Student Success Stories

Being able to be on campus with fewer students here with the cost of only paying for a 10 units and taking more units than that.

Going to the office hours through Zoom, given to you by your teaching team, is immensely helpful as it gave me more guidance and encouragement. It really makes a difference when you verbally communicate with your professor and/or T.A., because they want to help you. That’s their job. The campus is much more roomier and fresher because of the smaller foot traffic during the summer.

All three courses I took were online, but as an incoming freshman, I was able to learn the structures of assignments, readings, discussions, presentations, and essays. With this experience, I have learned to manage my time around these and I feel confident going in-person for my first year.

Tip: When managing a five-week class, the biggest piece of advice I would give is to not procrastinate. It may seem obvious, but the classes fly by. I learned to complete/start any assignments the day it is given in order to not fall behind and give me time to meet with my professor during office hours.

I like UCSC a lot more than where I came from, I worked hard to get into here.

Tip: Spend as much time as you can on campus! I know a lot of people are not taking advantage of how beautiful and unique our campus is.  It’s easy to feel super isolated and alone in summer classes, especially when so few of us here. But honestly reach out and try your best to build connections that you’ll see in the actual school year.

I am so glad I took classes specifically at UCSC. As a visiting student, I went on to Rate My Professor to read about the teacher and saw a lot of bad reviews, but I had to take it anyway since I had no option. I took my chances, and the teacher was an awesome teacher.

Tip: Do not always depend on Rate My Professor. Different people have different opinions and experiences.

As a first-generation college student, my motivation to take summer classes stems from a desire to finish college early and successfully. I want to support my parents, who have sacrificed so much for my education. By taking summer classes, I can accelerate my progress and ultimately achieve my academic goals while making them proud.

This accelerated pace pushed me to manage my time effectively and deepen my understanding of the material. Successfully completing the class not only boosted my confidence but also brought me one step closer to graduating early and achieving my dreams.

Tip: Try to do homework in the dining hall if you find it hard to focus alone. The noise and people walking around makes me feel accountable for my work and actually get things done.

Additionally, I wanted to get accustomed with the campus. Living on campus added to my experience by helping me adjust to dorm life and allowing me to make meaningful connections.

Living on campus during Summer Edge was amazing as it was my first time really away from home. It gave me freedom that I hadn’t felt before and it was refreshing to be able to really feel like I could make my own decisions. The Peer Mentors and friends I made over the summer were very inviting and super helpful as well.

Taking ARTG80I was an incredible experience. In an average quarter there are upwards of 80 students enrolled in the class, but since I took it during the Summer, we had a smaller number of 17 students. This allowed us more time to get to know each other individually, which I really appreciated. The fast pace of the class also worked well for me, eliminating any possibility of procrastination. I was really astonished by how much I enjoyed the assigned readings. They were somewhat dense and philosophical at times, but it really clicked with me. After testing the waters I felt comfortable enough to decide that attending UCSC was really the right choice for me. I fully intend to take more Summer classes in the future.

During the summer, I attended Advanced Academic Writing and Navigating the Research University. The first course allowed me to master good writing skills and also gave me the ability to better communicate with others and express my own opinions. The latter gave me a full understanding of UCSC, including various university resources, and the lectures interspersed with it were really interesting and helpful! This summer, I fell in love with UCSC.

I am super grateful for my experience at Merrill too and all the amazing friends I’ll have now forever. Being able to wander and explore the campus environment was really helpful because I felt like a pro-navigator when fall started. I was truly surprised and excited to learn that the independence I have in college actually motivates me to succeed and I cannot wait for my next four years!

I knew about a ton of resources and got to connect with a Professor early on to get past the initial nervousness of reaching out!

Course: OCEA 1 – The Oceans (5 credits)

I decided to take summer classes at UCSC to deepen my understanding of my passions before graduating high school. I wanted to build confidence in my ability to handle college-level courses and ensure that I choose a major that truly aligns with my interests. My love for the ocean from ever since I was young made this class an ideal choice, and was a class I do not regret taking at all.

