American college and university education is based on credit system. In many colleges and universities one credit or unit is equivalent to one lecture a week. Thus a student carrying 17 credits or units is attending 17 lectures in a week for a period of one semester, or half-year. A credit is arranged in such a way that a student of average merit has to put in only 3 hours' work a week for it, i.e., one hour's lectnre and 2 hour's work at home to prepare the lesson assigned in the lecture period. Thus, a student, carrying 17 credits or units has to put in a total of 17 x 3=51 hours a week.
In some universities (Chicago, for example) the quarter system is used. At Chicago an under-graduate carries three subjects, reciting in each five times a week for twelve weeks.
The under-graduate work extends over a period of 4 years. The first year after matriculation is the Freshman year; the second year, Sophomore; the third, Junior and the fourth year or the year of graduation is Senior year. Students belonging to these classes are known respectively as Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
The four years of under-graduate work are divided into eight semesters, -i. e., there are two semesters in a Col-
