Back to summer school

Registration for both summer and mini term sessions opens today for graduate, post-baccalaureate students and special populations.

Registration will continue for other student classifications as the week continues, with the final opening on Friday for freshmen.

To register for a class,students must have no holds on their account and meet all prerequisites for the course.

For many students who work, summer courses are a priority.They offer the convenience of a short term with the quality of a full semester.

Cassandra Matamoros, a third-year criminal justice student at UTRGV, has a full-time job and attends summer sessions every year due to her busy work schedule.

“I have to [take summer classes] so I can work more and save up for the next semester,” Matamoros said. “It really helps and I try to take at least two classes during the summer.”

Students may review their classifications or account holds through ASSIST and can likewise make student account payments with a credit card or electronic check.

Tuition payments must be received by the first due date to avoid late fees or being dropped from all classes. To pay in person, students can go to the Office of Payments and Collections in the Student Services Building at U Central in Edinburg and the Main Tower in Brownsville.

“The courses that are offered for my major are very limited, so I have to get in there as early as possible so this doesn’t happen again,” Matamoros said, gesturing to the financial aid lobby where dozens of students waited to get information on their accounts.

The Registrar’s office stresses that undergraduates take care of existing student account issues before registering, which work-study
student Maria Gonzalez agrees with.

Gonzalez also feels that registering and taking classes online during the summer has made the process and the semester easier to manage.

“I always try to register for online summer classes so I do not have to come for an hour every day. This saves me time and gas!” she said. “I also think [online summer courses] are easier if they’re online. I go on my own pace.”

As an office assistant at Student Services and a UTRGV senior in mass communication, Gonzalez often sees the influx of students rushing to get assistance from Financial Aid and the Registrar’s office when it comes time to register for the new term. Gonzalez has seen the waiting time go from 25 minutes up to an hour and 40 minutes the week before registration for the summer terms.

The mini term begins May 16 and ends June 3, Summer I starts June 6 and ends July 12 and Summer II runs from July 14 through Aug. 19.

To request an emergency loan or sign up for a payment plan, students can use ASSIST at my.utrgv.edu under the Student Services tab.