<p>Okay, now I'm looking for some anecdotal insight into JanTerm. </p>
<p>Are you (or your kid) taking JanTerm course at Hampshire or at another college? Is it hard getting around via bus, or pretty much the same as the rest of the school year? I know it's been mild in the Northeast this winter, so far....</p>
<p>Are you (they) taking courses a) totally out of your area,
b) trying to satisfy requirements (which actually might also be true of (a)), or
c) going further into one of your favorite pursuits?</p>
<p>What's the average day like? Half class, half study, or is there a lot of downtime? </p>
<p>How many (% guess) students are around? Are there special activities or events only for JanTerm, or do clubs hold their usual events?</p>
<p>Is the overall vibe different during Janterm? How so? Less focused on projects (because there's only one course), or more (because deadlines are more imminent)? </p>
<p>Do students who have done it before tend to do it every year, or is it "something that must be tried once"?</p>
<p>Our son attended 3 out of 4 Hampshire Jan terms and our daughter attended 2 out of 3 (so far). In general they have used Jan term to do something out-of-the-ordinary. There are, for example, intensive language courses that meet all day long and could not be accomplished while taking other classes. Our son took a drawing class, exploring an area that he had never participated in before. Our son and daughter took a Jan Term class together (Theater of the Oppressed) the only time that they have ever done that.</p>
<p>In order to fit in a whole class in such a short amount of time, most classes meet 4-5 days per week and for many hours each day. Obviously, things move very fast and there is little time for procrastination. Still, our kids reported that the overall atmosphere is relaxed. Our daughter estimated that about 75% of students were present for Jan Term, in part because the tuition is not optional. If Jan Term had a separate tuition, participation would go down.</p>
<p>It is cold and dreary in January, and not everything is open or operational. Students seem to hunker down in their dorms or mods and don’t leave campus that much.</p>
<p>Our daughter is not in Jan Term right now - instead she is doing an independent project that involves conducting class observations in a local elementary school. Perhaps the fact that her fianc</p>
<p>I thought Jan Term was a great idea and a great opportunity for creativity. My D had been hoping to do it her first year (Jan '13), possibly doing a language immersion and/or the CLC project, but was expecting to spend Jan '14 off campus, in Nashville–she’s a singer/songwriter.
I guess there’s a significant financial advantage in keeping the school closed for 4+ weeks instead of 2. I hope they come up with some other opportunities–the DivI requirements of a CLC and at least 7 classes are just a bit more daunting without JanTerm-- less wiggle room.</p>
<p>Yes, it was a shock to me also. I have not heard a single word about closing down Jan Term, except from my daughter, but she is pretty, ‘plugged-in’ at Hampshire. I’m hoping that she is mis-informed, but that has not been the case in the past.</p>
<p>Well, for what it’s worth, it’s still on the “Combination academic and divisional calendar 2012/2013”–preregistration Nov 5, classes Jan 3-17th. Fingers crossed that they keep it around. I’d love for her to have the opportunity, at least during Div I and ideally throughout her years there.</p>
<p>I meant CEL-1, above (not CLC)–there’s a new requirement since your daughter’s start, they need a formalized writeup after approximately 40 hours of involvement in a campus activity or organization.</p>