<p>What do you like/dislike about Cal being on semesters?</p>
<p>Well, in my experience, you can cover a lot more breadth but a little less depth with the quarter system in the same time. Academically, quarters are a good amount harder, though, since they progress quickly.</p>
<p>with the semesters, your spring break is right in the middle of your last semester, and its usually during midterm season, so you may get stuck with a midterm right when you return (like me!) WIth the quarters, however, both spring and winter break occur during the end of quarters, which is nice.</p>
<p>if u dont like taking a lot of tests and like getting out of school a month earlier go semester</p>
<p>Semester means lesser midterms and finals. Then again, your GPA will fluctuate less because of lesser classes.</p>
<p>Quarter system:
+get a fresh start three times a year instead of just twice.
+get to make more classes! (i always want to take more classes than i have time for)
+get to fully enjoy spring break</p>
<p>Semester system:
+slower pace
+get out for summer earlier (I know quarter people start later, but I think getting out earlier is better than starting later)
+fewer finals/midterms</p>
<p>Can't one say that fewer midterms/finals is a bad thing as that means there are less tests that will determine your grade (so the weight is better distributed; rather than your grade relying heavily just on a couple tests, you'll have more room for error with your grade relying on more tests)? Or by fewer midterms/finals are you referring to having fewer classes with the semester system?</p>
<p>Wasn't one of the major reasons that Berkeley switched to the semester system was to save money on administrative tasks and such? I thought I read this somewhere awhile ago..</p>
<p>Question -- if the general rule on the quarter system is 15 units a quarter (12 units minimum), how does that translate to the semester system? Is each class given more units? And what's the general minimum, mid and max to be considered full time a semester?</p>
<p>beatchick: a 4 semester unit class at Berkeley has the approx weight of a little less than 3 units at UCLA... I am taking 9 units at UCSD this summer and it will transfer to 6 semester units at Cal.</p>
<p>In the semester system do you usually take more tests or do grades still follow the midterm/final model?</p>
<p>Classes typically have 1-2 midterms and a final. Some classes actually have no final, though they aren't so common with the exception of most R&C classes, since they are writing classes.</p>
<p>So the average full time load is about 4 courses a semester?</p>
<p>"Semester means lesser midterms and finals. Then again, your GPA will fluctuate less because of lesser classes."</p>
<p>Fewer midterms and finals; fewer classes. (Sorry, I had to...)</p>
<p>Typically speaking,
quarter system = how many classes/qtr x how many units each?
semester system = how many classes/sem x how many units each?</p>
<p>Semester system: 4 courses typically/semester, 4 units each (however, there are a lot of 1-5 unit classes. Most people take around 15 units, freshmen are recommended to take the minimum amount of 13) </p>
<p>I really don't know about quarter. I have a lot of friends at Stanford, and they seem to usually take 3 classes per quarter, maybe 1 sort of 'joke' class or seminar.</p>