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From: jak@cdstar.UUCP (Joe Konstan)
Newsgroups: net.college
Subject: Re: Fall Break
Message-ID: <201@cdstar.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Nov-85 09:32:21 EST
Article-I.D.: cdstar.201
Posted: Thu Nov 21 09:32:21 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 23-Nov-85 04:33:16 EST
References: <219@nvuxg.UUCP> <124@rruxc.UUCP>
Organization: Unisource Software Corp., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 30
Summary: Harvard still has finals in January

In article <124@rruxc.UUCP>, alex@rruxc.UUCP (A DeSimone) writes:
> I have an interesting item to throw out to net.college -> several schools I
> have come across (including Rutgers and NYU at least at one time) have their
> Fall Semester finals AFTER a Christmas/New Year holiday break.  This always
> struck me as a horrible cross to have to bear during the "joyous" holiday
> season.  Are there schools out there that still organize their schedule this
> way?  Do people like it or hate it?  I always had great plans of getting lots
> of work done during Thanksgiving and never opened a book!  I'm sure the same
> would have happened to me if my Fall semester extended over the holidays into
> January.
> Alex DeSimone, @ Bell Communications Research

   At harvard (I am a junior CS major) we have finals in the second half
of January.  While this does cut down on our winter vacation (usually 2
weeks or even shorter), we do have a reading period in the beginning of
January to "piece together all of the material of the term."  In theory,
it is a very good idea.  We finish classes before break, and come back
to 1-1/2 - 2 weeks of study, followed by (usually) 3-4 exams over a 2
week period.  In practice, however, reading period often turns into a
"let's catch up" period for Professor's who have not **9or never planned
to) finish the syllabus on time.  It also has turned into a popular time
for term papers, projects, etc.

   All in all, though, I like the idea.  We have enough pressure with
other things before the holidays, and I've never even felt the
compulsion to open books (although I took them home freshman year) over
the vacation.  In the Spring, we have the same situation (reading period
and exam period) except for the lack of a major vacation before them.

   Does anyplace else have a system like this?