The Plight of the Quarter System

The quarter system actually isn’t that bad (personally, I prefer it).  Around 15 percent of universities use the quarter system today, with the majority of the rest opting for the semester system.  The quarter system is simple- the school year is split into four sections, and the majority of the students only take 3 of the quarters, with the fourth being summer break.

Photo from Flickr.com by Tulane Public Relations

Being split into four sections means you get to start school later than everyone else, and end phenomenally earlier in the fall.  Returning home for Thanksgiving is not overshadowed by the threat of finals- those have already been completed!  While your high school classmates slave away in their studies throughout December, you get to lie back and watch television, without a care in the world about education.

Yet things begin to get tough after your arrival back for winter quarter in January- because instead of having midterms right before spring break, it’s finals. And you still have a whole new batch of classes during spring quarter.  The most common complaint about the quarter system is the extent of the school year- instead of going on summer break around April or May, it’s in June.  When the sun has been out for ages, begging for you to hit up the beach or relax in its rays, rather than curling up in a not-so-comfortable library cubicle.

But is the quarter system really that bad? Instead of being exposed to only eight classes an academic year, you have the chance to take twelve. This makes it easier to double major, add more minors, or study abroad, because you know you have extra room in your schedule for dabbling in interesting subjects that aren’t a part of your major, or just having the chance to learn something new.  The end of May and into June is rough, no doubt about it.  The constant updates on Facebook about how great summer is can be frustrating- but think about how jealous people will be when you get off school before Thanksgiving or study abroad in some awesome far off country.  As a student, college is all about having unique experiences, learning new things, and attempting to decide where you want your life to go, and the quarter system makes these goals easier to obtain.