The question of which calendar is best for Barstow College (BC) is addressed in terms of general considerations connected with academic calendars, the intended effects of the quarter system, the issue of cost effectiveness, and the advantages and disadvantages of both calendars. First, introductory material discusses BC's conversion to a quarter system in 1971 and subsequent research efforts to analyze the effects of the change. Part I places the calendar issue into perspective discussing the relationship of calendar to institutional mission, financial considerations, patterns of calendar use among two-year colleges, and the origins of the quarter system in the summer school movement. Part II reviews arguments made on behalf of the quarter system, e.g., students have more opportunity for electives and academic exploration and the system better matches students' attention span. Part III focuses on the cost effectiveness of the quarter system, looking at statistics showing changes in student retention and enrollment at BC and citing the direct and indirect costs to students and the institution of three rather than two registrations. Part IV cites and analyzes the 11 reasons supporting BC's conversion to the quarter calendar. The report concludes that BC should reconvert to the semester system, as it is more conducive to effective teaching and learning and it saves students and the institution the costs of an additional registration. (AYC)