<p>I was wondering what parents think about the quarter system versus the semester system. </p>
<p>Eldest son is on semester, but a couple of schools that my younger son is looking at are on quarter. </p>
<p>I hate the thought of having one kid on semester and one on quarter. Seems like it might be hard to coordinate travel plans. Does it matter?</p>
<p>From a personal perspective, I loved the quarter system and my college freshman son seems to like it also. I took 3-4 classes at a time, and I really enjoyed being able to focus more intensely for a shorter period of time. My son's school only allows students to take 3 classes per quarter, and they are also pretty intense. For me, a semester is too long.</p>
<p>Next year it is very likely that we will have one kid on the quarter system (DD) and one on the semester system (DS). Actually, we see it as an advantage. Their start and end dates are NOT the same, making it easier for one of us to accompany them. The quarter system is actually perfect for DD who works summers as a lifeguard. Where she works, they never have guards for Labor Day weekend because all the semester kids are gone by then. The down side is that their vacations are not at the same time (except Thanksgiving and Christmas). But that is not an issue because MY vacation isn't when either of theirs is. Also, even on semesters, the spring break times vary wildly. I have to say the only real down thing I anticipate is that unless we fly DD from one coast to the other for a weekend, she will not be at her brother's college graduation next May....her third quarter doesn't end until into June.</p>
<p>First of all, even if you have both kids in a semester system, they would most likely not have the same start/end/spring break dates. Even over December break, my D had friends arriving home every day for 2 weeks after she did, and then departing everyday for 2 weeks after. Certainly don't choose the college by that criterion.</p>
<p>That said, my D really likes the quarter system. It is more intense, but you get to experience a wider array of classes, and if you are in a bad class, the pain is a few weeks shorter too.</p>
<p>My S is a college senior and is on the quarter system. He doesn't object to the quarter system and does enjoy taking more courses per year than his friends who go to schools on semester system. That being said, he does take some harder courses outside his major Pass/Fail. The downside is that classes start way later in the fall; this was not really an issue except for frosh year when most of his friends started in August and he didn't leave for school till mid Sept or so. He gets home Dec 9-12 while most of his friends are still taking exams till before Christmas; he returns to school right after New Year's while high school buddies have way more time off. He's adjusted to these changes. What's hardest is the late ending date in June -- most jobs and internships are already filled. He's often home in March but companies tell him it's too early to hire college kids. That's the biggest negative in his opinion.</p>
<p>D attends school on a 10 week quarter system (same school as sjmom). On their the quarter system where the normal course load in each of the four terms of the academic year is three courses. A student may without permission or extra charge undertake during a college career a four-course load up to a maximum of three times</p>
<p>While two- or four-course loads are allowed within specified limits, no matriculated undergraduate may have in any term a load of fewer than two courses or may in any term take, or receive credit for, five or more courses. </p>
<p>While classes meet 2 (tues/thurs) to 3 (M,w f) times a week. In addition each professor has an additional X hour each week which they can use to hold class. Some professors only use their X-hours for review sessions while others use their X hours each week making the class meet from 3 to 4 times a week. </p>
<p>If you take a foreign language, there is a required a 45 minute drill 4 days a week outside of the normal 3 x per week class time and X hours (D's spanish drill met at 7:45 in the morning). </p>
<p>If you take a science with a lab, your lab can meet from 4 to 6 hours per week. Things happen at a very fast pace as the students have 2 rounds of midterms and final exams. </p>
<p>One thing that D has told me about the quarter system is that you must really stay on top of things. Not doing the reading/assignments or missing a class (even due to illness) can really set you back. </p>
<p>She find the only down side is that she leaves for school much later than the rest of her friends at other colleges, she is the last one home at the end of the year she has an earlier winter break than her friends like 3boysnjmom says it can be a pain backing them up to go back on jan 2 when every one else is jus getting into the swing of being home.</p>
<p>Even this tends to balance it self out because she only feels bad until she gets back to school :)</p>
<p>When I was on the quarter system, I thought it was better...I could take more classes, explore more areas in the course of a year. </p>
<p>I've changed my mind. Quarter system means three sets of high-stress periods a year: mid-terms, final papers, finals. It's also brutally unforgiving in the event of illness, a funk, or just not getting something right away.</p>
<p>My D is on the semester system and the nominal load is four classes/semester, not three. Some take five. She takes four and two two-credit non-solid classes. No problem. Watching her experience, I would now prefer it.</p>
