Carleton or Grinnell?

<p>I think that it would be a good idea to do some more research on both schools. Think about subject areas you definitely want to take classes in, and look at the courses offered. You might discover that one school, while having a particular department, might offer classes in a different area of focus than you’re interested in. (E.g. the college has a theater department, but most of the classes are about analyzing plays and not acting).</p>

<p>With regard to the trimester/semester system… I’ve experienced both as a college student. I found semesters (15 weeks) to be too long, but that was just me. The nice thing about them is that if you get sick and miss a week (or even two), your chances of catching up are fairly good. With a trimester system… well, you might have to drop one of your classes if you missed two weeks. Students here are much more aware of how far along in the term it is (“I can’t hang out then because it’s fifth week”).</p>

<p>And even though semesters are longer, you’ll still have a lot of reading every week and have to balance your time.</p>

<p>Mostly though, learn more about other aspects of the two schools. Things like the people, the departments/majors/courses offered, the gen ed requirements and the atmosphere will have a greater impact on your happiness (and a decision to transfer) than semester versus trimester.</p>