My university operates on the quarter system, which I am not very fond of-AT ALL.

On a quarter system, there is assignment after assignment due-day after day, and week after week. It is often incredibly frustrating.

My previous college operated on the semester system, and let's just say I didn't know how good I had it until after I transferred :-{

Anyway, what academic system does your current school operate on?
And...
Which academic system do you prefer?

Do you think that one is easier for most students to handle than the other one?

Let's hear your thoughts...

Well my college operates on a semester system and I am perfedtly fine with it! I've never been on the quarter system so I wouldn't know about that one...

im not sure how the quarter system works here in the US but i did have the quarter system in the Philippines...

right now i have a semester system here...

hmmm...

i dont really know which one i like better because they dont have the same amount of classes... in the phil. i had about 12 classes for the whole year... while here i only have six...

so i guess im pretty flexible with the schedules and all...

i guess it just takes time getting used too... sure it may seem overwhelming at first but in the end you'll get used to it....i wish you luck....

when i was in elementary and junior high school we operated on a quarter system. There were finals for each quarter, homework due every single day for every single class. we also had to receive report cards every quarter and go through a scared syndrome because my principal was so scary.....i didnt really like it...being scared 8x a year by one person -.- there was a test every week too...pop quizzes nearly everyday...mainly they did this so that there were more scores to divide

in high school same process, the whole quarter system...but it was more fall / spring but it leaned more towards semester system...we only had midterms and finals...thats all....it was the life

in college, they operate on the semester system too. midterm/finals thats about it...every few weeks there is a test and thats about it

i would prefer the whole semester system....quarter system is too annoying! too much studying

I'll try to explain to those who are not familiar with the quarter system vs. the semester system.

I've experienced college under both systems so I am fairly familiar with how they relate to each other.

OK, let's say one student takes four classes at a semester school, and another student takes four classes at a quarter school. The semester student would be carrying a 12 credit load. The quarter student would be carrying a 16 credit load-even for taking the very same courses as the semester student.

From my experiences, for example, the students may be receiving the same amount of material in the classroom, however, the quarter student is receiving assignments, exams, and other course work related material more often during each term since there's less weeks in the quarter system to complete all course work.

Quarter system is about 10 weeks of instruction plus one week of final exams (11weeks total). Semester system is about fifteen weeks of instruction plus one week of final exams (16 weeks total).

Each one (1) semester credit hour equals 1.5 quarter credit hours. So a 3 credit course at a semester college is a 4.5 credit course at a quarter college (3*1.5).

That's all folks :-}

Hey

I'm an upcoming freshman and I'm experiencing a hard decision between quarters vs. semesters.
Which one is better??

Hi, Chikagirl,

I'm reluctant to say that one academic system is better than another, because I have worked under both kinds, and I have done very well with both the semester and the quarter systems. However, I will say that the quarter system is considerably more challenging since it's a much shorter system, which means that students must complete an equivalent amount of work in less time. One advantage of a quarter school is that I get the entire month of December OFF :) ~ at my school anyway. When I went to a semester school, we had only about a two week Christmas break (can't remember when school started again in January)Because we would have finals during the first two weeks of December.

Anyway, I advise that you ask as many other college students as you can how they have adjusted to the systems,and what they think about the two. They can give more sound advice if they have actually worked under both the quarter and semester university systems.
Finally, I would not worry about whether a school used a semester calendar or a quarter, or whatever others there are in this country, the reputation, and integrity of the school is most important to consider when deciding on a college. You will be fine when entering a school and meeting the demands of both. Both academic calendars require commitment, excellent time management skills, and perseverance to do well. All that said, I suppose there is not necessarily a better system afterall :)
It is simply a matter of how well one can adjust to either of the systems.

Wish You Well :)

Always aim higher-i'm going to be going to DePaul as well-i am also not too happy about changing from the semester system to the quarter, but i realllly like how we get all of December off. In the long run, i guess it's better because since it's more challenging, we will hopefully perform better in the workforce, but it will be harder for us while we are actually in school.

