• Schools that operate on the quarter system are generally divided into Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer quarters, with the majority of students not attending during Summer.
• Semester systems function in segments of threes, with one of the semesters held during the summer (which the majority of students do not attend).
• A quarter system divides the academic year into three 10-week terms, whereas the semester system divides up the year into two fifteen-week sessions.
• Quarter systems usually run from late September to the end of December (autumn quarter), then from early January to the middle of March (winter quarter), and finally from the beginning of April until the middle of June (spring quarter).
• Semester systems begin in late August, and last until mid-December (Fall semester), and then from mid-January until early May (spring semester).
• There are several major differences between the two systems, and students need to decide for themselves which system they feel most comfortable with.

The benefits of attending a school that operates on the quarter system:

• Greater choice and more involvement with selection of classes and course sequence.
• Classes generally average out to 50 minutes a day each.
• Students only need to take three different classes per quarter.
• Occasionally, when students are forced to take prerequisites that they are not interested in, they only need to spend ten weeks in the class, instead of fifteen.
• Because students are only taking three classes, the level of stress is more manageable during the period of final examinations. There is, essentially, one fewer exam to worry about.

The drawbacks of attending a school that operates on the quarter system:

• Some students and professors believe that the classes end just as they are becoming interesting or involving for both parties.
• Students must spend more time deciding on class selections and sequences, as well as fulfilling all of the necessary requirements.
• Students often need to purchase more textbooks than their semester counterparts, and in addition, textbooks are usually written and tailored for the semester format.
• Since the terms are five weeks shorter, students may not develop the same strength and quality of personal relationships with their classmates and professors. There tends to be more apathy towards schoolwork and academia.

The benefits of attending a school that operates on the semester system:

• Longer class sessions help focus students on the material being learned--they do not have to worry as much about the class selection process.
• Subjects are examined and investigated more thoroughly and completely than they are on the quarter system.
• Students do not have to spend as much money purchasing books and related course materials.
• Students develop stronger bonds and relationships with peers and instructors.

The drawbacks of attending a school that operates on the semester system:

• Long periods spent in uninteresting classes can often cause a student to "burn out" and lose interest in a subject. There is less of an escape route, or chance to change classes.
• Students in the semester system take only 8 different classes per academic year, compared to the quarter system's 12. There is less of a variety of classes offered this way, and students receive less of a selection.
• Students may sometimes feel that they are "trapped" or "locked in" to course programs that they may not enjoy.