As the days grow shorter and the last leaves fall, college students have two important issues to deal with: surviving the upcoming finals and planning spring schedules. Nick gave us some final exam tips a few months ago, but we haven’t talked much about class planning until now. If you think you might be behind on some credits, or if you’d like to get ahead, Winternet courses can be a great option!
Winternet classes, for those not familiar with them, are online, full-credit classes that you can take for a three-week span between Christmas and the start of the spring semester. You’re probably asking yourself, “Why would anyone want to use up their winter break by taking more classes?” Well, there’s a few great reasons to do so. If you’re like many students, you have at least a couple of grades on your transcript that aren’t that great. Perhaps you’ve switched majors and ended up with a few classes that didn’t transfer into your new program. Maybe you have a cap on how many classes you want to deal with in a semester. No matter your situation, you know the extra classes are going to affect graduating on time. So, what can be done?
Winternet offers a solution: take a class or two to get back on track. Most classes offered for Winternet can be applied toward at least one general education requirement. Look at the list on the left. Almost everyone at Ulster ends up taking Western Civilization, so getting that out of the way over winter break frees up more space in future semesters for classes which may be offered infrequently. Also, if any of these classes are not enjoyable to you, there is the added benefit of powering through them and getting done in a short amount of time. Would you rather sit in a class you find boring for 15 weeks, or work through it online in 3? This is also true if you have taken one of these courses in the past and not gotten a passing grade; if you already know the information, but didn’t have enough time to devote to the class while dealing with your other courses, a Winternet class can be a good way to quickly review and get through with a better grade.
I personally recommend that anyone needing to take Information Literacy do so through a Winternet course. Info Lit is a one credit class that’s required for almost everyone, and it’s a lot easier to take online rather than taking it on campus while also working on five other classes. I took mine over my freshman winter break, and not only was it enjoyable, it also gave me a head start when I took English 102 in the spring, the class for which it is a pre- or co-requisite. It doesn’t just benefit you; professors will appreciate that you already know good research and citation strategies!
Worrying about extra semesters and late graduation isn’t fun, and Winternet offers a potential solution. Registration has already begun for this year’s Winternet courses, so if these classes fit your requirements, register online today!
