Self-paid courses are classes students can enroll in outside of the regular school day. These classes have many positives and negatives. In the FHPS school district, you must fill out a self-paid course approval form in the office before taking a self-paid class. This is vital as the course will not be put onto your transcript if you do not complete the form. This means you will not receive credit for your hard work! Also, only Michigan Merit Curriculum Core will be recorded as a part of the student’s GPA and credit total. It would help to check the requirements for your self-paid course so you do not waste your money and time.
There are multiple ways to take these courses; two recommended are using Michigan Virtual and MySchoolKent. The price of Michigan Virtual is $350 for a semester course. MySchoolKent is a lot cheaper at only $200 for a semester. Both are creative ways to take a summer course. MySchoolKent is also a lot cheaper than MVU, however, MVU has an expanded course selection compared to MySchool.
There are many pros for taking a summer course. One is that you will graduate sooner since you will have more credits. This is beneficial in case you want to graduate early to pursue something. Another reason for taking a course over the summer is the extended availability; rather than juggling many courses at a time, you can take one particular class in your free time. Finally, you can also make up a credit for which you had failed previously. If you received a failing grade (or one you weren’t pleased with), a summer course is the only way to change this.
There are also disadvantages to self-paid courses. One of them is clear: you must take summer classes! This creates the risk of burnout. If you are not committed to your course, there is a substantial negative impact as you may procrastinate your summer course. Also, the period for the course is very short. It consists of somewhere between one to three months. This puts pressure on the student to finish everything quickly. If commitment is shown, the student may avoid a poor grade on their transcript. Finally, you may need to remember the curriculum more rapidly since much material is skipped.
Overall, self-paid courses are positive and negative, like many other things. Some benefits include more credits, extended availability, and make-up classes. Some negatives include burnout, short time to take the class, and poor material consumption. If one is committed to a subject or course, one should explore the option of extra learning in the summer. Self-paid courses are a fantastic way to challenge yourself and explore new possibilities.