If Communication freshman Effie Yang could stay home from Thanksgiving through winter break, she would. It would save her money and the hassle of traveling from Chicago to California twice in a two-week period.

But Yang must return to campus to take three finals for classes in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, which does not allow students to take finals early.

“Thinking about (the expense) is so depressing,” she said.

Northwestern does not have a consistent policy on final exams within its six schools; each undergraduate school has its own system.

Richard Weimer, a Weinberg assistant dean for undergraduate studies, said it is the school’s policy that all students take finals at the appropriate scheduled time – during Finals Week. Professors are not permitted to allow exceptions, even for students like Yang, who are inconvenienced by the rule.

Weimer said there is a policy for students who face unusual circumstances during finals week.

“If students cannot take an exam due to circumstances out of their control, we allow a make-up exam early the next quarter,” he said.

Dorina Aguilar Rasmussen, assistant director of student life in the Medill School of Journalism, said Medill professors decide individually what their finals policies will be.

However, due to the nature of journalism courses, circumstances at Medill usually differ from other schools.

“Most classes do not have finals, but for final projects and other assignments, it’s up to the teacher,” Rasmussen said.

Similar to Weinberg, the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Education and Social Policy do not allow their students to take finals early. Like Medill, School of Communication professors set the dates for their finals.

In NU’s quarter system, Thanksgiving and winter breaks fall within two weeks of each other. For students like Yang, this short return to campus poses difficulties.

“I really do think professors should take (the breaks) into account,” she said. “I don’t know how they could change it with Thanksgiving, but just make it a little easier because it’s just such an awkward period. You can’t fly home for that long.”

Yang said her professors addressed the concern in the beginning of the quarter, but were clear in making no exceptions.

“Pretty much every teacher was… really adamant,” she said. “Like, ‘You have to take it this day.’ From what they said, it just sounded like (taking a final early) wasn’t a possibility.”

In the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music, if Assistant Dean Linda Garton and the student’s professor determine a request is valid, the student may be able to take the exam at a different time.

Bienen sophomore Lara Korneychuk will not go home for Thanksgiving break because she has multiple finals scheduled to take place during Reading Week. She said going home for Thanksgiving did not make sense financially.

“I like getting to go home earlier, but I feel like I could use the week of preparation (during Reading Week),” she said.

Weinberg sophomore Daniel Walco said he knows some schools on the quarter system, like DePaul University, take finals earlier and combine Thanksgiving and winter breaks. DePaul ends its Autumn Quarter on Nov. 24, and students return to campus at the beginning of January to begin their Winter Quarter.

Walco said NU’s system seems unavoidable.

“It’s definitely inconvenient, and it would be better if they were spread out,” he said. “But that’s just how the holidays fall.”[email protected]