So what is studying in the US actually like?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>I've recently started thinking about doing a degree in America and just wanted some general information. Although both my parents studied there they're being a bit unhelpful (my mother hates America and my dad just throws Ivy League names at me =/...).
Could somebody explain the system of classes and majors to me? As far as I understand you can choose between a BA and a Bsc, and then major in something specific yes? I'm looking at a degree in politics and philosophy, so do I choose the major after the first two years or...??
Bleaurghhh I'm so confused.
Also college life, serious and not so serious. Firstly on the more serious note I'm a little bit worried about racism being an issue. I'm mixed race (German and Nigerian) and racism has just never come up with me before, it's something that's joked about and that I take really lightly. However my parents were saying that it's a much bigger deal over there, that race WILL make a difference, which I'm not sure I can be bothered to deal with in years in which I'm meant to be enjoying myself.
Less seriously - what do american students do for fun? The no drinking till 21 rule is irritating isn't it. I'm really worried that I'll end up there and just not fitting in at all...</p>

<p>Essay over.
Thanks :)</p>

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<p>I don't think race in America is as HUGE as a deal as many people think it is. I think too many of us (students) are too politically correct to make "race jokes."
Even though the drinking age is 21, fake IDs are easy to get and I'm sure many other teenagers (including myself) had/will have experiences with alcohol before the age of 21</p>

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<p>In terms of classes and majors, every college in the US alters in some way. I attend Oberlin College, and here, you can declare your major at any time you want, but it must be before you've earned 56 hours of credit (essentially, by the end of your sophomore year). Each class you pass is a certain number of credit hours-- typically determined by how many hours a week it meets, if it has a lab component, etc-- and so most college students take between 12 and 18 credit hours per semester, which can be anywhere from three to six courses.</p>

<p>It's hard to be specific with how classes work in a major, because that really depends on the school. As a politics major, I can give you the example of how it works at Oberlin. To fulfill your politics major, you must complete 30 hours in the politics department, with no more than three classes at the introductory level, you must take at least one intermediate course in each of the four divisions of the department (comparative politics, international politics, political theory, and american politics), and take a 300-level research seminar. </p>

<p>Racism should not be an issue. I'm not going to lie and say America doesn't have issues with it, but in college communities it isn't as much of a problem as in select other parts of the country.</p>

<p>Having fun isn't a problem at all. There are so many things you can do, there is so much freedom...any given night, you can be going to concerts, a dance club, hanging out with friends, watching a movie, meeting people...anything you want, really.</p>

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<p>Everyone drinks in college, so dont worry about the BS 21 rule. Kids dont care.</p>

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<p>I live in Alabama (you know, the home of the civil rights movement) and I have never really seen very much racism in the college environment, although it can be different in the surrounding town/city. However, in college, MOST people are very chill and don't care what color you are. Also interracial couples are much more common now as well, and I have been in one myself. </p>

<p>The no drinking til 21 only applies if you get CAUGHT. lol. basically everyone drinks in college, very VERY few people actually wait until they're 21. As long as you aren't stupid with it, like drinking in public or driving drunk, it's fine. You would just have to find someone else to actually buy it for you, or get a fake ID. There is plenty of other stuff to do though: hang out with friends, go to a park, see a film, go to concerts, go out to eat, etc. </p>

<p>You can declare your major at any time, pretty much, just usually it has to be before or by the end of the second year. Lots of majors, there are many pre-req's before you can get into your actual major classes, so it's to your benefit to declare earlier. Since you already know what you want to do, you would come in with a major declared (are you looking to double major in those two subjects? you can do that, or you can major in one, and minor in the other. a minor is basically you take alot of courses on that subject too, just like, half as many as you take for your major).</p>

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<p>Here in good ol' Indiana, it depends upon where you are when it comes to racism. At my high school, you could count on one hand the number of minority students, and most of the fights between guys were over racial slurs. Now, I'm a sophomore at Purdue, and I love the diversity here! Basically, watch out for the good ol' boys and many of the red-necks :( Unfortunately...</p>

<p>I think the drinking issue has been well covered.</p>

<p>As for majors, at Purdue, nearly everyone declares a major when applying but there is also an undergraduate studies program for those who haven't decided yet. There are pre-reqs for your major classes, so pretty much everyone is stuck in the same gen-ed classes for the first year or so. If you change your major mid-way through the four years, you might be in for longer to complete your new requirements. Oh, and I've heard Purdue called the Harvard of the Midwest. Personally, I wouldn't come here unless you are interested in engineering, food science, ag., physical/life sciences, or business.</p>

