Summer total enrollment is usually less than other semesters. In recent years, McMillan said summer total enrollment has been slightly more than 20,000.

“Class enrollment may tend to be slightly lower in the summer and for some students that may be the benefit,” said Doug Estry, associate provost for undergraduate education.

Fall total enrollment is usually greater than spring enrollment, because some people graduate in December, McMillan said.

Total enrollment for summer 2007 was 20,884, compared to 46,045 in fall 2007 and 43,784 in spring 2008.

The summer semester is split between two sessions of condensed seven-week courses, and some summer courses that are not condensed last through both sessions, McMillan said.

“Don’t take any more credits in the summer than you would in a regular semester,” he said. “Twelve credits in seven weeks is the same as 24 credits in a full semester.”

The two sessions offer flexibility to students and may appeal to students, but the workload can be overwhelming, Estry said.

“I’m taking three classes this session and then two next session, one’s online,” said Melanie Lim, an education senior. “I’m just doing it to finish up on time. I would never do this out of choice.”

The College of Social Science had the greatest total summer enrollment last year, followed by the College of Natural Science and the College of Arts & Letters, McMillan said.

Deb Dotterer, director of undergraduate student affairs for the College of Natural Science, said students be aware of what classes entail.

“The pace is much faster, but for a lot of students that’s not much of a problem because they’re focusing on one course rather than a whole course load,” she said.