<p>I know that one of the things transfers have to deal with is adjusting to the pace of a quarter system vs a CC's semester system. However, I'm planning on taking about 14 units during the summer and the classes range from 4 weeks long to 8 weeks long. </p>
<p>So here's my question: Will the pace of CC summer classes give me a good idea of the pace of UC classes?</p>
<p>Some details that may or may not be important: I'm taking a math, speech, econ, and business class.</p>
<p>The 8 week long classes should give you a rough idea yes, but because UC’s are expecting UC level work and it’s upper division work typically the workload should be more and of higher quality, I’m assuming.</p>
<p>Also 14 units In the summer?!?! At my CCC 4 units in summer is full time, damn that’s an insane amount </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m planning to petition to exceed the max units. The CC classes here are pretty easy for me anyway and I kinda don’t wanna stay here longer than necessary.</p>
<p>This is something that I’ve wondered about quite a bit myself just because I find it to be a bit concerning.
Personally, I like to take my time learning things and to complete well-thought out assignments but a quarter doesn’t seem like a lot of time to let everything sink in and to execute great work, at least not at my current pace.</p>
<p>I’m kind of looking forward to it in a way… My favorite semesters have always been summer and winter since they are shorter… I don’t get as bored however I’ve only taken 2 classes at a time during short semesters so it might not be the same lol </p>
<p>I totally get you. I also prefer to take my time with things but if needed, I can push myself to work faster. That’s part of why I decided to go all out during the summer. I’m also planning on sitting in at one of UCSB’s lectures to get an idea of what the classes are like.</p>
<p>UC Berkeley is the place to go if you guys don’t want to deal with a quarter system. Just sayin’.</p>
<p>Very smart @miyonnie
I was tempted to go sit in a class when I was visiting campuses but was too intimidated to give it a try.</p>
<p>Haha, you make it sound like Cal is so easy to get into @Cayton.
I really do like that Cal is on a semester system though; however, if I am drowning in work all the time it probably wouldn’t help much either… Oh the pros and cons, but then again, I am an incredibly indecisive person.</p>
<p>Classes on the quarter system run at the same speed as classes on the semester system, but are “smaller”. For example, frosh calculus is 30 weeks of instruction, divided into three 10 week quarters (total 12 quarter units) instead of two 15 week semesters (total 8 semester units). Note that 1.5 quarter unit = 1 semester unit.</p>
<p>Summer classes at a semester system school are typically about double speed to fit a 15 week semester into an 8 week summer, but a full load is only 8 semester units instead of 15 semester units. Summer sessions at a quarter system school are typically 10 weeks like a normal quarter.</p>
<p>@AnthroFlo
I also feel shy about sitting in on classes, but I feel a bit better in that UCSB has an agreement with some professors to let visitors sit in on their lectures.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus
That explains a lot. Thanks! That’s probably why the max units at my CC for summer sessions are 9 units. Maybe I should reconsider the 14 units and only take 11.</p>
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<p>At UCSD, at least, one summer session is usually 5 weeks long with double the amount of class each week (6hrs/week for a class that would normally be 3hrs/week during the regular quarter), and there are two summer sessions each summer. Some classes have a “special session” that I think is 8 weeks long or something like that, but that’s the exception, rather than the norm.</p>
<p>There are also some classes that are theoretically supposed to be equivalent between a semester-long class and a quarter-long class. For instance, taking a Genetics class in a quarter system should be the same class and cover roughly the same material as it would in a semester system, even though one is taught over 10 weeks and one over 15. Whether or not that happens or not, who knows, but it’s not always as easy as that one example would make it seem.</p>
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<p>If you pick a larger lecture hall class (I’d consider anything >50 students fine), then they likely won’t even know you’re there. Don’t worry about sitting in a class at all, as long as they aren’t having an exam or something. I know tons of people who sat in on classes without being enrolled in the class or even a student at the school.</p>
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<p>Where this is the case, wouldn’t it have an appropriate number of credit units and class time? E.g. 4 or 5 quarter unit course versus a 3 semester unit course, or 6 quarter unit course versus a 4 semester unit course?</p>
<p>Don’t worry about adjusting to the quarter system. It’s extremely easy to adjust. Just do your work and study before hand. There’s no reason anyone should fall behind because it was too fast because it really isn’t.</p>
<p>@mermaker
That is REALLY reassuring. It’s been worrying me for some time so I’m glad it’s not as challenging as I thought it to be. Thank you!</p>
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<p>Yes, the norm is typically that quarter system classes are 4 units and semester system classes are 3 units, but you were saying that the same material is taught over the same amount of time (i.e. a year-long calculus sequence would be taught over three quarters or thirty weeks and a year-long calculus sequence is taught over two semesters or thirty weeks). As you said, this suggests that classes run at the “same speed,” which isn’t always the case. A 10-week genetics class might be worth 4 units, while a 15-week genetics class might be worth 3 units, depending on the school, but that would be the same situation in a calculus class that presumably runs at the “same speed,” as you said–the quarter system class might be 4 units, while the semester system class might be 3 units.</p>