My S has been accepted to the CoE for fall 2016. I’m trying to figure out how the trimester system works at UM. I know that there are Fall, Winter, Spring (full & half), and Summer sessions. What are full and half sessions? Which sessions are optional? How many/which sessions are normal to attend each year (with an average, full time load) in order to graduate in 4 years?
Fall (Sept-Dec) and Winter (Jan-Apr) are the primary terms. Your S should expect to attend these terms each of his four years, carrying 15-18 credits/term. Of course some students take more (or less) than four years depending on AP credit, course load, summer school, co-ops, etc.
Spring-Summer (May-Aug) is an optional term. Some classes last only half this term, either the Spring-Half (first half) or the Summer-Half.
Hope this helps!
We don’t have trimesters at UMich, as @MomOf2TeenGirls has pointed out
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@MomOf2TeenGirls - You have completely cleared up my confusion. Michigan is S’s 1st choice (if scholarships come through), but we could not quite make out which terms are the primary terms or if attending 3 terms a years is required. All the other schools to which he applied work on a semester system, which we are familiar with from my elder S attending college. Thanks so much!
@hailbate - If UMich doesn’t have trimesters, what does it have? What @MomOf2TeenGirls posted lined up with the basic information I read on UMich’s website. A further explanation from you would be more helpful than just a statement of disagreement.
Because of the shorter winter break at Michigan compared to most colleges with semesters (around two weeks vs. a month), the Fall and Winter terms are about as long as a semester and the course load is comparable. They are often referred to as semesters - my D calls them semesters. Because they start earlier in Jan, however, their Spring Break is usually much earlier than semester colleges. One other difference with Michigan is the long Spring-Summer term, which is as long as Fall and Winter. (At many colleges with semesters, the summer term is much shorter). For Michigan students, getting out by the end of April gives them loads of flexibility for their four month break - whether jobs, internships or summer school.
I think of Michigan as officially trimester but pragmatically semester. Or just call them “terms” and don’t worry about it. 
@JGCStation - good luck to your son!!
Michigan’s trimester system is essentially a shortened semester system. Most semesters begin their first term in mid August, Michigan’s first trimester begins in early September. Most semesters end the second term in mid May, Michigan’s second trimester ends in late April. Most semester universities have a little over three months of summer break. Michigan has a little over four months! Great for summer internships.
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Thanks so much, everyone. I let S read this and his is fine with the scheduling.
Michigan is not truly a trimester system because a true trimester system will have 10 week classes and students will take a fewer courses in each trimester. Students will be required to take classes all three trimesters, thereby ending up with about the same number of earned credits over the course of the academic year. Not too many schools use trimesters anymore. Michigan has two true semesters - fall and winter - of about 14 weeks each, with the option of taking additional classes in the spring/summer. Those spring/summer classes would be extra tuition. In a true trimester system, the tuition would cover all three trimesters with the additional option of taking summer classes. Michigan is not different from other schools on the semester system except they shorten the December holiday break and therefore finish up earlier in the year.
You need to be very judicious in planning summertime classes because only a small subset of classes (usually the most popular ones) are offered in Spring & Summer semesters. Many athletes and students who double major attend. Spring is more popular than summer as well. On the good side there are not many TA’s - most of the classes are small and taught by professors or lecturers. Classes run at double pace so every class is an ‘intensive’ class.
Some engineering specialties take 4.5 -5 years to complete so it’s a good way to complete requirements/electives and still stay on schedule. It’s also a nice way to complete part-time summer research and continue with a class.
We actually call it semesters here. There is fall term (September-December), winter term (January-April), spring term (May-June), and summer term (July-August). Classes taken during spring or summer term are twice the pace on average, and people usually take spring or summer classes if they need to catch up on coursework.
Umich may be listed as having “trimesters” for the purposes of applying to certain graduate or professional schools. I have seen them define semesters as only having fall, spring, and summer terms. Trimesters would be defined as having fall, winter, spring, and summer terms. Therefore, if applying to those schools, you would list umich as being on a trimester system, but when you are actually taking classes, they would feel no different than semesters.
Half sessions include the spring and summer terms. Enrollment in those terms is significantly lower than in the fall and winter terms, and there will be significantly fewer courses offered. They are called half terms because they only last half the duration of a normal term. The courses will be twice the pace on average, but they are not necessarily linear. Sometimes it may move super fast, and other times it may move a bit slower. Certain courses can easily be taken during those terms, but there are other courses where it may not be a good idea. If a course is known to be particularly challenging, then even if you are taking just that class, it can still be difficult to digest the material with the pace it is going at.
You know what’s so confusing? Calling the January - April semester WINTER semester/term. It should be called spring semester or spring term, just as other schools call it. First of all, it’s confusing to the U-M students who don’t know any other system. If an off-campus internship, co-op, outside study experience is advertised as being available spring semester, it means Jan-May. U-M students get confused and think it means the U-M spring term, which is May-June. Second, it is confusing to people new to U-M, like @JGCStation .
@JGCStation U-M is just like any other college with a semester system. Your annual tuition covers the Sept-Dec term (fall semester) and the Jan-April term (winter semester, which should be called spring semester). There is a two-week winter break in late Dec/early Jan. “Spring” break is early March. The “spring” term (May-June) and summer term (July-Aug) are optional and are not covered by the regualar annual tuition.
It was definitely confusing for me. I wonder why U-M chose this naming system? Thank you for clarifying @brantly.
Wait. What? Scholarships at UofM?! Who knew?
@brantly Michigan isn’t alone in call the Jan-April term “winter” term. So does University of Chicago, Cal, and a couple of the Ivies. The terms are named for when they begin.
But Chicago has true trimesters. Second semester always starts in January (sometimes Feb). However, it’s almost always called spring semester in schools that have a true semester system.
I always think it’s funny that most schools call it “Spring” semester since for many northeast schools, the weather is spring-like for about the last week of the semester. 