De Anza may switch to semester system

Most California State University campuses have already switched to a semester system, as have most community colleges. De Anza, Foothill and Lake Tahoe community colleges are the last schools on a quarter system.
UC Berkeley was the first of 113 college campuses to change, in 1983. CSU Northridge and CSU Bakersfield are the most recent schools to adopt a semester system, having switched Fall 2016. California State campuses in East Bay, Pomona and San Luis Obispo are expected to adopt a semester system in the following four years.
The biggest switch from quarter to semester is the period of study, a change from typically 11 weeks to 16.
Since it’s based on a 16-week timeline, there is often better quality of instruction and more overall time for each subject. Students are given more time to prepare for projects, midterms and finals, as well as time to recover afterwards
Semester schools graduate a month earlier, giving students access to the job market earlier than their quarter system peers.
This change is not cheap. In 2003, CSU Bakersfield President Horace Mitchell estimated the switch to semester would cost $3 million. In addition, quarter units would have to be converted to semester units. The Los Angeles and Bakersfield CSU campuses helped students transition by providing a course conversion chart as well as a Semester Conversion Handbook.
Although there is a push to convert California State Universities , the quarter schedule is still the popular option. One of the advantages is the wide variety of classes and how quick is to finish them. Students can take a wider variety of classes in a shorter time, with less commitment.