College Life in America

1. College Life in America By Ken Stewart

2. Contents • Classes • Dorm life • Food • Social life • Extra activities and clubs • Part-time work

3. Classes • Kinds of classes • Lecture • Recitation • Seminar • Lab • Workload • Homework • Tests

4. Lecture • Largest class, from 30-200 students • Teacher talks for entire time, very little student interaction • If you want to ask a question, sit in the front • Grades are usually a few tests and/or papers

5. Recitation • A small group class for reviewing and supplementing large lectures • Made to compensate for one-sided learning during lecture • Usually taught by graduate students • Also called ‘Group Session’

6. Seminar • Smaller class of around 10-20 students • Emphasis on class discussion and student dialogue • Usually for advanced level classes • More homework, smaller tests • Participation grade

7. Labs • Hands on classes for science or engineering majors • Complete an experiment and write a report • Often experiments take several hours to complete • Longest class

8. Student workload • Students usually take 15-18 credits a semesters • Every university’s credit system is a little different • Students are expected to do a lot of reading/studying in their free time

9. Homework • Amount varies from class to class, though usually consists mainly of reading and reviewing • Some subjects like science or math have a lot of written homework • For large classes, homework usually a small part of grade; for small classes, more important

10. Tests • Most classes have a midterm and final exam • Other, slightly smaller tests are common as well • Some classes will have even smaller tests called quizzes. These may occur on a weekly basis • In the US, cheating and forgery is NOT tolerated and is punished very harshly.

11. Dorm life • Types of Dorm rooms: • Standard (double) • Suites • Single

12. The standard dorm room • A normal dorm room in the US is the “double room” • Usually two beds, two desks, and two dressers • Internet connection available, as well as a cable jack for a TV • Need to use a communal bathroom and shower • Small, but efficient and cheap

13. Dorm Suites • Larger dorm rooms, often with multiple rooms connected by living room • Usually has one or two bathrooms and showers • Sometimes have more freedom (ie. cooking, guests)

14. Single dorm rooms • Sometimes larger universities will offer “single rooms.” • Very small and minimalist • Offers more privacy, though more expensive than a double • Sometimes floors will be more social

15. College Eating • On-Campus • Off-campus • Eating in the Dorm • Student health

16. On-Campus Eating • School Cafeterias • Fast, convenient, but not always cheap • Food usually low quality and unhealthy • School meal plans – prepaid option for students • Usually designed for students living in dorms • Several kind of plans offered, from everyday meals to occasional snacks

17. Off-Campus Eating • Nearby restaurants and eateries. • Prices range from cheap to moderate • Typically cheaper than other restaurants in the city • Larger variety than cafeterias, food generally (slightly) higher quality • Restaurants (especially pizzerias) will have special for students.

18. Eating in the Dorms • Students living in dorms are sometimes required to pay for meal plans. • Usually electric cooking appliances such as stoves or ovens are not allowed, microwaves are usually ok • Many restaurants offer carry-out, few offer deliver

19. Student Health • “The freshman five” • College can be stressful, and the food offered is usually not very healthy • Healthy food is expensive in America, and most students can’t afford to eat healthy • Regular exercise is highly recommended for all students

20. Social Life • Meeting new people • University events • Student parties • Greek life

21. Meeting new people • Most people make friends from events, parties, or clubs • In smaller universities, classmates will also often be friends, but in larger universities, this is less common

22. University Events • The university will have official events, like concerts or lectures. • Universities in larger cities will have more cultural events to attend (ie. theater, ballet, opera) • There are also events for freshman at the beginning of their semester

23. Student Parties • University students that live in apartments or houses will sometimes throw parties. • These can range from a few friends hanging out, to a loud, crowded dance party • Alcohol is very common, and will often be consumed in large amounts

24. Alcohol in US colleges • The drinking age in the US is 21 years • Almost all university students drink illegally • Many students do not know how to control their drinking, and are pressured to drink large amounts • In general, drinking is done for the purpose of getting drunk, not for socializing

25. Extra Activities and Clubs • Clubs: • Sports clubs • Special Interest Clubs • Major-related Clubs • Ethnic clubs

26. Sports Clubs • Intramural sports • Competitive sports within the university • Club sports • Competitive sports between universities • Larger schools will have some special sports clubs (ie. martial arts, bowling, fencing)

27. Special interest clubs • People who have a special interest or hobby form clubs • Great place to meet interesting peopleand become more well-rounded • For example: horror movie club, juggling club, Medieval reenactment club

28. Major-related Clubs • Clubs for people of the same major to get togetherand enhance their learning • Great to meet people who have similar interests to you • For example: French Club, Engineering Club, Math Club

29. Ethnic clubs • People of the same background ethnicity come together to spread their culture • Schools require official clubs be open to all students, though exclusive ethnic clubs exist • Often arrange activities for traditional holidays • For example: Chinese Club, Indian Club, Korean Club

30. Working Part time • Finding a job • Kinds of jobs for students • On-campus jobs • Off-campus jobs • Availability for foreign students

31. Finding a job • Use the internet! Most universities have listing for school jobs on their website. Craigslist is a great place to look for off-campus jobs • You can find small, part-time jobs in the newspaper or on bulletin boards in the school • Word of mouth is the easiest way to get a job. Find a friend who has a job and ask if he/she can help you

32. On-campus jobs • Schools have low-paying jobs available for full-time students • Students can receive work-study financial aid which allows them to easily get a job on-campus • Generally very safe and easy work

33. Off-campus • University students very often will work in restaurants and shops. There is nothing shameful for students working in these jobs • Usually pay very low and hours long • Employers are less flexible

34. Availability for foreign students • Some visas cannot legally hold jobs in the US, sometimes can only work in the university • Be sure you understand what kinds of jobs you can legally hold • ‘Under the counter’ jobs are not as common in the US, but sometimes you can find tax-free work through friends

35. Closing Thoughts • College students in America are very independent and open-minded • Though there are many similarities to Chinese university life, there are also many small but important differences • Despite the high cost, going to school in America is worth it!