<p>What are the pros and cons of the quarter system and how does it affect the academic workload and stress levels?</p>
<p>uh well I just started here as a freshman but here's a good idea of the quarter system</p>
<p>We just started class two weeks ago and I have two midterms in a week.</p>
<p>hmm. iono haha mabye my profs are weird but i dont have midterms until last week of october.</p>
<p>So compared to a school that does not function on the quarter system, would you say its is a plus or minus point when considering Northwestern against other schools?</p>
<p>It's definitely a mixed bag.</p>
<p>Pluses:
- If you hate a class, it doesn't last THAT long for it to be over.
- Seems like you get to take more classes per year than other schools.
- No homework/studying over breaks (all big breaks fall after a quarter ends).</p>
<p>Minuses:
- Schedule is different than most schools, so you don't always see friends over breaks.
- Tests catch up with you. Seriously.
- Seems to make things somewhat stressful, although I can't compare the stress level to other schools since I don't know firsthand. </p>
<p>Hope this helps. I like it, mostly because I think the no HW over breaks is a huge plus...friends have stressed to me about not being able to enjoy weeks off due to major cramming for finals. Whereas we have Reading Week (is this another quarter benefit or is this everywhere?) where the week before finals we have no classes. Which is great for partying AND studying. So it's really a personal thing.</p>
<p>"Pluses:
- If you hate a class, it doesn't last THAT long for it to be over."</p>
<p>-Yes, but, by the very definition of this statement, a class that someone loves also ends quickly, possibly leading into one he hates; this can be a double-edged sword</p>
<p>UCLA also has quarters, and I never really liked it that much. I preferred semesters when I took classes at community colleges. The pace is much more realistic, I think.</p>
<p>dfleish and kk19131 have put the pros/cons very well. i agree with both of you.</p>
<p>I like the quarter system because I get to take more classes. However, organic chem and physics are year long sequences so "If you hate a class, it doesn't last THAT long for it to be over" doesn't work in my case. Not a big fan of either of those classes...</p>
<p>Correction: Not all schools at Northwestern (SESP, Communications for example) have a Reading Week. I've had SESP classes during Reading Week while my CAS classmates were able to cram and prepare for exams during Finals Week.</p>
<p>Yeah I just found out only WCAS has reading week. But it's fine because you still won't have the WCAS classes you are taking that week so you can still study during those days, if you want.</p>
<p>"Yes, but, by the very definition of this statement, a class that someone loves also ends quickly, possibly leading into one he hates; this can be a double-edged sword." -> Then you can always try to take another class about a similar topic, or with the same teacher. Just saying :)</p>