By Alma Bieckert & Dina Liberatore
Although the spring semester is in full swing, it’s never too early to plan for the summer and fall semesters. The Schedule of Courses for both semesters is now available to help you plan ahead. Below are some important dates to note on your calendar for the upcoming 2024 semesters:
Summer 2024 Semester
- February 2nd– Summer registration begins for all students.
Fall 2024 Semester
- February 21st– LionPATH shopping carts open
- This is when you can begin putting Fall 2024 courses in your shopping cart, in preparation for registering for them.
- March 13th– Priority registration for military students opens
- This is when you can officially “check out” of your Fall 2024 LionPATH shopping cart to enroll and secure a seat in your classes.
- Please connect with our Military Educational Benefits team to see what you need to do in order to receive Priority Registration.
- March 20th – Fall registration begins, please consult LionPATH for your earliest enrollment date. This is the first day you are eligible to enroll in courses for the corresponding semester.
A few reminders about registration:
The LionPATH class search has been updated. The LionPATH tutorials will be helpful with navigating the different search features of the new system.
Many summer courses are “controlled” meaning that you may need your academic adviser to submit a course approval to our registrar before you can schedule. If you’re unable to schedule a course in LionPATH, please reach out to your academic advisor for assistance.
Are summer classes right for you?
First, you may want to think about whether you want to take summer classes. Many students don’t take summer classes for various reasons – vacations, childcare obligations, work commitments – and not taking summer classes will not affect your status as a Penn State student. No additional paperwork is needed to sit out the summer semester nor return in the fall.
Financial aid eligibility is sometimes another reason for not taking summer classes. Contact the World Campus Financial Aid Office with questions.
How many summer classes should I take?
If you do decide to take summer classes, think about how many might be appropriate for you.
Keep in mind that the summer semester is 12 weeks, as opposed to the fall and spring semesters, which are 15 weeks. This means that students will cover the same amount of course material in a shorter period of time. As such, your academic adviser might advise taking 1-2 fewer courses in summer.
In addition, some summer classes (predominantly general education courses and electives) are only 6 weeks long and thus are extremely condensed and rigorous, which is something else to consider when planning. Always check the dates of summer courses to confirm whether they are 12-week or 6-week courses!
If you want to weigh your options about taking summer classes and how many classes might be appropriate for you, please reach out to your assigned adviser via email or by making an appointment in Starfish.
How can I advance in my degree if I skip the summer semester?
The summer semester is optional, but you may choose to continue your degree progression with other options such as taking a course at a local community college or pursuing a College Board’s College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam. Feel free to review the making the most of your summer if you are not taking classes article for in-depth review of your options. As always, please consult with your academic advisor to discuss your plans.
What classes should I take?
For students in the Associate’s in Business Administration program and the Bachelor’s of Business major (please see below if you are in the pre-major status), use your Academic Requirements Report in LionPATH to determine which degree requirements need to be fulfilled. You can find your Academic Requirements Report from the “Degree Planning & Progress” link on the LionPATH home page.
For those in the Business pre-major, use the link to your academic check sheet to determine which degree requirements need to be fulfilled. Your check sheet lists all of the course requirements for the degree and notes those that you have previous credit for, as well as those in progress. This will help you determine where you are in the degree, and which courses you still need to take. Contact your academic adviser if you need the link to your check sheet!
What’s next?
Once you’ve chosen classes for summer and fall, add them to your Shopping Cart in LionPATH (when available). From there, check in with your academic adviser via email or Starfish appointment to review your selections! Your adviser will help you ensure that all courses meet prerequisites and degree requirements. Some courses require prior approval that your adviser can also assist with.