When I attended college in 1975-79, my state college was on the quarter system. They have since changed to semesters.

Now that I am returning to a different college, they are on a semester system.

Personally I prefer the quarter system. Doing assignments day to day makes it better to keep up with the work. You can't sit back and say "I have 4 months to get this done and will get to it later"

You get a fresh start 3 times per school year.
We had a week break at t-giving (end of quarter)

Semester is OK and I know it is the choice for many colleges. B0th have their pros and cons.

College itself is not easy, it requires time management skills and self discipline to set your own schedule. Leave some time for a little fun now and then but remember, college is temporary (2-4 yrs); fun in life is a lifelong thing.

I think that both have their positives and negatives. As far as the semester system, it goes slower, so you are better able to absorb the material. This allows you more time to study, practice, and follow through the material. Thus, you should be able to retain more when the semester is over. However, semester system takes forever. The quarter system allows you to take more classes in the same period as a semester. Classes are faster paced so they may be more difficult. However, this is good if you have classes that you just want to get through quickly :P I would prefer to be in the quarter system just because I would be able to take that much more classes. They semester system is killing me right now with the length.

My college goes by semesters, which I like. However, when I transfer (hopefully the end of Spring 2009) I will be thrown into the quarter system, which of course will be completely different and new to me... but it is also something I have no control over at all. To me it is just another change I have to make, along with going to upper-division classes (I'm in community college) and actually having to travel via freeways between home & my univerity (I'm a mother of 1 with another on the way...cant do the dorm thing).

I like having the quarter system so that I know how I am doing befor it is too late to work harder.

I'm currently on the semester system, but am transferring to a school on the quarter system soon. The semester system is ok, but I think that I would like the quarter system better because classes are only ten weeks long vs. fifteen weeks long. I am the kind of person that is always looking ahead in the book; i like to find out what we're gonna learn next. Even though there is more work to be done in a shorter amount of time I still believe I will like the quarter system better.

I love the semester system at my university! It is so nice to know that you don't have to have an assignment done the very next day or that your instructor will lecture all week then throw at test at you at the end of the week. I don't have to worry about getting something done immediately if I know I have two or more days to complete it. Of course, there is always the point that if you are required to take a class from an instructor that you don't care for much you only have to see them two days out of the week instead of five. :)

The college i attend works on a semester system and i like

that. I have attended a college that operated on quarters

and that worked for me also. I don't mind either one is

fine for me. I believe that it depends on the student to

determine weather quarter or semester works for them.

My high school was on trimesters, which is basically like quarters. I really liked that because I could take more classes.

now here in college we are on semesters. I can't really handle it very well, I get bored with my classes quickly. I really miss the trimesters/quarters. They gave me a chance to learn and know the material, test on it, and then move on. It is just hard for me to keep on certain classes for 4 months..


I think it matters on the student's learning styles for which one they would like more, or at least do better in. I know for me I get bored easily, so I like the shorter classes.

I attend The Ohio State University, and we are currently operating on the quarter system. There have been talks to switching over to the semster system, but that is highly opposed by most students--including myself. I really love the quarter system, despite the fact it moves very quickly. It forces you to keep up with your work, and doesn't let you get behind. Sometimes it's hard, especially when you have many classes. But I would hate to be stuck in the same class for 16 weeks. That is way too long! Especially with a bad professor.

in hate the semester system its confusing but i wonder which one is more beneficial? is there a difference?

There is a difference at my school at least. When I started high school, we were on an A B schedule which is like a quarter schedule I think. It was the worst experience because everyday you had to go to a different class, and everyday you had homework. You also had to look at the annoying teacher that you always get once a year.....

But semester is much better IMO. Semester you have a class for 2 9 week periods and its done, no studying for 8 classes anymore, and when you are done with the annoying teacher, you don't have to see her for another year. So I am for semesters.

I had no idea that there are universities that operate upon the quarter-credit system. I am adjusted to the semester classes and I am assuming that I would semester courses to quarter courses.