Semester vs. Quarter: Choosing the Right College Calendar
Thinking about going to college? Before you head into the world of higher education, it's important to understand the different academic calendar systems that colleges use. This article will break down the semester and quarter systems, outlining their differences and helping you decide which one is the best fit for your learning style and preferences.
Understanding the Semester System
The semester system divides the college year into two primary parts: the fall semester, followed by a winter break, and the spring semester, followed by a summer break. Typically, a semester system is around 15 weeks long, though the exact length varies based on the specific school and holiday schedule. Each semester is roughly divided into two sections with a break in the middle, traditionally a week-long fall and spring break. For those used to a traditional high school schedule with two semesters in the academic year, transitioning to a semester system school can feel more familiar.
Course Load in a Semester System
A typical full-time student’s semester course load is about 12-18 credit hours, or about 4-6 classes each term. In general, a student will take roughly 15 credits per semester, for a total of 30 credits per academic year. A part-time student’s semester course load is less than 12 credits, or three classes or fewer, per term. Students may choose heavier or lighter course loads depending on the difficulty of their classes and their other responsibilities, such as a job or family obligations. The last week of the semester is typically reserved for final exams.
Pros of the Semester System
In-depth learning: Because semester terms are longer, they create more time for in-depth learning and for connections with classmates and professors. Some people prefer that the semester system is longer as they believe it translates into more in-depth teaching. Students also have more time to complete challenging assignments. With the semester schedule's longer terms, you've got more time for deep-diving into your major, networking with professors and other students, and doing some serious research.
Natural Transition: The semester system is similar to what most students experience in high school.
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Student-Teacher Relationship: Since classes are formatted for longer amounts of time, students and teachers may develop stronger bonds.
Predictable Financial Aid: In the semester system, your financial aid is typically spread across two semesters. This can make budgeting more predictable, and you can often plan your expenses accordingly.
Professional Development: The semester system offers longer breaks.
Cons of the Semester System
Heavier GPA Weight: By taking fewer classes over the course of your program, each class you take in the semester system has a bigger effect on your overall GPA. Another disadvantage of the semester system is that classes generally carry more GPA weight each term.
Potential for Stress: While 15 weeks is often more than enough time to thoroughly learn a course’s material, spending 15 weeks in anywhere from two to six classes that end at the same time can be stressful.
Read also: Understanding Semester Length
Full-Time Requirements: On the semester system, students often have to take a certain number of classes per semester to remain full-time for scholarships and other forms of financial aid.
Exploring the Quarter System
Unlike the semester system's structure, the quarter system operates on a four-part schedule: fall, winter, spring, and sometimes a shorter summer term. Here's the kicker: each of these quarters is shorter compared to semesters. We're talking about roughly a 10-week quarter. Some prestigious schools, like the University of California, Stanford University, and the University of Chicago, are known for using the quarter system. It is also widely used in community colleges. The college quarter system divides the academic year into fall, winter, spring, and, sometimes, summer terms.
Course Load in a Quarter System
Students on the quarter system typically take fewer courses a term than students in the semester system. The average full-time student on the quarter system typically takes 3-4 courses per term, or 9-12 credits. In general, a student will take around 15 credit hours per quarter, taking classes three out of the four quarters for a total of 45 credit hours per year.
Pros of the Quarter System
Flexibility: The quarter system gives students the opportunity to take part in more classes each year. Having four opportunities per year to take a class gives students a lot of flexibility when it comes to building their schedule each semester.
Smaller Class Loads: One big advantage of the quarter system is that students are taking less classes than students in a semester system. This smaller number of classes means a lighter workload per student, which can help reduce stress.
Read also: Calculate GPA: A Comprehensive Guide
Opportunity to Explore: Students in the quarter system sign up for a greater number of classes throughout the year. This benefits students looking to take more classes covering more diverse topics. College is a time to learn about yourself and maybe even pick up an extra skill or two. Studying in a quarter system at an American university, you will have plenty of opportunities to experience classes that you may otherwise not have taken.
Networking Opportunities: Quarters will have you grouped with new students, professors, and faculty every ten weeks on the other end of the spectrum. Factor in the number of electives you will take, and the types of students you’ll come across will span all sorts of different majors and degrees. This is the perfect time for you to build a network of friends, career connections and maybe even score a few recommendations from professors.
