A passing score awards a student a high-school equivalency diploma. This is also an option for those who have dropped out of school and can't take traditional classes. Q. A semester is one term at a university which has two terms in its educational year. A trimester is one term at a university which has three terms in its educational year. Thus, semesters are only a little over four months in length or so.
Trimesters are even shorter.
Many universities offer a limited selection of courses over a special summer term but attendance is much lighter. I believe semester systems are more common than trimesters. Semesters are also used at many middle schools and high schools. Colleges are generally either community colleges that target low income and generally less-educated individuals or highly selective private institutions that provide a general liberal arts education.