Trimesters are a twist on the typical semester calendar system utilized by the majority of schools in the U.S. Instead of two terms per school year, there are three. My school, North Central College in Naperville, IL. is on the trimester system. It's a love-hate relationship, but I have come to love it more than not.
Each trimester is about 10 weeks long with a few days of finals in the 11th week. Trimester schools tend to follow one of two schedule setups. The first is starting in the normal time of late August, taking a winter break that splits the second trimester, and then finishing up in mid to late May. The second schedule begins in mid-September, with the first term finishing right before Thanksgiving. The second trimester doesn't start until after the new year, so it isn't split up. The third trimester begins in late March or early April, going until early June. North Central follows that second option.
So, here's the good and the bad of my school's trimester system.
The good:
Students only have to take three or four classes at a time, meaning when finals come around, we have fewer exams to study for.
You can take more total classes and credit hours per year, allowing students to take on extra majors and minors with more ease than on a semester system.
There are actually less total days of class per year, meaning more off-days!
There's a six-week break in between the first and second trimester, beginning before Thanksgiving and ending after the new year. This allows you to work a job over winter break much more easily.
The bad:
Professors have to cram 16 or 18 weeks of material into 10 weeks of classes, so it's very fast paced. It's easy to be left behind, so any slacking can be catastrophic to a student's grades.
Textbooks are written for the traditional semester system, so there isn't any flow from one textbook to the next, and there is a lot of skipping around in the book.
Missing classes for any reason can be very problematic.
Playing sports on a trimester system is even more challenging.
You have to go through finals three. times. per. year. Three.
All your friends start their summer break at least a few weeks before you.
There are some good and bad qualities to going to school that uses the trimester system, but I'm a big proponent. It has allowed me to take on a second major, a minor, and still play a varsity sport. It was the deciding factor in my decision to attend North Central College, and I'm happy about my choice. Even through the stress and drama of weeks eight, nine, and ten, it's worth it.
