sead43
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
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Post by sead43 on Jan 1, 2008 18:44:34 GMT -5
does anyone know why GU's spring semester seems to start earlier than almost any other school on a regular two-semester schedule?
after hearing the surprised and sympathetic responses from relatives at holiday gatherings when i told them classes started up again on Jan. 9th, i did a quick, informal survey of some of our so-called "peer institutions" and i couldn't find anyone who goes back before the 14th. even schools that have fall exams after christmas break, like harvard and princeton, don't begin them until the 14th and 16th respectively. these findings validate my personal experience of having friends who go back no earlier than the 14th and some as late as the 22nd.
i was just curious if anyone has ever heard any explanation for this, and, for you alums out there, if this has always been the case with GU compared to other schools?
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Jan 1, 2008 19:14:25 GMT -5
How dare you use the term, Christmas, in your title! It's the Holiday break.
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JimmyHoya
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Hoya fan, est. 1986
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Post by JimmyHoya on Jan 1, 2008 19:53:47 GMT -5
we do get two breaks (a second for Easter almost nobody else gets) and finish earlier than most in my experience
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hoya9797
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by hoya9797 on Jan 2, 2008 18:45:21 GMT -5
Back in my day - 1993-97 - we started the second semester right after MLK Day. I also don't remember much of an Easter break, maybe a day or two.
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tgo
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
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Post by tgo on Jan 2, 2008 18:53:39 GMT -5
sfs '96 here easter was a 5 day weekend as i remember, and a month at christmas
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Jan 2, 2008 19:45:46 GMT -5
CAS '98
I don't ever remember getting a month off for christmas, and i'm sure we always started before MLK day, 'cause I remember getting the day off.
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sead43
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
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Post by sead43 on Jan 2, 2008 20:15:16 GMT -5
we do get two breaks (a second for Easter almost nobody else gets) and finish earlier than most in my experience We get 3 days for Easter (Thursday, Friday, Monday). Villanova, Fordham, Holy Cross, and BC get the same as us (Fordham actually gets 4) and Notre Dame gets 2 days (Friday, Monday). And, of the schools above, our spring exams end after two of them, on the same day as one, and before two of them...right in the middle.
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Post by LizziebethHoya on Jan 2, 2008 22:12:10 GMT -5
Honestly, a 3-week break is enough. I'd rather be livin it up at Georgetown than sitting at home another week or two
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Post by washingtonhoya on Jan 2, 2008 22:25:24 GMT -5
Honestly, a 3-week break is enough. I'd rather be livin it up at Georgetown than sitting at home another week or two Agreed, I'd go back tomorrow if possible. I can't imagine having a month off for Christmas break, I think I'd go stir-crazy. I guess it could be worse though, I could live in Syracuse.
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Post by LizziebethHoya on Jan 2, 2008 23:49:46 GMT -5
Honestly, a 3-week break is enough. I'd rather be livin it up at Georgetown than sitting at home another week or two Agreed, I'd go back tomorrow if possible. I can't imagine having a month off for Christmas break, I think I'd go stir-crazy. I guess it could be worse though, I could live in Syracuse. The high tomorrow is 10 ;D
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theexorcist
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Post by theexorcist on Jan 3, 2008 9:13:41 GMT -5
Agreed, I'd go back tomorrow if possible. I can't imagine having a month off for Christmas break, I think I'd go stir-crazy. I guess it could be worse though, I could live in Syracuse. The high tomorrow is 10 ;D That's in Kelvin, right?
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TigerHoya
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Post by TigerHoya on Jan 3, 2008 12:34:34 GMT -5
my last final was the 19th and spring doesn't start until Jan. 29th
winter session started yesterday though, but nobody takes anything much because aid doesn't count for it or summer
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Post by LizziebethHoya on Jan 3, 2008 13:41:39 GMT -5
The high tomorrow is 10 ;D That's in Kelvin, right? Close. Although, once it hits below 20 degrees, it all feels the same to me.
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rosslynhoya
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Post by rosslynhoya on Jan 3, 2008 14:06:08 GMT -5
My first couple years the spring semester began the Wednesday before MLK Day (observed). It was always ridiculous that I might have to attend 2-3 classes before a 3-day weekend, much like the fall semester starting the Wednesday before Labor Day.
I think my last two years the spring semester began around the 9th-10th and this problem went away.
I also remember way too many other colleges starting in late January, taking a week for "Spring Break" and a week for Easter, all the Jewish holidays, and then finishing in the first days of May. Oh, and with classes only meeting 40min/credit hour, tops. We must be bribing the wrong officials at the accreditation bodies.
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hoya9797
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Post by hoya9797 on Jan 3, 2008 15:07:17 GMT -5
My first couple years the spring semester began the Wednesday before MLK Day (observed). It was always ridiculous that I might have to attend 2-3 classes before a 3-day weekend, much like the fall semester starting the Wednesday before Labor Day. That sounds right to me. I guess I always felt like we started after MLK since those first few days were add/drop and I wasn't really attending classes as much as I was frantically trying to get my schedule worked out so I could graduate on time.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Jan 3, 2008 23:53:55 GMT -5
I know some friends at harvard that go back on monday so we're not the only ones with short breaks.
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sead43
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Post by sead43 on Jan 4, 2008 12:39:29 GMT -5
I know some friends at harvard that go back on monday so we're not the only ones with short breaks. i think they "go back" for study days though and don't actually start exams till the 14th. i could be wrong though. that makes me think, though, that i'd happily take our break over having to take fall exams after christmas...that would SUCK.
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Post by ExcitableBoy on Jan 4, 2008 13:28:59 GMT -5
My first couple years the spring semester began the Wednesday before MLK Day (observed). It was always ridiculous that I might have to attend 2-3 classes before a 3-day weekend, much like the fall semester starting the Wednesday before Labor Day. What's bad about this?? I enjoy spending time at home as much as the next guy, but what's not to like about having 2-3 days of classes and then a 3 day weekend?
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Post by reformation on Jan 4, 2008 20:07:32 GMT -5
Gtwn definitely is starting earlier than others--Columbia, e.g., generally starts after MLK day. Gtwn also starts a week earlier in the summer than the ivies, too I think. I took the year off from my adjunct gig, so i forgot the exact start/finish times of the academic calendar.
I think that Gtwn's admin is thinking about changing the academic calendar, maybe bringing it in line with the Ivies--I don't know if they'll move to having exams after the break like Har/Prin, but guess that they will study this option as part of the general university review of ways to improve Gtwn's undergrad academic quality.
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Nevada Hoya
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Post by Nevada Hoya on Jan 5, 2008 13:44:40 GMT -5
I know some friends at harvard that go back on monday so we're not the only ones with short breaks. i think they "go back" for study days though and don't actually start exams till the 14th. i could be wrong though. that makes me think, though, that i'd happily take our break over having to take fall exams after christmas...that would SUCK. Sead, that was standard practice, when I was going to GU, to have finals right after the Christmas break. And yes that was vacuum creating.
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