Course: BIOE 20C – Ecology and Evolution (5 credits)

Don’t be afraid to talk to the other students already in college. I was a little nervous at first but by the end it was really helpful to be able to discuss things with everyone else. I had a great time and it was nice to get a taste of what college life is like.

Course:
LING 80K – Invented Languages, From Elvish to Esperanto (5 credits)

I was able to find a perfectly compatible course with me at UCSC’s Summer Session in the Invented Languages course, which taught me a lot of linguistics through building a language from the ground up.

A significant academic achievement for me in terms of my linguistic proficiency is definitely this process of developing a language—while a large part of the syntax was developed by the teaching assistants, we worked a lot on semantic sayings and contributed our own words and phrases to the language.

The pinnacle of this experience was translating the language back into English for the final project—it almost felt surreal that we developed an almost fully functioning language, and I’m very proud of us for that.

Online, self-based classes are great because you can customize them completely to your own schedule, finding time each day to work on it at your convenience. While it still is a lot of work, it’s very nice that you can have your summer while keeping your mind sharp.

Tip: When managing a five-week class, the biggest piece of advice I would give is to not procrastinate. It may seem obvious, but the classes fly by. I learned to complete/start any assignments the day it is given in order to not fall behind and give me time to meet with my professor during office hours.

Course: PSYC 1 – Introduction to Psychology (5 credits)

Before taking the psychology class, I was unsure about my academic future, but this summer gave me a chance to learn about the diverse subjects found within psychology. For example, I was especially interested in learning about behavior and how it is affected by society. I now feel confident about having psychology as a possible future major that I will work hard to earn.

I want to highlight that although the course was compressed, it was less stressful than I expected and I had enough time to explore the campus and the beautiful town of Santa Cruz. I always knew the UCSC campus was beautiful, but I was surprised to see how truly gorgeous it was, further increasing my desire to apply.

Overall, attending the course was an extraordinary experience where I was able to learn about a possible future major, view the campus, get to know Santa Cruz, and even surf.

Course: MATH 103A – Complex Analysis (5 credits)

I was motivated to take Math103A, Complex Analysis at UCSC because I wanted to delve deeper into a classical subject in mathematics and the course was not offered at my high school this year.

Course: MATH 23A – Vector Calculus (5 credits)

I decided to take a college course at UC Santa Cruz this summer because I wanted to continue my study of mathematics, particularly calculus, and had finished all of the calculus classes my high school offered. I have a love for both math and physics and wanted to learn as much as I could about these topics to both prepare myself for college and simply because of my own curiosity.

Taking this college course has helped me reach my academic goals by allowing me to further my study of calculus while still at high school. I was also able to enjoy my years at high school while simultaneously taking a college course without being too overwhelmed by a heavy workload. Because I had the opportunity to take this course during the summer, I was able to spread out my academics throughout the year rather than having to juggle a packed schedule during the school year. 

Something I was surprised to learn this summer is that even though the course I took was online and asynchronous, it was very easy to connect with and get help from my professors. I was also given the flexibility of still being able to travel and have a relaxing summer while taking a college course, as I could manage my time in a way that worked around my other summer plans.

Courses: HUMN 35 – Language Technology: Themes Across Cultures and Histories (5 credits)
LING 80K – Invented Languages, from Elvish to Esperanto (5 credits)

Last year, during the 2022 UCSC Summer Session, I took a course on language online where I absolutely fell in love with linguistics. My experience in the class last year really motivated me to take more linguistic classes this year.

My most favorite aspect of my classes were the professors in the UCSC Linguistics Department. Before their classes, I never thought I would be willing to drown in the ocean of language and its structure. I was absolutely enchanted.

I’m so glad to have had this exposure early on, especially at a university with one of the best linguistic departments in the country, working with the best professors. In fact, my experience in the classes I’ve taken during several summer sessions has been an invaluable factor in my motivation to even pursue Linguistics post-high school.

