Key takeaways
- Many colleges follow a semester plan, with two 15- to 18-week terms per academic calendar.
- Other schools use shorter terms through trimesters, quarters, 4-1-4 schedules, and block plans.
- As you build your college list, determine your learning preferences and compare academic calendars to determine which schedules are best for you.
In high school, you likely follow a semester academic calendar. Most colleges use semesters, too. However, there are many other types of academic calendars, from trimesters to block plans, that can impact your entire college experience. A class at a school with semesters is vastly different from a course at a college with a block plan. In this article, we outlined the types of academic calendars so you can build a college list that helps you succeed.
Types of academic calendars
Semester, trimester, quarter, 4-1-4, 4-4-1, and block plans are different types of academic calendars.
Semester
Most colleges and universities in the United States use a semester system. The academic year consists of two terms – Fall and Spring (though some schools call the second semester “Winter”).
Each semester lasts approximately 15 to 18 weeks. The Fall term often starts in mid- to late August and ends in early to mid-December. The Spring semester typically begins in January and ends in May.
If you’re pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you need to take an average of 15 credits – or five classes – per semester to graduate within four years.
You’re likely used to the semester system, as most high schools use it. Students take two semesters broken up into four quarters. For example, you may complete Economics in one semester and take Government the following semester.
Many schools with the semester academic calendar offer optional summer courses.
Trimester
A trimester system divides the academic year into three terms – Fall, Winter, and Spring. Others follow a Summer, Fall, and Spring schedule.
Trimesters range from eight to 12 weeks each. Students pursuing a bachelor’s take about three courses each term. Some schools offer an additional optional term to speed up graduation timelines.
Trimester start and end dates vary by college.
Quarter
The quarter system is broken up into four terms, one for each season, lasting about 10 to 12 weeks each. In some cases, colleges have three primary quarters – Fall, Winter, and Spring – with an additional shorter Summer quarter.
Students typically take three to four classes in this system. As with trimesters, quarter start and end dates vary by school.
4-1-4 or 4-4-1 Calendar
A school with a 4-1-4 or 4-4-1 calendar follows a semester schedule with an additional shorter term, either in the Winter or Summer, which is often optional. Winter terms are best known as January Terms or J-Terms.
4-1-4 and 4-4-1 academic calendars allow students to pursue unique interests, such as lessons on pottery or snowboarding, or take introductory or niche courses in various subjects. They’re also ideal for shorter internships and study abroad programs.
However, some courses during these terms can be very demanding since they’re so condensed. The terms may also not line up perfectly with study abroad and internship programs so you’ll need to plan ahead.
Block plan
At most colleges, students take several courses over their terms. Block plans instead focus on one class at a time (some schools allow students to take additional courses).
Under the block plan, the academic calendar is broken up into about eight mini-terms and students spend three to five hours a day on that single subject for the entire term. Each block lasts four to six weeks on average, with a week break between each block.
Students can excel under this schedule if they learn better by focusing on single topics rather than five classes at a traditional school with semesters.
Which academic calendar is best for you?
Most colleges and universities follow a semester plan – and students are already used to this schedule thanks to high school. As a result, many students don’t consider academic calendars when reviewing colleges, but the various options should play a role in your decisions.
To help you determine if a non-traditional academic calendar is best for you, think about your learning preferences. Do you like to learn about several things at once, or would you have higher grades if you could focus on one topic at a time? Do you excel in fast-paced short quarters, or do you want more time for each course to soak in the information?
Academic calendars can also vary by school – a quarter term is shorter at one college than another. One college’s block plan follows the one-class schedule while another requires two or three courses. It’s important to compare colleges at the general and individual levels to find the best schools for your learning preferences and skills.
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