Classes at PHU are around 45 minutes each, with 7 periods in a day. That is, if you are in traditional University, which is means it is universal for everybody. Many students are in traditional Palm Harbor University High School and have 7 separate 45-minute classes. The medical magnet program and IB program, however, tell a different story.
Jessica Wassef (26′) is a sophomore in the IB program at Palm Harbor University High School. IB, which stands for International Baccalaureate, is a program that does not function like the normal University program. Instead of first through seventh period being individual, 45-minute periods that you go through every day, IB has a block schedule. IB classes are twice as long and you only have certain classes each day depending on if it is an A Day, B Day or C Day.
Wassef (26′) said that “I like the IB scheduling. It gives me time to understand my classes and homework, so I go home understanding what we did today in class. I have a day or two in between classes so I have time to do work and study. You can also have some elective classes that are normal University classes that you have every day and are a normal length. The thing about it is that you must be on top of your work. You might have to study in advance and remember to do your homework if you don’t get it done in class because it is due the next time you see the teacher. That is what I struggled with a lot in freshman year.” According to Wassef (‘26), the IB scheduling with block classes can be super helpful if you utilize them, study, and finish your work.
Cata Hensley (26′) is a sophomore in the medical program at PHU. The medical program is the magnet program that PHU is known for. While medical is not like IB in the sense that they have multiple block classes per day that are all extra-long, the medical program has block periods for their medical classes. These block periods are every day. “Both my first and second period are pharmacy. It’s a double long class, like it’s both first and second period and we don’t switch classes, we just sit in the same place in our pharmacy class.” In the medical program at PHU, you can choose between biomed, pharmacy, or the traditional medical program. “I want to be a pharmacist maybe; I’m thinking about it but I think, and my parents think, it’s still a good part of the medical field to learn about no matter what job I end up getting or what I end up doing in college. The class being a block period is kind of annoying sometimes and nice sometimes. Sometimes, it is nice to sit there and get all of my work done in one class. But sometimes I don’t like being there for super long.” So, Cata Hensley (26′) thinks that it has its downsides and upsides, but otherwise it is just the same as her regular classes for the rest of the day.
Gracie Meurer (‘27) is a freshman in the traditional University program at PHU. The traditional
program has classes of around 45 minutes each period with 7 periods a day. This is the usual
for middle and high schools around the world. “This is how the periods were at my middle school so it’s normal for me. They feel super long, and I get bored but it’s okay.” When asked if she thinks the class times are beneficial or not, Meurer (‘27) said that “I think it is enough time for me to learn and get my work done. I wouldn’t mind, like, having one class that’s two periods long like medical. But IB has hard classes, and I wouldn’t like longer classes.”
Wassef (26′) said that “I like the IB scheduling. It gives me time to understand my classes and homework, so I go home understanding what we did today in class. I have a day or two in between classes so I have time to do work and study. You can also have some elective classes that are normal University classes that you have every day and are a normal length. The thing about it is that you must be on top of your work. You might have to study in advance and remember to do your homework if you don’t get it done in class because it is due the next time you see the teacher. That is what I struggled with a lot in freshman year.” According to Wassef (‘26), the IB scheduling with block classes can be super helpful if you utilize them, study, and finish your work.
Cata Hensley (26′) is a sophomore in the medical program at PHU. The medical program is the magnet program that PHU is known for. While medical is not like IB in the sense that they have multiple block classes per day that are all extra-long, the medical program has block periods for their medical classes. These block periods are every day. “Both my first and second period are pharmacy. It’s a double long class, like it’s both first and second period and we don’t switch classes, we just sit in the same place in our pharmacy class.” In the medical program at PHU, you can choose between biomed, pharmacy, or the traditional medical program. “I want to be a pharmacist maybe; I’m thinking about it but I think, and my parents think, it’s still a good part of the medical field to learn about no matter what job I end up getting or what I end up doing in college. The class being a block period is kind of annoying sometimes and nice sometimes. Sometimes, it is nice to sit there and get all of my work done in one class. But sometimes I don’t like being there for super long.” So, Cata Hensley (26′) thinks that it has its downsides and upsides, but otherwise it is just the same as her regular classes for the rest of the day.
Gracie Meurer (‘27) is a freshman in the traditional University program at PHU. The traditional
program has classes of around 45 minutes each period with 7 periods a day. This is the usual
for middle and high schools around the world. “This is how the periods were at my middle school so it’s normal for me. They feel super long, and I get bored but it’s okay.” When asked if she thinks the class times are beneficial or not, Meurer (‘27) said that “I think it is enough time for me to learn and get my work done. I wouldn’t mind, like, having one class that’s two periods long like medical. But IB has hard classes, and I wouldn’t like longer classes.”
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