Summer classes are a great way for college students to get ahead while limiting stress later. Kaskaskia College wants students to know registration for summer is open now, and registering as soon as possible is important.

Kaskaskia College Dean of Enrollment Services Staci Palm said it's important for students to think ahead about what course requirements they need to meet before graduation and strategize which ones could be done over the summer at local community colleges such as KC. Palm said summer classes are typically smaller than classes in the fall and spring semesters, meaning students get more interaction with the professor and more opportunities to ask questions. Palm said KC class sizes during the summer can drop down to as low as 10 to 18 students, making it the ideal setting to knock out general education classes that can sometimes be tough in a large classroom environment.

“Our summer classes at KC are the exact same classes you would get at a four-year university, but they’re more affordable and have certain advantages,” Palm said. “Some students try to put 18 to 21 hours on themselves in the fall or spring semesters, but if they take a summer course or two, they don’t have to have a huge course load during the traditional school year. It’s a great way to get ahead. If it’s a class a student knows they might struggle with, they can take it during the summer when they don’t have four or five other classes to worry about and they’ll get more of that individualized attention.”

Palm said Kaskaskia College offers a summer class in nearly every program they offer at KC. Whether a student is currently at Kaskaskia College or just home for the summer from a four-year university, the faculty at KC will work with students to make sure they are getting credit that can be transferred to another school. Kaskaskia College has more than 200 articulation agreements with colleges and universities in Illinois and beyond, meaning they know the exact classes at KC that will line up for credit at transfer schools.

“If the credit isn’t offered through our articulation agreements, our faculty goes above and beyond to try to work out the credit for the student,” Palm said. “In that case, our faculty will send their syllabi to faculty at other schools and be in contact with them. This includes speaking to the registrar at the other school and possibly other members of the faculty to get it sorted out. They will work out what can be counted as a transfer credit for that student.”

Registration for summer classes at Kaskaskia College started March 11. Students can still register for summer classes now and can register up until summer classes begin on June 3.

Kaskaskia College is a public community college in Centralia, Illinois, within South Central Illinois District 501, serving all or part of nine counties, including Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Marion, Washington, Jefferson, St. Clair, Madison, and Montgomery. Committed to making education accessible, they host the Centralia Crisp Technology Center and have education centers in Greenville, Nashville, Salem, Trenton, and Vandalia, Illinois. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the college, which offers a broad spectrum of degrees, programs, and certification options, specializing in 2-year associate degrees and trade school programs. Founded in 1940, Kaskaskia College was the first Class I Community College established in Illinois.