Welcome once again to Trivia Tuesday, our regular exploration of the special programs and opportunities that differentiate the leading business schools. Today we’re featuring an excerpt from the Clear Admit School Guide to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business about the school’s academic calendar.
“While many schools arrange their academic years into two semesters, Chicago divides the year into four quarters that correspond with the seasons. This quarter system was invented by William Rainey Harper, the first president of the University of Chicago, as a means of exposing students to more material than the traditional semester system allows. The quarter-based calendar is used by all schools at the University of Chicago, as well as at several other leading business schools, including Stanford, Tuck and Kellogg.
“The standard academic year spans Autumn, Winter and Spring Quarters, and MBA students occasionally take courses in Summer Quarter as well. However, since most Chicago Booth students choose to take an internship between their first and second years, enrollment in summer courses is not the norm.
“As a result of the quarter system, Chicago Booth students tend to start classes later, have more short breaks, and finish the academic year later than their peers in semester systems. Spring Quarter’s late end may make a special impact on the summer plans of first-year students, as many internships tend to begin in mid-June, but the school takes steps to ensure that a student’s summer plans are not negatively affected by outstanding exams or coursework. For example, one student reported that his final exams would be taken remotely during the first two days of his internship in New York City; the student found that both the school and the firm were supportive in making the process work seamlessly.”
To read more about Chicago Booth, take a look at Chicago Booth’s School Profile!.
