I was just wondering about what you guys as Princeton University students think. That’s because I didn’t even know that most or many high schools have finals after winter break until 2014. I found that out when I looked at school calendar for many school districts all around the country. A while before that, I thought all schools (below post secondary) began in mid August just like the school district I went to school did. Then, I looked up the calendar for universities, and though all on the semester system did have finals before winter break until I saw Princeton University calendar. Then, somewhere online, someone said that 1% of colleges on semester system today has finals after winter break. If schools can have finals on the end of the 2nd semester without a 1-2 week break right before it, so can they for the 1st semester. I imagined that it would be very annoying spending Christmas and New Years Time studying for finals, but lucky for me, I never had to, because my final exams always were before winter break. Then, I checked the calendar for my college when it first opened many decades ago (keep in mind that many community colleges in California had 18 week semesters instead of 16 weeks practically forever) had their finals after winter break with no break after finals, and that many colleges back then were the same, even for many college/universities with a 16 week semester. I know your university has no classes or exams for one week between the fall and spring semester. However, did you guys know that many colleges and universities on the semester system that has finals before winter break are study free for 3 weeks at the very minimum, and a few has it up to 5 or 6 weeks, such as Harvard University having a 4.5-5 week winter break with a 3 week winter session right after New Year’s. They used to have finals after winter break until 2009 and had one week off classes between their fall and spring semester. They only moved back their fall semester, significantly lengthening their winter break. If Princeton University only moves back the fall semester to allow students have finals before Christmas, your winter break will then be lengthened to 6 or 7 weeks. I believe that a one week break between semesters is no real break. Imagine 6 or 7 weeks winter break! That gives some real time for winter travel and fun, such as snowboarding, snow skiing, or whatever fun travel you wish. I know that it will shorten summer vacation, but it will then still be 3 months long, only barely 3 months. Well, comment your preference and if many or enough students comment saying they prefer finals before winter break, the university calendar planners may begin to consider once again moving the fall semester back. #MajorityRules
I’m not a Princeton student; oops I responded.
But as a former student i thought it a nightmare having the finals after Xmas break…spent the whole time feeling guilty I wasn’t studying.
“Only Princeton University students may respond”
That’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Indeed not. I’ve edited the post title.
To answer the OP as a non-Princeton student, this was one reason, albeit not the deciding reason, that I did not apply to Princeton. Obviously, that hasn’t stopped the 30K+ students from applying every year. FWIW, my college used to have fall finals after the New Year until a few years ago. I’m happy that they figured out how to adjust the calendar.
My son just graduated as a BSE concentrator. He said he liked having finals after the break because his workload was extremely heavy for the whole fall right up until the break. He took the first two weeks of the break off (most years except this year when the holiday break was two weeks which is definitely not the norm), studied the last week of break and the whole first week of returning (reading week) which he felt was sufficient (he graduated with highest honors so this strategy was effective). Finals were spread out enough to also allow good blocks of study between exams. Having a week off afterward before the beginning of second semester always meant going on retreats, trips into the city and hanging out with friends in and around campus.
I prefer finals before winter break. I’d rather get all my work over with, find out how I did the first week of winter break and then relax for the rest of it rather than get stressed and study for 5-6 weeks (my winter break is around a month and a half).
Harvard had a similar system. Many HS classmates who were Harvard students grumbled about this aspect of their undergrad experience as it meant they still had finals worries hanging over their head during Christmas break.
Really screwed up the continuity of what was supposed to be a relaxing holiday break.
I was thankful all my finals were done before Christmas/winter break.
Incoming student, I would prefer to have it before winter break and the idea of having a longer winter break sounds pretty good too. I don’t really understand the random 1 week breaks between semesters. I would rather have it condensed into 1 chunk (move the week off from January to lengthen winter break?)