Advantages of Having Block Schedules at School

When I was still in college, we had 2 types of schedules: block schedules and the irregular schedules. In a college course, you usually have specific units for a specific subject per period. You should have a syllabus which lists the subjects you have to take from your freshman year until your senior year. For example, if you are in the 1^st semester of your second year in college on a computer course, your subjects or number of units should be what's intended for that period per your syllabus.

To have an irregular schedule means that you are not taking the set number of units or subjects for that particular scholastic period. It's either you're lacking a few subjects, having extra subjects or having an entirely different set of subjects. There are several reasons why this happens. A student may have failed a subject and had to take it again on the next semester especially if it's a prerequisite for a subject for the next period or semester. The student could have been a transferee from another school wherein some of the subjects he/she took in that school are credited in the present school or any other reasons why a student can't take the subjects for a particular semester.

So what are the advantages of block schedules over irregular schedules? The most important, in my opinion, is that if you continue to have a block schedule by passing all the subjects, you are actually on track on your projected graduation year. If it's a 4-year course, you will most certainly complete your studies within 4 years. If you started out with block schedules together with your friends, you'd probably end up being together for the entire duration of your college life. Thus, it can bring about stronger relationships with friends.

Enrollment is much smoother with block schedules since schools prioritize opening classes for block subjects. And most of the time, they automatically give slots to students with block schedules. You don't have to check your subjects one by one just to see if there are slots available. It could be really frustrating if you really need a subject and then finding out that there are no more slots available to take it.

Also, in my experience, the schedules of the subjects are really convenient if you're in a block schedule. Let's say if you have a block schedule, and for example on a Monday you have 4 subjects, school administrators would usually make it easier for the student by compressing these subjects into that day. It's kind of hard to explain but let me try it.

If you have 4 subjects with an hour period each, they would set your schedule for that day to 2 consecutive subjects then a break and then the last 2 subjects. You just have to stay at school for around 4-5 hours or so. Unlike if you have irregular schedules, your next subject could be after 3 hours from the last one or you have a lone subject on a weekend because it's a special class since the block class is already full.

The bottom line is that you have to do your best at school. Maintaining good standing in your academics will keep you in the block schedule and you'll have an easier time through college. Study hard but don't forget to play or relax from time to time. I've experienced both types of schedule and hands down, I'll pick block schedules in a heartbeat.