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Lderochi
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
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Posted: Sun Jan 27th, 2008 11:55 pm |
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So my DS is home for 10 days on what his school (and probably others) call "Fake Break". It's the period between the end of Winterterm and the start of Spring Semester. I was surprised that it's so long -- I thought that Winter classes would end at the end of one week and then start up again early the next week.
Not a big deal for my son, who has wheels and just drove the 7-8 hours home. But I can see how it could be a bit of a bummer for students from too far away. Nothing is really going on on-campus. I think all the dining halls are shut, but the snack bars are open limited hours. Just seems weird to have a full week+ break less than a month after they come back.
But, it's good to have him around.
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mominva
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | DC Suburbs |
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Posted: Mon Jan 28th, 2008 01:57 am |
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When my son was there, 'fake break' was usually a 4-5 day long weekend after a 3 and 1/2 week Winter term. Late registration would be the following Monday and Spring classes started on the Tuesday. He never came home.
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outwest
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 4th, 2007 |
| Location: | CA |
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Posted: Mon Jan 28th, 2008 02:16 am |
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What school is this? Most colleges end first semester before winter break, but my Ds high school starts in the beginning of September and first semester ended just last week. They go back tomorrow for the second semester (no break). Some colleges have a one week Fall break, but I haven't heard of a fake break now. Enjoy having him around, though. I think starting earlier and ending before winter break is the best. I wish our HS did that, but she is a senior and the youngest, so it doesn't matter now anyway!
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mackinaw
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| Joined: | Mon Mar 6th, 2006 |
| Location: | Michigan |
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Posted: Mon Jan 28th, 2008 05:11 am |
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Fake break or whatever, consider the administrative and professorial side of things. Namely, if you end classes, the instructors need time to grade final papers and exams and to submit their grades -- unless, of course, all items are machine-graded and results fed into a spreadsheet. Haven't ever used a machine-graded exam, so it takes some days to do this. Where I teach, each semester's last day of classes is followed by finals week, and we have til the following Tuesday (4 days counting the weekend) to submit all our grades. Even with a short term or wintersession, there needs to be allowance for grading time.
On a semester system, there pretty much needs to be at least a week's break between end of finals and beginning of the next semester. When semester break coincides with holiday break, the professor's holiday is shorter than the students'. This academic year, for example, the last classes in the fall semester met on December 7, last final exam day was December 14. (Depending on their final exam schedule, most students and professors are probably finished with exams before December 14.) We must submit our grades by December 18. For all practical purposes, our winter break started December 19 and ended a day or two after January 1 since we had to get ready for second semester classes, which started January 7.
Not pleading for sympathy here, just showing that there needs to be some kind of break between terms.
Last edited on Mon Jan 28th, 2008 10:32 am by mackinaw
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Lderochi
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Posted: Mon Jan 28th, 2008 10:42 am |
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Understood Mackinaw, I hadn't really thought of that. This is at Elon, where the Winter Term finals were on Friday morning, and school doesn't start up again until next Wednesday. That's as long as the "real" Spring Break.
Son got an e-mail last night from the campus security office advising all students to "be extra careful during the fake break and keep room/apartment or office you work in locked. It is advisable to travel in pairs n the evening and night hours". There was an incident of someone being found in the Panhellenic Office downloading pornography from their computer.
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openmind
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| Joined: | Mon May 8th, 2006 |
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Posted: Tue Jan 29th, 2008 12:48 am |
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Washington and Lee gets a 1 week break for the week of Washington's Birthday. They also get a 1 week break in April between the end of Winter Term and Spring Term. Their AY ends in the beginning of June.
The federal government encourages all summer interns to work over Breaks, even the 1-weekers. So my D spent all of T'day, all of Christmas and will be going back in Feb to her internship. It's a great way to earn a bit of $ when the funds are low.  AND it counts to her time-in-grade and to her retirement, LOL!
Last edited on Tue Jan 29th, 2008 01:16 am by openmind
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outwest
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 4th, 2007 |
| Location: | CA |
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Posted: Mon Mar 3rd, 2008 06:24 am |
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My cousin from Ann Arbor, Michigan came by to visit the other night with her kids. They were all on a mid winter break and taking a week vacation in San Diego. I guess they get a week at the end of February and then another one in April. I thought it very nice, but very unusual for this Westerner. They get the standard two weeks in December and school ends at the end of May. It seems they hardly go to school! I know that isn't true; they must start in July. 
I think I was jealous.
Last edited on Mon Mar 3rd, 2008 06:26 am by outwest
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WestrnMom
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| Joined: | Fri May 26th, 2006 |
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Posted: Mon Mar 3rd, 2008 09:34 pm |
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My son's school has spring break in February. It seems way too early but their semester ends in April.
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