<p>My daughter is on a 10 week quarter system. She likes it academically but feels like she has catching up to do when she gets home in June when her friends have been back for a few weeks and then is here without them for a couple of weeks at the end of the summer. Also, she has a 7 week break from right before Thanksgiving to right after Christmas so there's another gap where her friends are not here, they get back and she's gone! Secretly, works out great for us because she tends to stay home during the non-friend time and hangs out with us!</p>
<p>I think it will work out well when her younger brother starts college this fall. She can help us move him in and might be able to visit him at his college during her Spring break. As for summer vacation, that's already hard to schedule!</p>
<p>I agree with TheDad. I found the quarter system to be high stress, especially with a major that required copious amounts of reading. It was easy to fall behind and every 3 weeks there was a major requirement. My S is on semesters and is currently taking 5 classes. I think there's more time to reflect and delve deeper into the coursework. The quarter system is so rushed.</p>
<p>For math, science, foreign language and other fields where courses are taken in sequence, it hardly matters. Mid-terms, quarter finals, semester finals, whatever.</p>
<p>But, the quarter system is tough for courses where a lot of general reading and a paper are required, like history and maybe literature. It's start class, have the reading and paper assigned, maybe a mid-term, paper due, exam on all the reading, all in a flash</p>
<p>Back when the dinosaurs roamed, I went to college on the quarter system. I did this for both undergrad and grad school. Personally, I loved it. The coursework was more intense for the 10 week quarters, but then you moved on to something else. There were times when I felt overwhelmed, but to be honest, I think I would have felt the same way taking MORE courses each semester. The only downside I can think of is you have exams three times a year instead of two. BUT you have less exams to study for each time. One thing I REALLY liked was that our quarters ended at break times meaning we never had papers or coursework to do during our big breaks (winter and spring). Many of my friends came home during spring break but they had projects to complete, papers to write, and reading to do. I had a BREAK. My old classes had ended and my new ones hadn't begun.</p>
<p>We have one son on the quarter system and one on semesters; the quarter system does seem more stressful in that you seem to be always getting ready for midterms and finals. The school on the semester system offers more opportunities for longer term papers and projects. The one clear advantage for quarters is that if you get a bad prof/TA, you aren't stuck as long.</p>
<p>i love the quarter system because it gives you the chance to take a lot of classes and if you don't like a class/professor its over in 10 weeks. It gives a lot of flexibility in classes and schedules.</p>
<p>As a teacher and college administrator, I had a love-hate attitude toward the quarter system. On the one hand things blew by fast, often too fast for students and faculty to get into a rhythm or take a breath; and there were lots of starts and stops (registration, adds-drops, final exam periods, grades due, etc.) seemingly without surcease. On the other hand, it was much easier to organize time away from teaching for my faculty -- to give them 10 weeks release for research or other assignments. But on balance, it doesn't really make a lot of difference to students or faculty. A more important determinant of the quality of the curriculum or teaching/learning experience is class size.</p>
<p>Wow. Thanks everybody. This gives me some things to think about. </p>
<p>Since son #2 wants to do engineering, maybe it's better if the exams come quickly - material is fresher in mind and there's less time to procrastinate. On the other hand, he is not a kid who likes things terribly rushed. </p>
<p>This thread has helped me decide, though, that this probably should not be a factor in looking at schools.</p>
<p>I agree. Go with the school/program that fits best academically/socially, and as far as semester vs. quarter, let the chips fall where they may. It will all be good :)</p>
<p>It depends on the kid. Our D is on 10 week trimester system. She has always been the type to get things done several days/week before a due date. The intensity of her schedule fits her. It apparently has cured her roommate of her procrastinating ways. Our procrastinating S works best under self-imposed last minute pressure. He has attended schools with semester schedules that have made it possible for him to continue succeed at this :rolleyes:. They would hate to have each others' schedules.</p>
<p>My school does trimesters..the disavantage is learning a lot off stuff in so little time</p>
<p>I too have one S on a quarter system and the other S on the semester system. S1 takes 4 courses per quarter and it has at times been hectic. Before he knows it the first set of tests and papers are upon him. S2, on the semester sysytem, takes 5 courses per semester and that has it's own stresses. Midterm and final periods are extremely hectic and have been very stressful, regardless of the amount of preparation he has put in. Is one better than the other, or worse? I think they adjust to whatever system exists at their school.</p>
<p>Our son is on a 10 week trimester. He is a double degree in music performance and the three term system means his weekly lessons are interrupted more often with exam periods. The other downside is that continuous courses are offered in three term sequences that cannot be started halfway through the year. Foreign language and math course offerings are very inflexible. While the three terms allow more classes per year, one must take the required courses at very specific times. The advantage to this system is that the student learns immediately that procrastination isn't an option.</p>