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List of Colleges on the Quarter System
What’s Covered:
Most colleges and universities in the United States use the semester system, in which the academic year is divided into Fall and Spring halves (semesters). However, others use alternative calendars, such as the quarter system. This provides some advantages but also has some drawbacks for students.
What does the quarter system entail? Is it the right fit for you? Keep reading to find out.
What is the Quarter System?
In the semester system, the academic calendar typically looks like this:
- Fall Semester: September–late December
- Winter Break: late December–late January
- Spring Semester: late January–late May
- Summer Break: late May–September
Semesters usually last around 15 weeks each.
Under the quarter system, the academic year is divided into four terms: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Each term lasts around 10 weeks, and one is optional (usually Summer, although some institutions, like Dartmouth, allow students to choose their quarters). A quarter-system academic calendar typically looks like this:
- Fall quarter: late September–December
- Winter quarter: early January–late March/early April
- Spring quarter: early-mid April–early June
- Summer quarter: late June/early July–late August
Pros and Cons of the Quarter System
Pros of the Quarter System
There are more opportunities to explore different topics and courses.
In the quarter system, students are able to take more classes, each one lasting a shorter period of time than under the semester system. This means students can pursue more electives and explore subjects they might not otherwise. If you don’t like a particular course, it’s not as much of a commitment as a semester-long course would be.
Students get exposure to more faculty.
More courses also mean that you’ll meet more faculty. Developing relationships with faculty is important for your education, especially if you’re planning to apply to grad school and will need recommendations.
It’s easier to change majors.
Because courses don’t last as long as they do under the semester system, you won’t have invested too much in a major if you decide to change disciplines, and it will be easier to catch up and rack up the credits you need.
Students have breaks more frequently.
Instead of two long breaks, students have shorter, more frequent breaks between quarters. This can be beneficial for their well-being and will help them recharge, while still keeping them in the academic mindset.
You’ll be able to recover from GPA setbacks more quickly.
More courses mean more opportunities to recover from damage to your GPA. Each course will have less of an impact on your overall GPA, and you’ll have an easier time boosting your average if you don’t do well in any one course.
Cons of the Quarter System
Graduates enter the job market later than their peers.
Because most institutions are on the semester system— with an academic calendar that ends earlier than schools on the quarter system—graduates of quarter-system schools often enter the job market later than their peers and have a disadvantage when looking for jobs right out of college.
Courses can feel rushed.
Because terms last around 10 weeks each, some instructors may try to pack more material into their courses, which can be challenging for students. The courses can feel rushed and not as in-depth as semester-long courses.
Transfers face logistical issues.
Most schools, including many two-year colleges, are on a semester system, which can make transferring logistically difficult. The schedules often don’t align, so transfers may have to wait and lose time. Plus, courses are worth different amounts of credits, which may cause students to lose credits when they transfer (many quarter-system schools say to multiply credits by 1.5, but this formula is not standardized).
Course materials often don’t complement quarter-long courses.
Textbooks and other course materials, particularly those intended for introductory courses, are geared toward semester-length courses, so they often don’t align with quarter-length courses. Again, instructors may try to pack more content into a shorter course or not cover certain content that is usually covered in a semester counterpart.
Students have less time to adjust to the rigors of a course or college in general.
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.
Colleges on the Quarter System
|
Institution |
Location |
Acceptance Rate |
|
Yellow Springs, OH |
72% |
|
|
Pasadena, CA |
4% |
|
|
San Luis Obispo, CA |
33% |
|
|
Minneapolis, MN |
N/A |
|
|
Ellensburg, WA |
88% |
|
|
Colorado Springs, CO |
N/A |
|
|
Hanover, NH |
6% |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
69% |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA |
83% |
|
|
La Grande, OR |
98% |
|
|
Cheney, WA |
97% |
|
|
Milledgeville, GA |
N/A |
|
|
Kalamazoo, MI |
80% |
|
|
Kirkland, WA |
N/A |
|
|
Riverside, CA |
66% |
|
|
Loma Linda University |
Loma Linda, CA |
N/A |
|
Ruston, LA |
66% |
|
|
Milwaukee, WI |
67% |
|
|
Evanston, IL |
7% |
|
|
Klamath Falls, OR |
91% |
|
|
Corvallis, OR |
89% |
|
|
Angwin, CA |
58% |
|
|
Portland, OR |
98% |
|
|
Terre Haute, IN |
77% |
|
|
Santa Clara, CA |
54% |
|
|
Savannah, GA |
81% |
|
|
Seattle, WA |
92% |
|
|
Seattle, WA |
82% |
|
|
Ashland, OR |
90% |
|
|
Stanford, CA |
4% |
|
|
Olympia, WA |
99% |
|
|
Los Angeles, CA |
11% |
|
|
Davis, CA |
49% |
|
|
Irvine, CA |
29% |
|
|
Riverside, CA |
65% |
|
|
La Jolla, CA |
34% |
|
|
Santa Barbara, CA |
29% |
|
|
Santa Cruz, CA |
59% |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
6% |
|
|
Denver, CO |
64% |
|
|
Lima, OH |
N/A |
|
|
Eugene, OR |
93% |
|
|
Bothell, WA |
83% |
|
|
Seattle, WA |
53% |
|
|
Tacoma, WA |
83% |
|
|
College Place, WA |
N/A |
|
|
Monmouth, OR |
92% |
|
|
Bellingham, WA |
96% |
|
|
Worcester, MA |
60% |
* Cal Poly plans to implement a semester calendar in Fall 2026
Is a Quarter System School Right for You?
Ultimately, the best academic calendar for you depends on your learning style, ability to grasp content quickly, and desire to explore different topics. You should also consider other factors when assessing fit, such as the school’s location, the disciplines and courses available, extracurricular opportunities, and more.
CollegeVine’s chancing engine and school search tool can help you find the right fit for you. These free tools will predict your odds of getting into more than 500 colleges across the United States, and show you schools that match your preferences and criteria.
It can be overwhelming to figure out which school is best for you, but our free platform streamlines the process. We highly recommend checking it out!
