I think most LACs are 4-1-4 or just 4-4, or a hybrid. The default seems to be 4 classes earning 4 credits each, per semester, with labs and discussion sections not counting for extra, though at some schools they do.
“J term” (the “1”) is not uncommon either, but some schools require certain things then (a class, travel, a workshop, an internship, whatever) and some are very “do what you like” about them.
I sat through the Williams info session this afternoon. The Winter Study session at Williams is less intense than a standard “jan-term” course at other colleges - fewer hours (they said 6-8 hours per week, @MYOS1634) and it’s graded pass/fail (so I’m guessing it isn’t the same number of credit hours). After freshman year you can opt to do an internship as your winter study (the school helps arrange them through williams alum). Some of the winter study courses are study away experiences. The entire course catalog is online. You can search the Williams website to get a list. During winter study the campus also celebrates winter carnival!
@MYOS1634 Thanks!! That sonuds interesting. So during the J-term does one take a 3-hour class for five days out of the week? Does that mean the J-term has more time for the student to self-study or intern than compared to that of the normal semesters?
@OHMomof2 Oh okay. That sounds cool. I ask because both Williams and Amherst offer this same system. How does it compare to the normal semester system?
@janjmom Wow cool! Sounds exciting. I’d definitely be interested in the internships at Williams. I’ll definitely look at their course catalog.
At Amherst some students stay for all of it, some stay for part of it, some don’t. There are activities and classes and such but not for credit. Dorms and dining hall are open.
Winter sports teams are on campus doing their thing. There’s an campus EMS that does its main training/certification during Interterm (that’s what A calls it). There are various seminars and for-fun classes: https://www.amherst.edu/campuslife/our-community/interterm
It sounds a lot like Williams’ except it’s optional.
@OHmomof2 Cool! I like the fact that its optional.
Rejected from Vanderbilt and Yale in Singapore! I’m alright with it though. I applied last minute to Vandy and only because my mom really wanted me to apply to a place nearish to her. And I didn’t even intentionally apply to Yale in Singapore. So its not totally a loss I suppose.
Sorry to hear that @ASJU9511 but you have a great attitude!
@SouthFloridaMom9 It’ll be alright!
I’ll be hearing from Duke tomorrow, then Amherst on Friday. I’m very excited to see what Duke and Amherst have in store. High hopes but low expectations!
I bet you’re nervous but at the same time, you have wonderful choices already!
@OHMomof2 I won’t lie. I am fairly nervous, BUT, even if all 6 or 7 of next colleges coming up reject me I’ll still have Cornell and Williams to fall back on. And Williams was originally one of two of my top choices, so I’m definitely in an excellent place at the moment.
I got into Duke!!! 
Woot! Decisions get tougher and tougher!
WOW!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Now you need to fill out the visit requests (they’ll fly you in) but you need to coordinate very carefully because many weekends and invtes will overlap.
Very happy for you.
My best friend was in a single parent household and free and reduced lunches, small HS with no AP. Got into one Ivy and rejected from another.
Aid was very very generous.
You definitely want to make a spreadsheet with aid offers, and also consider things like:
I’m glad that you have so many choices. My state has a pretty good program for foster kids who don’t go to college, coordinating with nonprofits to get them a car and an apartment so they can work after HS. Not sure there is as much support for foster kids who go to college…
It’s also heartening to hear someone getting through such crap. The rest of my best friend’s family is pretty sad (read about Ted Cruz’s half-sister, 
) - the only other one of the cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. who went to college narrowly missed going on welfare and is not employed in his field. Only a few of the rest have steady jobs. Cousins would call up grandma for bail money - really, they were really her grandkids and they really were in jail and needed bail money, not a scam…
So happy for you with Duke - awesome!!! =D>
Oh gosh, thank you all for the encouragement! I’m very ecstatic! Today I’ll be learning about Amherst and Stanford. In fact, I’ll learn about Stanford in about an hour and ten minutes. So I hope for the best!!!
@rhandco Thank you! Ugh, your best friend’s family sounds so similar to mine’s. I wish him the best of luck in all his endeavors, from one dysfunctional kid to another. 
Fingers crossed!!!