Potentially Shorter Breaks: While students may see a shorter break as a negative, it could actually be beneficial. Having shorter breaks between quarters means students won’t experience the same “brain drain” as students on the semester system. Sometimes, the long breaks between semesters makes it harder to get back into the groove of school.
GPA Improvement: In the quarter system, you've got more chances to improve your cumulative GPA because of those extra credit hours.
Cons of the Quarter System
Faster Pace: The shorter timeframe means content is typically covered at a faster pace. Though students are in fewer classes per quarter than their semester system counterparts, 10 to 11 weeks is still a very fast pace to learn an entire course’s worth of information. With its shorter terms and faster pace, it might feel like a whirlwind compared to the more leisurely high school routine. As a quarter is only ten weeks long, the intensity of your classes may be higher than if you were to take those same classes over a semester or trimester.
Constant Exams: Because quarter terms are shorter, exams such as midterms and finals can feel closer together and more constant.
Internship and Study Abroad Challenges: One of the biggest issues with the semester system being so widely adopted is that many internship schedules are set around fall and spring semesters, not quarters. Studying abroad is something that many college students dream of. However, this is another opportunity that typically runs on the semester schedule; especially if students are taking classes at a partnering university in another country.
More Frequent Billing: In the quarter system, they usually bill you for tuition and fees each quarter. So, you're making more frequent payments throughout the academic year.
The Trimester System: An Alternative Option
Now, you might be thinking, "Are there any other options?" Well, there is another academic calendar configuration known as the trimester system. The trimester system is another way of structuring a college’s academic calendar, though it’s less popular than either the quarter or semester systems. It divides the academic year into three terms, typically running for 12 weeks each. The trimester system divides the year up into three 11 to 12 week sessions: one in the winter, one in the spring and one in the fall. In the USA, many middle schools and high schools use the trimester system. In contrast, most higher education institutions use semesters - that’s not to say there aren’t some colleges in the USA that use the trimester system. Studying in a trimester system strikes a happy middle ground between quarters and semesters. You benefit from attending classes frequently, switching classes often (relative to semesters), and more personal instruction from instructors as you would in a quarter system.
Credit Conversion Between Systems
If you’re a transfer student wondering how your quarter hours will transfer to a school on the semester system (or vice versa), wonder no more.
Semester System to Quarter System: Typically, 1 semester credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter credits.
Quarter System to Semester System: Conversely, 1 quarter credit is equivalent to 0.67 semester credits.
Factors Influencing Your Choice
The semester and quarter systems bring you a different experience based on factors like course load, flexibility in your schedule, financial aid, and more. The choice between these systems also affects your GPA. Ultimately, the transition from high school to college varies from person to person.
Learning Style
Which system - quarter or semester - is better depends on your personal preference and learning style. Both systems are valid and have their own pros and cons. Students who thrive in a semester system are those who prefer a slower, less demanding pace.
Flexibility
For students seeking the most flexible college education available, then online college may be the best bet. At the University of the People, there are actually five course terms offered per year and each one spans about two months.
Graduate Studies
Graduate students in semester-based programs often have a more concentrated course load that allows for in-depth study and research, perfect for an academic-intensive career track. Conversely, graduate students in a quarter-based system, like the University of Chicago, experience a more accelerated pace. Classes are short and to the point, which means you're always on your toes and working hard to keep up.
The Trend Away From Quarters
Semesters are, indeed, the dominant academic calendar in the United States. In 1991, about 87 percent of schools operated on a semester schedule. That increased to 95 percent by 2010. In 1891, the University of Chicago was the first to implement 10-week quarters, and while dozens of schools followed suit in the decades after that, the recent trend has been to move away from the quarter system. These conversions come at a cost-Ohio State spent $12.6 million to modify technology, redesign courses, and realign its curriculum.
Impact of Switching to Semesters
They found that switching to semesters reduced on-time graduation rates by 3.7 percentage points, equivalent to a 10 percent decline at the mean for four-year graduation rates. Importantly, this was not a short-term impact. One benefit would have been if the change to semesters opened up more internship opportunities for students. But the authors found little evidence to support that hypothesis. The authors speculate that moving to a semester system causes delays in graduation because it gives students less scheduling flexibility. Classes are offered less frequently and the school terms are longer.
It is important to note: “We’re not trying to say if you’re on semesters, your students are doomed,” Fischer said.
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