Thinking of Transferring? Check Your Credits! If you are transferring from one university to another, then converting college quarter credits to college semester credits is a way for your new school to ascertain how many credits you have earned according to their own system. Because students under the quarter system earn credits at a different pace, they may end up with an awkward amount of credits when they transfer to their new institution. How will transferring your credits affect your timetable for successfully graduating from a program?
Differences Between the Quarter System and the Semester System
A college or university that uses the quarter system compresses studies into blocks of ten or eleven weeks. This means that there is usually a Fall Term, a Winter Term and a Spring Term that are interspersed with small breaks. This style of tuition is quite common in English universities and some institutions in the United States. Students who attend a school that uses the quarter system tend to start the academic year in late September. The academic year ends in late May or early June. In programs such as engineering, this can guarantee that students graduate in four years instead of five.
A semester system is about fifteen to sixteen weeks long. While there may be a Fall or Spring Break in the middle of each semester, these breaks do not signal the end of one term and the beginning of another. The academic year begins in late August or early September and ends in early May.
Calculating Your Credits
All schools have different formulas and requirements for credits that students bring with them when they transfer. However, there is a basic rule that you can use to get a good idea of how many semester hours you have accumulated in your previous program. Try multiplying the number of quarter units you have earned by 0.667. For example, 50 quarter units become 33.35 semester credits when multiplied by 0.667. The third of a credit hour is not a cause for concern. You may have to take a specific class in one semester in order to complete the credit, but otherwise your accrued credits will not be a detriment to you when you transfer. If you are not sure about how your credits will convert when you start at your new university or college, then you can contact one of their academic advisor for additional guidance.
Converting Credits: Getting on the Right Track
While the quarter and semester systems do not match up exactly, this does not mean that your path towards graduation has to be delayed by your transfer. Advisors at your new institution will be able to offer you guidance on how your quarter system credits will fit into your new academic record. Your main concern should be what courses will transfer as opposed to trying to figure out how two thirds of a credit hour will count towards your degree. Converting college quarter credits to college semester credits is not as difficult or daunting as you might think.