courses will transfer. It would ensure that students could take summer class opportunities that would fulfill degree requirements. 

Summer school is not worth it at Augustana College for the cost and lack of course options for students. 

There are better solutions for seeking to take a summer course, such as taking one at a community college or online for a cheaper price.