Pre- and post-course surveys of faculty and students participating in 8-week format courses at Austin Community College (ACC) in fall 1998 yielded the following recommendations: (1) offer more 8-week classes at more locations and class times; (2) build in class meetings to compensate for any time lost to holidays; (3) piggy-back, in the first and second 8-week sessions, basic (prerequisite) courses with their advanced course counterpart and assign the same instructor for both courses where possible; (4) provide instructors choice and more "lead time" to prepare for teaching in this format; (5) share data with students to help them decide whether to select courses in this format; (6) conduct further study to determine specifically which courses are inappropriate for this format and determine whether modifications to curriculum might be indicated; and (7) vary class presentations--include student participation and hands-on learning activities and provide a comprehensive syllabus on the first class day. This study suggests that the 8-week format is appropriate for some students, some faculty, and some courses; perhaps success is determined by the mix. Includes 8-week course listings, student enrollment figures, grade distribution, survey questions, comments, and summary of results. Contains 26 tables. (PGS)