Curricula at most colleges and universities in the United States are scheduled according to quarters or semesters. While each schedule has several potential advantages over the other, it is unclear what effect each has on student performance. This study compares biology student performance during the two and a half years before and after the 1999…

Each Spring, community colleges report their opening spring term enrollment figures to the Illinois Community College Board on a brief web-based survey. These figures reflect only those students enrolled in credit courses that were operational on the census date (last day for course registration for regular classes). Enrollment for classes…

To determine whether there is a trend toward using the summer session as a fourth quarter, the enrollment patterns of 3 groups of students at the University of Minnesota were compared over a 5-year period covering the 1964 to 1968 summer sessions and the 1963-1964 to 1967-1968 academic years. The student groups comprised degree candidates who…

The number of days in each quarter, semester, or trimester is compared for academic years 1968-69 and 1993-94, for 10 private and 10 public colleges and universities. Intersessions and January sessions are included. Total number of days per year have decreased in almost all these cases and now vary from 134 to 172. (MSE)

This report presents the findings of a study done by a college-wide task force at the College of DuPage (Illinois) on academic calendar formats in an effort to determine whether to retain the quarter system or convert to another calendar. A brief introduction gives the background to the issue at DuPage. A section on procedures explains that the…

In 1976, a study determined that student retention had increased markedly following Barstow College's transition from a semester to a quarter system. In 1979, another study was conducted to determine: (1) the accuracy of the 1976 figures; (2) the effect of the shortness of the time period considered in the 1976 study on its reliability; (3) the…

This report represents a research design oriented toward a descriptive and analytical treatment of selected data pertaining to the development, operation, and evaluation of the Park Four-Quarter Plan; covers a 3-year period (the school years 1969-70, 70-71, and 71-72); and gives a brief background covering the development of the program. Study…

A study was conducted at San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC) to determine whether its present calendar, based on the traditional semester system, should be abandoned in favor of either the quarter or the early semester calendars. The study involved: (1) contacting employers to determine the effect of a calendar change on student employment, (2)…

This report considers the costs of three types of extended school year programs--all modifications of the quarter system--and compares these costs to the regular program. Compared against the traditional approach are: (1) a quarter system in which students attend three quarters a year and are off one quarter, meaning that 75% of all students are…

The experiences of a variety of postsecondary institutions using different academic calendar options are examined. Several calendar options are described: the traditional semester, the early semester, 4-1-4, the quarter system, the trimester plan, composite plans, and year-round plans. The traditional semester calendar begins in mid-September and…