Summer College stressing popular online classes

This year will have 32 course offerings in two sessions between May and August

February 12, 2020
By Ariel Wish '20

The well-established Accelerated Summer College (ASC) at Saint Michael’s College for summer of 2020 will continue to shift  its emphasis toward increasingly popular online courses, offering “a great way for students to either catch up, get ahead, or stay on track,” said Alex Colletta, Assistant Director of Operations of Online and Non-Traditional Programs.ASC logo

He said this year ASC will be offering 32 courses between two sessions, the first running from May 18-June 26, and the second from June 29-August 7. The majority of these courses will be held online. Started in 2014 as a residential program and a means of utilizing campus facilities during the summer, ASC quickly attracted a large number of students, and in 2017 introduced its online portion.

“What we saw and heard from students is that, though they love Saint Michael’s, they also love spending their summers at home,” said Colletta, explaining the shift toward online courses. Whether at home or on campus, students may take up to two courses a session, allowing them to complete a total of four courses each summer—an entire semester’s worth.

Students enroll in ASC each year for a multitude of reasons, all with the goal of boosting them to their desired credential standing and providing a flexible and personalized academic experience. For student athletes, for example, the program allows them to reduce their course loads during highly demanding sports seasons, while still staying on track for graduation.

Alex Colletta

Alex Colletta ’18 is assistant director of operations of online and non-traditional programs for Saint Michael’s College.

Similarly, students who decide to switch majors later in their college years utilize ASC to make up for lost time without having to stay extra semesters. On the other hand, students who are not behind but wish to graduate a semester, or even a year early often enroll in ASC to accelerate their degree, saving them money. Additionally appealing to students, ASC offers discounted tuition rates compared to that of the Fall and Spring semesters without sacrificing academic quality. “It’s all about having options for students and allowing them to decide what’s best for them,” said Colletta.

Along with the many St. Mike’s students who enjoy the benefits of ASC, the program enrolls an average of 20-30 students annually from colleges and universities all around the globe.

“The program is accelerated: students do what they need to do and then they’re done, which I think is what they really appreciate about ASC,” said Colletta.

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