<p>Its not only that you’re taking tests all the time, but its also because your constantly shifting gears. Almost nobody studies on a day-to-day basis to the degree he studies approaching midterms and finals. Its much easier to maintain a certain level of studiousness then to always be cranking up and down your level of study intensity. In addition, I would argue that the latter approach is inferior to the former with respect to encouraging learning. If you’re always forced to cram and committ things to short-term memory just to get by on a test, you’re not going to retain too much of the actual material. However, if you’re forced to maintain a steady schedule of study for a few months leading up to a test, you’re more likely to really understand the subject matter being taught. The whole “dabbling” advantage that a quarter system supposedly promotes is a big red herring in my book. Aside from the unnecessary pressure a quarter system puts on students, I really do feel that it hinders deep learning.</p>