This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bentley chapter.

Course Away is a very underrated opportunity at Bentley. Students can take up to 10% of their Bentley credits at another institution – this usually adds up to 3 or 4 courses. Common courses taken away include science and history electives, as well as micro or macroeconomics. However, it is very uncommon to take all four courses away during one intersession. During the winter of my freshman year, I decided to take 13 credits, or 4 classes away in 3 weeks. Considering that most classes at Bentley take a full semester to complete, these classes were very condensed. For reference, I took:

Physiology of Wellness (3 Science Credits)
Principles of Geology with Lab (4 Science Credits, met Lab Credit Requirement)
Diversity Expressions in Society (3 Humanities Credits)
United States History from 1877 (3 History Credits)

Course Away can seem very daunting – especially when students are already drained from final exams and projects. However, with the right approach, it can be a much better experience. Here are some tips I took away from the experience:

take accelerated lab courses

At Bentley, everyone has to take one science lab course regardless of their major. These courses include biology, chemistry, and more. For many students, these courses can be very exciting and fun. However, for some students, a drawback is that a lab course meets three times a week during the semester and can prevent them from taking another class. If this is the case for you, you could take a science lab course during your summer or winter break. During winter break, I took a 10-day accelerated Geology with lab class. Taking this course at a different institution allowed me to have more room to take other classes at Bentley.

Plan your schedule MONTHS away

Course Away is an option at Bentley that requires adequate time to create a schedule that works well with you. By planning it last minute, you may not have time to apply for competitive courses. Also make sure that the courses will be accepted by Bentley as credit before paying for it.

block it out

Of course, by taking multiple semester courses, you should expect that you will have to do more work in less time. However, one pro is that most of these classes will be asynchronous, meaning that you will be able to do these courses on your own time. However, if you already have a full agenda prior to taking these courses, make sure to block out some time in your schedule. It is a common misconception that these courses will always be easier than the Bentley equivalent; however, it will still be extremely difficult to do well in these courses if you don’t have any time at all.

Challenge yourself

One huge benefit of taking Course Away is that the course grade will NOT show on your transcript. As per the Bentley website:

A minimum grade of 2.0 (C) must be earned for the course taken away to be eligible for course away credit. Please note: Only the course away credits (TR) will appear on your Bentley transcript rather than the actual grade.

Therefore, if you are cautious about your GPA or have a course that you must take to graduate or know you will probably struggle in, Course Away may be your best solution. While taking 4 easy courses away does sound like a nice option, it may be better to challenge yourself to take 4 harder classes away for your GPA.

Note: if you are not cautious about your GPA and want to explore a class that isn’t available at Bentley, by all means do it!

Think about your budget

A three-credit course at Bentley costs $5,491 (2021-2022). Make sure to compare rates at different colleges to see which college works best for you. Consider that private universities tend to cost more per credit than public universities. Community colleges will usually cost the least. Do put into consideration that regardless of which college you go to, this college will not show on your transcript. Rather than looking into the reputation of the college, just make sure that the courses you want to take align with your goals and needs. Make sure that the price is right!

Be realistic

You most likely won’t be able to do everything you planned for during break. You may not have been able to get everything off your bucket list or binge-watch Fresh Off the Boat until 4 AM. But in the end, you will be almost a semester ahead, have saved a lot of money, and will have a lot more free time in the long run!

…

For more information, check out Bentley Course Away!

Things to Consider Before Taking 13 Credits in Three Weeks