Some Students Seek to Improve Resumes with Summer Courses

Jeremy Hotchkiss is worried about his first job. He is scheduled to graduate from the State University of New York–Stonybrook in a year, but the tight job market and high unemployment rate has him — and just about everyone else about to graduate from college — concerned for the future.

“It’s frustrating, because you can have a resume as long as your arm and still not get an interview,” he says.

So Hotchkiss, like many other students, turns to summer courses as an opportunity to learn more skills that will — hopefully — lead to an even more attractive resume and ultimately an elusive job. At Oklahoma State University, 4,800 students are taking courses this summer, up nearly 6 percent from a year ago. At UCLA, over 700 more students are enrolled this summer than were in the summer of 2008. And at Stony Brook University, the number of credits taken during the summer session jumped more than nine percent since 2008. Even at smaller colleges, like Mesa Community College in Arizona, enrollment numbers are approaching or exceeding all time highs.

But despite the upward spikes at some universities for summer courses, the trend of higher enrollment is not universal. At Penn State, summer enrollment dropped both at its flagship campus in University Park and throughout the system, and at the University of Texas–Austin campus summer enrollment has been on the steady decline for the last few years. At Arizona State University, the total number of students has declined from its high point in 2008, but those students who do take summer courses are loading up on credits. The average number of summer credit hours has increased every year since 2007, and jumped noticeably from 2008 to 2009, the first summers pre- and post-financial collapse.

Students are far more cognizant of the post-graduation job market than in years past, and are taking steps to make their employment more palatable for potential employers by acquiring additional skills through summer courses.

“I think a lot has to do with the economy,” says Bob Vogt, supervisor of admissions and records at Mesa Community College. “They’re coming back to refresh their skills.”

At Boston University, summer enrollment has increased steadily over the last 10 years.

“I think there’s been a change in perception,” says Donna Shea, an associate dean and the director of summer term at Boston University.

“Summer term is no longer a remedial activity,” she says. “Students are packaging themselves, packaging their education and using the summer to supplement their skill set.”

Richard Russo, the director of summer sessions at UC-Berkeley, argues in a recent Inside Higher Ed article that the job market for students during the summer months is so horrendous that they choose instead to take additional courses simply to keep busy during the break. Languishing in college is a suitable replacement for trying to survive in the “real world,” the argument goes.

Others, like the Star-Ledger in New Jersey, suggest that summer sessions are serving as a replacement for a full semester, as students want to graduate a fast as possible to avoid paying thousands of additional dollars in tuition and other costs.

But from a cost stand point, summer session can be a burden to students loading up on classes. At ASU, where summer tuition costs are based on the number of credits taken, paying more for courses is beyond the financial means for many students and their families.

“That’s really what we’re assuming is responsible for the [decrease] in headcount,” says ASU’s Vice Provost for Planning and Budget Sheila Ainlay.

Students who can handle a bigger course load during the academic year might be less inclined to pay for summer courses, especially during the current economic downturn.

“Students are increasing their credit hours during the school year” adds Ainlay.

As for Hotchkiss, he’s hoping that his course in web design will help supplement his major studies in Biology and Psychology. “Maybe [someone] will apply for the same job as me and won’t have the Web experience I’ll have,” he said. “That could be the difference.”

Kristi Eaton is a staff writer for Campus Progress. She graduated from Arizone State University in 2008.