Course:
COWL 52 – Personal Finance and Investing (5 credits)

I was motivated to take a college course in the summer at UCSC for a few reasons. Firstly, I’m incredibly passionate about learning things outside of my regular high school academic courses. Also, post high school graduation finances are going to be a major part of my college and personal life, hence I wanted to learn finance fundamentals. I saw the personal finance and investing course at UCSC  as an opportunity to delve deeper into the subject matter. Finally, I believe that summer courses provide a chance for me to explore additional areas of interest and diversify my skill set. It’s a great way to supplement my regular coursework and gain a competitive edge in my future. Overall, my motivation for taking a college course at UCSC in the summer stems from my passion for learning, the desire to stay active with educational journey, and the opportunity to further my education and career goals.

The course has allowed me to acquire new skills in the field of personal finances. These skills are important for both my college and future career aspirations. Academically, taking a college course in preparation for life after high school shows parties of interest who I am outside of school, that I have initiative to prepare for the future.

Beyond academics, college courses have contributed to my personal growth. The course curriculum at UCSC covered all of the key topics of finances. Understanding the fundamentals of these topics are very important for better personal financial decision-making and to become a more well-rounded individual.

Taking college courses at UCSC has been instrumental in helping me reach my academic goals by providing essential skills, knowledge, and access to valuable resources.

Courses: ENVS 18 – Natural History Illustration (5 credits)
ENVS 65 – Introduction to Fresh Water: Processes and Policy (5 credits)
OCEA 1 – The Oceans (5 credits)

I’m very passionate about marine biology and wanted to take the opportunity to learn more. UCSC is also my first choice of schools and I wanted to learn more about the university and its academic life. I moved from Colorado to Santa Cruz for the summer to learn more about the city, teachers, and students. It was an amazing summer and I can’t wait to apply!

Before taking these courses I was nervous about college level classes; I now know how to take notes, engage better in class and tests, and how to better balance class work. I feel confident and more prepared to go to college. In my classes I learned more about fresh water systems, how the ocean works, and how to create field guides. By being in person I spent many evenings at tide pools and creating my own field guides.

I was surprised to learn this summer more about our freshwater systems and the different types of ways we store and collect water. I’m really appreciative of this opportunity.

Courses: CMMU 30 – Numbers And Social Justice (5 credits)
ENVS 15 – Natural History of the UCSC Campus (2 credits)
POLI 111A – Constitutional Law (5 credits)

I come from a small rural town in Chile. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to attend UCSC this summer.

In this summer session at UCSC I became much more confident in myself, and at the same time, it made me feel more secure about going to college. It wasn’t just the classes or the academic aspect, although that was challenging enough on its own. It was the whole experience: being around so many different people, many of whom were experienced college students willing to share their knowledge with me. Many of them also had international backgrounds, and some even spoke Spanish, which was comforting. This experience improved my English, and I also enjoyed participating in cycling classes, as well as the long walks and bike rides that I took to get around the campus.

That is the way it has helped me in my academic goals, not only with my grades, but also with my self-confidence when it comes to thinking about challenges like college.

Courses: CRES 188S – Race / Land / Property (5 credits)

I was inspired to take a college course at UCSC this summer because I was eager to meet people with similar interests, feed my intellectual curiosity, and experience higher education firsthand.

Course:
LING 50 – Introduction to Linguistics (5 credits)

I decided to take an Intro to Linguistics course at UCSC over the summer because of my interest in the subject. Taking this class gave me more insight into the field of Linguistics and I was also able to realize that this is what I want to major in. I was also able to learn more about how college classes are and I am very grateful that I had this opportunity to be exposed to the college curriculum.

Course: MERR 60 – Fake News: Its History and Why We Need Critical Media Literacy (5 credits)

For summer I was very interested in enrolling in a class that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to take at my high school. At first, I was intimidated by taking my first college course but I learned so many new things involving journalism and the history of disinformation.

I was also surprised by how enjoyable and engaging the course material was, discovering so many different books and documentaries that I wouldn’t have otherwise known of. Following this course, I have been able to apply the skills I learned to research for essays along with my daily life.

I think the most valuable thing I learned though is the expectations of college-level courses and how to meet them.