When I first started looking at colleges, I had no idea what the difference between a quarter system and semester system school was. It was just another thing on the laundry list of things I should know about the school, but in reality, had no idea when applying. I ended up choosing Northwestern because of its other features, such as its amazing journalism school and incredible opportunities for students on campus and after college. The quarter system came after.
Now that I am a student who has almost finished a year of the quarter system, I would say that the quarter system is like a roller coaster: it has its ups and downs. And while I’m stuck with it for the next three years, I figure I would at least list out to pros and cons of the quarter system which in the end, was the right choice to me.
Pro: If you hate a class or professor, you’re only in it for 10 weeks
This is probably one of the best features of the quarter system. Almost every college student has stuck with a class past the drop deadline and realized: “Oh crap. I hate this ____ (class, teacher, subject, etc.)” However, as a student on the quarter system, there’s hope for you. You only have a few more weeks in the class and then you have a break and can never study that subject ever again. By the start of next quarter, you’ll forget that you even hated the class in the first place.
Con: Your yearly schedule is out of whack with your high school friends
Students on the quarter system are especially feeling this drawback right now, especially because all their friends on the semester system are out for the summer. While your friends from home are sleeping in and enjoying the warm weather, you’re stuck inside grinding through assignments and studying for finals. While it may seem like you have the advantage of still being in session and all the shenanigans that come with being in college, trust me, all of us are done with school and want to be out for the summer with our friends.
Pro: You have more opportunities to take classes outside of your major
More time to take classes equals more opportunities to take classes outside your major. While you have to complete your distributions and classes for your major, taking four classes every 10 weeks allows you to have at least one “fun” class every quarter that has nothing to do with your major.
Con: All your classes are very fast paced
A huge drawback to the quarter system is the pace of all the classes. Many of the courses will take the curriculum that needs to be learned in a semester and crunch it down into a quarter. This especially applies to STEM and math classes. If you’re struggling to understand a concept, sometimes the class will move on and leave you in the dust. So, you have to be on top of your classes.
Pro: If you do poorly in a class, you can move on quickly
On the other hand, if you struggle in a course one quarter and decide to stick with it, there’s time to make up for it academically and mentally. By the time, you start the next quarter, you will have forgotten about the horror movie that was your economics class last quarter.
Con: Midterms season is every season
MIDTERMS ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING. There is no such thing as “midterm week” on the quarter system. Midterms are always happening, even up to the week before finals. This can cause unneeded stress for students, as it’s not really a week you can prepare specifically for. Sometimes students can have up to three midterms on one day and it can be hard to master.
Pro: You don’t have to worry about midterms over Spring Break
When you’re on the quarter system, your school breaks are truly breaks. Winter quarter ends before spring break and allows students to have a week of rest and relaxation, before diving back in with Spring quarter. While it may not seem like much, not having to worry about school or assignments that may be due for an entire week is a much-needed reward.
Overall, my feelings towards the quarter system are bittersweet. This year, I have taken amazing classes and met amazing people through the quarter system. But now, as summer is rolling around, it would be nice for school to be over sooner rather than later.
Photo Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwhmxTuTYr8