<li><p>What’s good about it?</p></li>
<li><p>What’s bad about it?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Any comments on the comparison between quarter system and semester system.</p>
<p>Thanks :D</p>
<ol>
<li><p>U leave earlier than ppl in the semester system, for breaks and u return later than them as well</p></li>
<li><p>Classes go by faster meaning that’s tests are approaching fairly quickly</p></li>
</ol>
<p>My S likes that he never has to study or finish papers during winter or spring break. He uses that time to read ahead for the next quarter if he feels like it.</p>
<p>Since quarters are only 10 weeks of classes, there is less of an opportunity to let things go until you are hopelessly behind.</p>
<p>Quarter system schools start in mid-late September and don’t get out until June something. Some people say that makes it tougher to get internships, although I don’t know about that for sure.</p>
<p>If you have a class or professor that you really don’t like, it only lasts 10 weeks, with the 11th week for the final.</p>
<p>with the quarter system i feel like you can get more classes done in a year. also, if you don’t like a class…well it’s over in just a few weeks. </p>
<p>however, quarter system is generally more fast-paced and stressful because they do try to cram a lot in. Expect your first midterm by the third week of school (sometimes earlier/later). And with the quarter system there are three sets of finals in a year, vs. two sets with the semester system. and 3 sets of books to buy (expensive!)</p>
<p>You don’t have to do any work over breaks though! It’s really nice to be totally done with finals before winter/spring break while other people are studying :-)</p>
<p>Negatives- your breaks do not match those of your hometown friends attending other colleges (except for about 10 days over the Christmas and New Years holidays). Also if you are home for the summer your hometown friends go back to school anywhere from a month to 6 weeks before you do.
Quarters do not realistically allow shopping for classes because it is very hard to catch up if you add the class after 2 weeks.</p>
<p>^But if your friends happen to go to Dartmouth, Northwestern or several other schools which also have quarters then your breaks will line up magically (or so I think).</p>
<p>^Yes. My son’s Northwestern friend was the only one also home this Spring Break. So qualify my comments to refer to colleges using the semester system.</p>
<p>I think quarter courses cover as much as semester courses: this is a double-edged sword: quarter courses ar more work, more exams (midterms begin almost immediately),stuff like that; but, you get to take more courses, if that’s what you like. Also, the calendar is different: q schools go from late Sept to mid June; s go from labor day to early/mid May. Another factor, since the great majority are s schools, it’s harder to do semesters abroad, or at other colleges, because the schedules don’t line up</p>
<p>Random question (though kind of relevant), when do first years get on campus? Basically, when does pre-orientation/move in start?</p>
<p>good question. I want to know too! lol</p>
<p>I think they said like mid-september</p>
<p>yeah, it was sep. 16th…that was my frosh orientation date last year</p>
<p>haha, it seems like last week for me…</p>
<p>Stanford has many offerings for study abroad so it is not really necessary to align with another program. In fact the quarter system is very beneficial for studying abroad since you have two terms on campus in the year to work on your required courses rather than half the year away. It makes it more feasible for even students with heavy courseload majors (engineering etc) to take a quarter to live in Spain.</p>