There could be various reasons why semesters could prove much better than trimesters. However, most people and students would think that this would be a debatable topic on which they can argue on. But, the reality is that most students prefer colleges with semesters rather than trimesters. Also, there may be some differences between semesters and trimesters like the examinations, study patterns, and other things.
Semesters are better than trimesters because semesters offer much more freedom to students than trimesters. Obviously, students get tired and bored of studying and thus prefer semesters rather than trimesters. Also, in semesters, students get to choose from various courses, which enhances the quality of learning.
However, most colleges have got trimester patterns like the University of Michigan, which they follow and are reputed college. If students get into such reputed colleges, then they would have to follow the pattern made by the institute and cannot change them.
What Are Semesters?
A semester is a half-year term in a particular college. This system started in colleges in North America, and now the system has been adapted in most colleges and universities across the globe. Semesters include two terms before completing a year in a college. Say suppose before completing a year first six months would be the first semester, and then the next six months would be the second semester.
What Are Trimesters?
A period that consists of three-time periods before completing a year is called a trimester. Trimesters include three-time periods before a year ends, unlike semesters. The workload and study pressure may be high in trimesters, and there are fewer vacations offered to the students because students would be required to be present in class to cope with their syllabus.
Advantages of Semester In College/University
There are advantages to adapting to a semester study system in a college, and most colleges do so because these advantages prove beneficial crucially to the students. A few of the advantages of having a semester study system in the college are as the following.
- Students get/experience the freedom to study and explore different subjects.
- Students do get the choice of studying their choice of subjects. This means there is flexibility in subject selection.
- The interaction or the communication between students and teachers, and faculties increases in the semester system
- Students and as well as faculties can enjoy more vacations than in the trimester study system. This helps increase morale and study focus among students.
It is not just advantages that the semesters have because there are some disadvantages. For example, too much freedom for students may make them lazy and do other such things. Students may find themselves troubled while studying.
Advantages Of Trimester In College
Just like there are advantages for semesters, there are certain advantages for trimesters as well. People might be surprised to know some of these advantages because they probably had never heard of them before. However, colleges adapted to trimesters would have thought that these benefits could be crucial to the students. Mentioned below are the advantages of the trimester.
- Students tend to focus on their academic achievements instead of wasting time on unnecessary things
- Students stay concentrated on their studies and aim to achieve excellent academic results
- Students stay motivated to work hard so that they score excellent GPAs in their trimesters
- Students get the opportunity to complete their degree sooner than semesters
There are a lot of advantages to having a trimester, but the ones as mentioned earlier seem to be quite crucial for students. Students know their responsibilities and tend not to spend time on unnecessary things. Even though they may get fewer vacations or sometimes no vacation at all, they are focussed on what they want to achieve.
Reputed Colleges With Trimester Study System
There are many colleges that an individual may come across while looking for colleges that follow a trimester study system. It is not only in countries in USA or UK that this system is followed, but several colleges and universities from other countries have adopted the same thing. Students who wish to study trimester in the United States and are looking for colleges for the same can look at some of the reputed colleges mentioned below.
- Bryn Athyn College
- Cambridge College
- Boricua College
- Southern Oregon University (Ashland)
In case an individual feels that trimesters are better than semesters, they can join colleges that follow the same. But, students should know that once they enroll themselves in such colleges, they would not get much vacation. College durations are longer in trimesters than semesters, which may not be the case for all.
Conclusion
Students would look for the best education quality whether the college is a trimester or a semester followed. If the college is a reputed one and ranks one of the top in the country, then students should not be able to miss out on an opportunity like that, even if the college follows a trimester study system. However, if an individual seeks to study different subjects, then he/she may be in a college that has got semester study system. Semesters would give students enough time to work on other projects and courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why do some people think trimesters are better than semesters?
Ans: Trimesters contain the same kind of work as three-year work frame. In trimesters, students focus more on their academics, which makes an advantageous point for them.
- Why do students prefer semesters rather than trimesters?
Ans: Students prefer semesters rather than trimesters because they can work on several other projects and courses as they get some freedom in semesters which is not the case for trimesters.
- What are the advantages of following a semester study system?
Ans: There are various advantages that the semester system has for its students. Following mentioned are a few of them:
- Students get/experience the freedom to study and explore different subjects
- Students do get the choice of studying their choice of subjects. This means the subject selection is flexible.
