FBS schools on quarter system

[MSChe1992]

If you are interested in getting a degree, and are driven to do so, the Quarter/semester hour system is an excellent way to graduate quickly. You can take a full semester load extra per year if you want to (and have the ability/means).

I don't know exactly how it is now, but most of the Jr/Sr classes were in alternating years (and it is similar now according to my son), but if you had a need, you could take the second of a series(Design 2 before Design 1), which I did. You just had to work it out with your faculty advisor, showing how you were positioning yourself to complete your degree. I am different than most, I wanted a degree, right now, as quickly as possible, desiring to make money and be on my own as soon as soon as I was able. Tech had the best vehicle for that nature. I did not savor the college experience like I probably should have, seeing it simply as a means to an end.

I hope they don't change the system, if only for the few that want to get a degree quickly. It does have pros and cons, but the ability of those that approach earning a degree in a more businesslike fashion, the quarter/semester system is desirable.

[GermDawg]

The quarter system needs to be abolished. I imagine taking QA and calculus would be much easier on the semester system.

Quarter system is one of the best things about Tech, 5 months of the same teacher/course is hell especially if it's one that you don't enjoy. Also, I did not do well in one of my advanced math classes and had to retake (too much beer not enough studying) but with the quarter system I was able to catch up and still graduate in 4 years w/ a ChemEng I was 1 course shy of a minor in business, which allowed me to enroll in Grad School and get my MBA in one year.

[DrDawg]

One thing that our quarter system allows is longer class periods, which is good for engineering. Longer class periods let us do hands-on, project-driven activities in the same class period in which we lecture. There are plenty of down sides to the quarter system, but I believe the positives outweigh the negatives.

[TDAWG]

The quarter system needs to be abolished. I imagine taking QA and calculus would be much easier on the semester system.

My senior year was the first year for the Quarter System at Tech, and I took Calculus under the Semester System. It absolutely was NOT an easy course for me under the Semester System, and I was a Math major. We had it as three four-hour courses for a total of 12 hours. I don't know how many hours the full set of calculus courses is today, but four three-hour courses would have been much better than three four-hour courses.

[RealityCheck]

I noticed that the Univ. of Oregon didn't start classes until Sept. 29 and finals were Dec. 8-12. Guess that would lessen the chance of academically ineligible athletes affecting their season.

None of the other quarter system schools starts Fall Quarter before the last week of September, and they all run to at least mid-December. Winter Quarter started this week for all of them, and Spring Quarter doesn't end until early June.

[Houston Techsan]

The quarter system started my junior year at Tech (1967-1968). Normally, if you were an engineering student you would work in the summer (at least one summer), so it really wasn't a big boon for us. It started in the fall and I had gone to summer school the term before. The head of our dept had me taking 10 hrs anyway, which included two four hour courses and one two hour course. Now that would have been easier on the quarter system.

It took a while for the professors to get the pace right even with the longer class periods, but by time I graduated they had gotten it down. They also reduced some of the course hours and increased the courses. Most notably in calculus (not for me though) and organic chemistry went from two three hour courses (plus 2 lab class separate) to three two hour courses and I believe still only 2 separate lab classes.

[inudesu]

If you get an unsatisfactory grade or have to drop one of those courses, it sets you back a full year waiting for that class to be offered again and for the other courses that require it as a prerequisite and for the corequisite courses you have to take concurrently with other courses you are waiting to be able to take. All it takes is one bad day to set you back a full year.

Ouch. Sounds like a good reason to go to college somewhere else. Ya know, LA Tech isn't the only college offering engineering courses. Just saying......

if you had a need, you could take the second of a series(Design 2 before Design 1), which I did. You just had to work it out with your faculty advisor, showing how you were positioning yourself to complete your degree.

There is (or was 15 years ago) some flexibility in the system. I took the BME version of a ChemE course so I wouldn't have to wait around again for the ChemE one that was only offered once a year. I actually had a BB&B member as professor for that course.

[GermDawg]

None of the other quarter system schools starts Fall Quarter before the last week of September, and they all run to at least mid-December. Winter Quarter started this week for all of them, and Spring Quarter doesn't end until early June.

I always liked that we were the last ones to start (usually same week as Labor Day) but Spring quarter never went into June. I really think it's perfect system and something unique, never really understood the love affair with having a month + off in December/January weather isn't great plus that much time would make starting back hell especially if I wasn't looking forward to a class.

[Dowty]

Partly, yes. Tech is small, and with the quarter system, most discipline-specific engineering classes are offered only once per year so you have to stay on track. And some professors believe it's their duty to weed students out. If you get an unsatisfactory grade or have to drop one of those courses, it sets you back a full year waiting for that class to be offered again and for the other courses that require it as a prerequisite and for the corequisite courses you have to take concurrently with other courses you are waiting to be able to take. All it takes is one bad day to set you back a full year.

This happened to me. One class (one test, really) set me back a whole year. Took advantage of it by getting a business admin minor and getting the rest of my GER classes out of the way, which allowed me to focus more of my time on Senior Design in my final year. Only down side, other than being in school an extra year, was having to pay for that whole year out of pocket/getting loans. My first 4 years were covered by Tech and TOPS.

[Cool Hand Clyde]

Even if on the semester system, many classes would only be offered once per year or less.