A Guide to US College Study Culture

Last time we looked at culture in America in a more general sense, but today I want to talk specifically about the study culture at colleges in America. When you’re an international student, it can be easy to get caught up in the travel preparations and forget about the schoolwork itself. But as these travels are all for the sake of getting an education, let’s make sure you’re ready to take your classes by storm!

If this is your first time attending to college, it’s bound to be a very different experience from any of your studies so far, whether you are studying abroad or not. But even if you’ve completed some higher education in your home country, the style of learning in America might seem a bit different in some respects. It was certainly the case for me when I studied abroad for the second year of my bachelor’s degree, when I was able to directly compare the US and UK university systems.

Here are some of the things I’ve noticed about studying in the USA:

 

You can study a broad range of subjects
This is particularly true at the undergraduate level, where students are required to complete classes on a range of different subjects as well as the classes required for their major. There might be some subjects that don’t appeal to you as much as others, but general requirements allow you to learn more about areas of study that you might not have considered. Keep an open mind, and you might find you have a new favourite subject!

Students are encouraged to speak to their professors
If you are coming straight from secondary/high school, you may be used to speaking to your teachers within the classroom and nothing more. But when you get to college, and particularly college in the US, students can boost their educational experience by continuing the conversations you start in class, by visiting professors in their office hours or setting up meetings. You are able to build more of a personal relationship with your teachers, which can help you stick out from the crowd.

Work is graded throughout the entire semester
In the UK, nearly all of your grades are based on final exams taken at the end of each year, with assignments completed in between being mostly for practice. In America, the opposite is true. Most work you complete will count towards your final grade, and may be made up of shorter quizzes and assignments as well as longer papers and exams. This has both pros and cons: if you struggle with one assignment it won’t necessarily ruin your grades, but it is important to put in the effort consistently across the semester.

Class participation is important!
For many classes, your participation during time spent in the classroom is given a grade as well as the assignments you submit. As someone who was used to mostly attending lectures where students were not asked to speak, this came as quite a surprise. It’s definitely something you can use to your advantage, though. By answering questions, you can make yourself known to your classmates and your professor, improve your communication skills, and even teach everyone else someone new! As an international student, you are able to provide a different point of view and help your peers think about their studies from another perspective.

Group projects are not uncommon
American students are encouraged to collaborate with each other and share ideas, so sometimes you may be given assignments which ask that you work in a group with other students from your class. This gives students the opportunity to learn how to communicate and plan as a team, and allows you to build projects that wouldn’t be possible if working alone. Use the opportunity to get to know other students in your class, and you might make a new friend as well as a good grade!

 

So, there you have it. Time to go out and earn some As! Is there anything that you found different that isn’t listed here? Get in contact by joining in on the discussions on the dedicated Facebook group or send a tweet!