This week, the University of Cincinnati announced its plan to convert its academic calendar from the quarter system to semesters. The conversion would take place no earlier than 2011. If UC converts, that will leave only four public universities in Ohio that will still be on the quarter system. (My alma mater, Ohio University, is one of them.)
> Was your alma mater on semesters, or quarters, or some hybrid (like Cornell College of Iowa's "One class at a time" structure where you take just one course every day over the course of a couple weeks, then move on to another class for a similar stint)?
> What did you think of your school's way of doing things?
> Did your school change from quarters to semesters (or vice-versa) while you were there? If so, what was that like?
This week, the University of Cincinnati announced its plan to convert its academic calendar from the quarter system to semesters. The conversion would take place no earlier than 2011. If UC converts, that will leave only four public universities in Ohio that will still be on the quarter system. (My alma mater, Ohio University, is one of them.)
> Was your alma mater on semesters, or quarters, or some hybrid (like Cornell College of Iowa's "One class at a time" structure where you take just one course every day over the course of a couple weeks, then move on to another class for a similar stint)?
> What did you think of your school's way of doing things?
> Did your school change from quarters to semesters (or vice-versa) while you were there? If so, what was that like?
Thanks
Mark
When I was in college, we based our school year on the hunting seasons and the phases of the moon.
Did you have actual books, Spider, or did you just read stone tablets?
Mizzou is on semesters, and Loyola-Chicago, where I'm starting grad school this fall, on semesters. I don't have much frame of reference for one over the other, but I liked my schedule.
I've never been to a semester school,(went to Ohio U and tOSU) so I don't know from personal experience. However, my sister transferred from a semester school (Eastern Kentucky) to a quarter school (tOSU) and said she liked semesters much better.
Many around here believe that Buckeye football is what is keeping OSU from converting to semesters. They get about a month more of the season completed before the players begin classes(usually 3rd week in September) in the fall, which means more "voluntary" practices, weight work, film work, etc. without the distraction of homework and class.
I don't know if that's a reason why the university hasn't switched, but it wouldn't surprise me.
I don't know if I could handled the daily grind of Cornell college, particularly science and math where sometimes the principles take a bit of time to sink in. Alo, I like a little variety and dealing with teh same information 15 days straight would drive me nuts.
Never experienced the quarters scheme, so I don't if there is any benefit.
I actually thrived in compacted courses, like the 4-5 days a week thing when I got to college. Mainly happened in the summer time, when I'd cram an entire semester's worth of work into one month and come out with a higher GPA than I would had I spent the entire semester sleeping through my 9 a.m.
When I finally settled down and decided to major in something besides the 3Bs (beer, broads, and billiards) I went to National University. Their program is designed for working adults who need to "get 'er done". Each class is one month long. You go to classes 2 nights per week, 4 hours each night, and two Saturdays (including the day of the final). You complete a semester's worth of work in one month. Most of my classes included a paper, a mid-term, and a final. It is intense!. However, by the time I was getting bored with the class/instructor/classmates I had a week to go before it was over and I was starting something new. It worked really well for me. Granted, math classes were tough, but I never got bored.
When I was in college we were on tri-mesters, 10 weeks each (fall, winter and spring) and 3-4 classes per term. I had semesters in grad school. Trimesters were nice since if you didn't like the class it was over sooner, but I didn't take any classes I didn't like in grad school so it didn't make much of a difference.
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I like semesters. I know it is all I can really compare to. But the shedule was fine, I got enough out of my courses. However 12 semesters of school sure felt like an eternity.
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Semesters vs Quarters? 
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