Is Stanford on semesters or quarters? (2024)

FAQs

Does Stanford use semester or quarter system? ›

Stanford runs on a quarter system. Each quarter is ten weeks long and students typically enroll for three of them: Autumn, Winter, and Spring.

Most U.S. colleges and universities follow either the quarter or semester system. The semester system gives students more time to learn and build a rapport with professors. The quarter system offers ample flexibility and smaller course loads each term. Transferring semester and quarter credits can pose some challenges.

Undergraduates have a per quarter maximum of 20 units (21 or 22 if the registration includes one or two unit activity courses). Matriculated graduate students are expected to enroll for at least eight units during the academic year; schools and departments may set a higher minimum.

And quarter system cons:

On the other hand, the fast pace can be overwhelming for some students. It may lead to higher stress levels and potential burnout. Shorter courses may restrict the amount of time available for students to engage in in-depth research projects or undertake complex assignments.

Certainly the quarter system is much more fast paced and it allows you to explore a larger variety of classes. Yes, it can be stressful and annoying and make you tired, but if you bore easily then it's great because there's a new topic each week.

Smaller Loads: Students end up taking less classes per quarter, which means that they may be able to better focus on each subject during the quarter. Shorter Spurts: If a student is having a hard time adhering to a professor's teaching methods, the good news is that the class will be over in 10 weeks rather than 15.

Quarter grades are not as important as semester and final grades but can have a significant impact on Early Decision & Early Action outcomes and often on “Rolling Admission” outcomes, too.

Colleges consider your fall and final semester grades even if you've already received admission; that's how much your final year grades matter.

The quarter system allows students to take more courses than they can take in a semester system. By taking 12 classes a year (4 courses x 3 quarters) instead of the usual 10 (5 courses x 2 semesters), full-time students are exposed to eight extra classes during their undergraduate years.

One major area where Stanford University has held on to as a tradition, however — much to my chagrin — is its academic calendar, which starts so much later than most semester schools. The reason, quite sensible in a vacuum, is so that our fall trimester finishes at winter break.

Does Stanford care about class rank? ›

Stanford ranks the following nine categories as being “very important” to the admissions process: application essay, recommendations, extracurricular activities, rigor of secondary school record, class rank, GPA, standardized test scores, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities.

You get to take more classes.

Taking three sets of classes a year instead of two can give you more flexibility and the chance to explore courses outside of your major. It also makes it easier for students to change or add their majors.

Many students have trouble adjusting to more challenging courses and material but settle in after a period of time. This can be more difficult for students who attend colleges on a quarter system, who don't have as much time to get used to a rigorous curriculum before the quarter ends or make up for poor grades.

The most prevailing opinion is that either third or fourth quarter is the hardest. According to math teacher Jocefe Adraino, the fourth quarter is the hardest because students just stop trying, “because they already did their averaging, and they're good with that.”

While each student has their own opinion about which quarter is hardest, a common belief is that the third quarter is the most challenging. Struggling with the third quarter is known to many as the “third quarter slump.”

Stanford's quarter system is an alternative to the semester and trimester systems at other colleges and universities. The year is split into 4 academic periods of equal length (about 10 weeks of instruction, including exams).

On their official website, Stanford boasts that the “unique quarter-system calendar allows students to take advantage of dozens of additional courses not possible under a more traditional semester calendar.” This is really true. Instead of only getting two chances to pick classes, we get three.

The academic calendar is composed of two semesters. Fall semester starts in late August (with first-year students arriving a week early for placement tests and adjustment to campus life) and ends in mid-December after final exams. Spring semester starts at the end of January and finishes in mid-May after final exams.

Stanford has two pass/fail grading systems: Credit/No Credit (CR/NC), or Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC). The two systems differ based on whether or not a Letter grade is an option. If a class has a Letter grade option as well as a pass/fail option, the pass/fail option available is CR/NC.