It’s the little things: Semesters vs. Quarters

One of the things that sets a college apart is how their schedule works. The majority of colleges and universities use a semester system, where there’s a fall and a spring semester. You’re usually in school from August to December, and January to May, and you take two sets of classes a year.

Some schools, however, use a Trimester or Quarter system (they’re the same thing). You start school in September and finish in December. Then you have a set of classes from January to March, and a set of classes from April to June. You take three sets of classes a year.

While it doesn’t seem like that big of a difference while you’re looking at schools, it will make a big difference while you’re there. Many people who are on quarters find the system to be a bit isolating if all of their friends are on semesters, because the breaks never line up.

For example:

I am very good friends with a pair of twins who I went to middle and high school with. Since I started college, I have only ever been in the same room with both of them once. Why? One goes to a school on semesters, and one on quarters.

This doesn’t mean that being on the same system as your friends ensures you’re going to have your breaks together. I go to school in the south while most of my friends from high school stayed in NY. I always have my breaks a week or two before my friends, meaning I only get to see most of them for a day or two when I’m home.

While it’s not a huge decider, it is something to consider.

I guarantee some of your friendships from high school will fall by the wayside, but having mismatched breaks can make a huge difference.

The semester system is nice because it allows you to take longer classes. You’ll learn a little bit more as there are a few extra weeks to get information in. You’ll only have to deal with two sets of finals, which is still two too many.  

A big advantage of the quarter/trimester system is that you get to take three sets of classes a year. This is great because you’re more likely to get to take all of the classes that interest you, and if something really stinks you get to be out of it faster.

So a little thing to consider when choosing schools, Semesters or Trimesters?