The Quarter System

dyip10 · March 2006

What are the pros and cons of the quarter system (at UCLA) and the semester system (at UC Berkeley)?

maryc · March 2006

Some people like concentrating on fewer courses for a shorter time (quarter system), but personally I think the semester system is much better. You don't have to move as fast thru the material. With the quarter system, every time you turn around you're buying books again for new classes. But you can get used to either.

flopsy · April 2006

The quarter system is synchronized to fit right between the three main holidays: Winter Break, Spring Break and Summer Break. That way, your classes will take place right between your courses and you won't have to study for your final exams during Winter Break like you would on the semester system. :rolleyes:

wallyfus · April 2006

but then do we take less courses each session on the quarter system? What's the average units of courses per quarter at UCLA?

Neo Yoyo · April 2006

When does each quarter start/end? I know classes start on September 28 this year.

ucapplicant05 · April 2006

About 14-16 units per quarter.

Neo Yoyo http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/calendar/06-07cal.htm

Neo Yoyo · April 2006

Thanks, ucapplicant05!

A question about spring break though...is it shorter than at other schools?

JinFX · April 2006

its one week, this week actually... i think... and if it is then that a week plus a day cuz casaer chavez day was a admin day (ie no skool)

HS around UCLA all have 2 or 3 weeks i assume a week is really short

ucapplicant05 · April 2006

It's not a week plus one day. Cesar Chavez Day is just part of spring break. However, you can get another couple days if your finals ended early. So it'd be like 1.5 weeks if your last final was on Wednesday. And I don't know of any high school that has a break that's longer than 1 week.

And yeah it was this past week. Sigh. Back to spring quarter with barely any holidays.

milesguidon · April 2006

My high school in socal gives me 2 weeks spring break.

keywon · April 2006

My high school in the San Fernando Valley (not far from UCLA) gives a week.

In any case, I have a question. What is a reaonsable number of classes to take in one quarter? In one semester?

JinFX · April 2006

at least santa monica is 2 weeks

flopsy · April 2006

A reasonable number of classes to take in one quarter is 4.
A reasonable number of classes to take in one semester is 6. :rolleyes:

sicks06 · April 2006

^^

Genius!

yermama · April 2006

pros: if you dont like your classes, it will be over fast. no studying or stressing between breaks because it's all over (trust me this is wonderful to have ur last final and be home free). goes by very fast.

cons: i guess short period of time to learn things and seems like you have tests all the time.

i LOVE quarter system personally.

kfc4u · April 2006

pro: ability to take more classes (throughout the 4 years) and also try mini-classes like fiat lux seminars

con: hard to catchup if you miss class

Neo Yoyo · April 2006

"A reasonable number of classes to take in one quarter is 4.
A reasonable number of classes to take in one semester is 6."

Is that the average or what is generally good for graduation within 4 years?

I've seen the statistic that only 53% graduate in 4 years.

j0b0sapi3n · April 2006

if you take classes every summer, can you graduate in 3.5 years or less?

ucapplicant05 · April 2006

You won't have to take 4 classes every single quarter in order to graduate in four years as part of College (L&S).

AP credits can definitely get you out early if you want. You need 180 units to graduate, where 60 of them have to be upper division. You could probably get as much as almost 100 (lower division) units through AP? 10 AP Exams ("standard" subjects) will probably average out in 60 or 70 units. That's a huge chunk of it right there. I would say that the typical major including its pre-reqs is a bit over 100 units (90-130), at least for south campus majors except engineers. Another ~40 more for GEs. So basically, you can get out in 3 to 3.5 years, in theory, without having to take extra courses during any of the quarters or during summer.

Now of course, things can deviate because of failing classes, unable to find classes, or simply changing your mind about a major. Or some people just take random, unnecessary classes, or classes that don't fill the most requirements as possible.

If you take classes every summer (assuming between UCLA years, 3 summers), you can graduate in 3 years since that's about 3 quarters.

kfc4u · April 2006

if you take classes every summer, can you graduate in 3.5 years or less?

you can graduate in 3.5 years or less WITHOUT summer if you a) know all the classes you need to take in advance instead of just randomly guessing your requirements and b) if you can get into all those classes (which you normally should)

for example, my major (poli sci) plus the GE's comes out to be around 140 units. if i take a typical courseload of 15 units a quarter, then that means i need roughly 9 quarters (3 years) minimum to graduate. add in my AP/IB units and it'll bump up to 180 to graduate immediately.

i have to mention though, some of the most common reasons why people do not graduate so early include changing their major, deciding to minor or double major, taking elective courses, or simply taking more courses so they can stay in college for 4 years cuz there's no better time in your life than college.

j0b0sapi3n · April 2006

i'm doing engineering most likely, does that make it harder? the ap's i've taken don't really seem to help with engineering GE's except maybe compsci and upcoming calc bc, but i think i should retake intro to compsci since that was about 2 years ago

but yeah i wana just graduate and get out hahaha although i'm sure i'll have fun in the process

The Quarter System

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