Oct 17th, 2011
Expectations in Graduate College
Here, in America, the life is pretty different than France. Although we are both rich countries, with computers, schools, hospitals, restaurants, books and foods the American way of life is different; neither better nor worse, just different.
The first think that appeal me, in my Graduate life in BGSU, is work’s method. Indeed, here, we can have a test on something you never spoke in class. Students must read every week one or two chapters (about 20p each) and know it for the beginning of the next course. The professor is only here to give some examples and explains again with other words. But generally students understand the course by themselves because books are really well explicated. And fortunately, because at the beginning of the semester, each student has to buy a lot of expensive books. In my case, I had to buy 1 book at $80 (it was a used book!), another one at $24 and the last one was too expensive. I could not buy it, so I rent it for $100!
Concerning the courses, it is funny because in France when the course must start at 8.30, in reality it begins at 8.35 or 8.40. In America, every student is sit down in the class at 8.25. Moreover, if someone is late nobody care, he can sit in class and no one is surprise. During the class, if you need to drink, eat, or go to the bathroom you just have to leave; it is normal.
On the other hand, I’m not surprise by the work we have to provide because I have heard a lot about that in France. I was prepared thanks to the movies that I saw and a friend of mine told me about the American university expectations.