<p>Hope that helps :)</p>

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<p>As a political science and/or philosophy major you will get a BA degree. The BS degree is mainly for science majors (though science majors can get a BA as well). </p>

<p>You will apply to colleges with a tentative major but you are usually not committed to that major in any way (unless you apply to a special program in engineering or nursing or whatever). Most colleges technically allow you to declare your major right on the first day on campus but there is usually no need to do it so early (unless some classes are closed to non-majors or you would get priority registration as a declared major or something like that... depends entirely on the college). You will likely spend your first year fulfilling distribution or core requirements which gives you time to rethink your options. </p>

<p>About those requirements: you have to take a certain number of classes or credits outside your major. There are two common systems used to determine which classes you have to take: </p>

<p>Distribution requirements make you take classes in a certain area but let you pick the specific classes yourself. Distribution requirements can have varying degrees of restrictiveness: One college may require you to take two classes each in humanities, social sciences and natural sciences but you get to pick which academic fields you want to take the classes in; another college might require one art class, one English class, one history class etc (but you can still choose which history class to take).</p>

<p>Core requirements in contrast are a set of classes that all students have to take (e.g. Into to Academic Writing, History of Western Civilization...).</p>

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<p>.02 cents from a Black student,</p>

<p>Pliead, "German" and "Nigerian" aren't races. German would be white, Nigerian would be African American (different from Black American). So, i'm supposing one of your parents is white, and the other is black. Racism is practically non-existent in America; the few vestiges of racism that remain are pitiful gestures to a bygone era.</p>

<p>I've never run into racism, but i don't doubt it exists. For my part, I don't take part too much in white social society, nor do I date white women. In that sense, yes - race makes a big difference. However, the fact is that there ARE very large differences between white and brown (encompassing all brown people) societies. That would probably be the biggest difference between Europe and America.</p>

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<p>rl.hill is absolutely correct. African American is the best way to describe Pleiad's ethnicity.</p>

<p>But in all honesty I had a good laugh for 3 minutes straight when I read that.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Racism is practically non-existent in America; the few vestiges of racism that remain are pitiful gestures to a bygone era.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Give me some of whatever you're smoking...</p>

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<p>I wouldn't say racism was "practically non-existant" here; it definitely still exists, just not so much in an academic environment where people are, you know, educated. I think most racism stems from ignorance, and ignorance stems from lack of education. Therefore, people who are being educated at a higher level probably aren't going to be ignorant racists. However, the general population is another story entirely.</p>

<p>Also, no, you wouldn't describe pleiad as "african american" because she ISNT AMERICAN. Duh, people. I think we would describe her as a mixed race British person.</p>

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<p>Another Nigerian! I wonder how your life is like. I am just used to 100% Nigerians. Heavy in the culture and accent. :)
rl.hill, Nigerians are not african american... I would know...</p>

<p>And ... what? no racism in america is pretty? You are pretty... sheltered to say the least.</p>

<p>So, I would really suggest disregarding what rl.hill said unless he/she explains him/herself better.</p>

<p>Of course, I do not feel like racism is a huge enough issue that you should actually be concerned about it.</p>

<p>In American schools, you are allowed to change your major as often as you want whenever you want (I don't think you can do that in England). However, be careful because sometimes that can cause you to graduate later. Graduating in more than 4 years is something some people try to encourage. Some cynical people think its so the school gets more money and more idealistic people think its so people really find themselves.</p>

<p>Uhm, college life can be serious or not serious -- which ever you want it to be. The people you hang with, the atmosphere of the school you choose... you decide how serious it is going to be.</p>

<p>Unless you want to go to grad school, the undergrad you go to does not really matter.</p>

<p>And unlike in Europe, you can't graduate high school and go to medical school. You have to go through prerequisites. If you're doing anything medical, you need to start doing some research on how it works for the particular field you want.</p>

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<p>Yeah, Nigerians are African, not African American. :)</p>

<p>
[quote]
Unless you want to go to grad school, the undergrad you go to does not really matter.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>And I think you mean "if" instead of "unless."</p>

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<p>wow..the backlash has been amazing..</p>

<p>Allow me to clarify:</p>

<p>I was relating the races of Pliead's parents back to their american equivalents, so that I could see what exactly Pliead would be identified as in American society. The German parent would be described as "white" (in general society), while the Nigerian parent would be "African American", or, as we say among black people, "African." </p>

<p>Because the Nigerian parent is not "American" black, Pliead would not be a black american. This is a well known subdivision among black people in America. </p>

<p>I am going to say that Pliead would be a black British-American, but we could debate this all day, because Pliead represents many cultures/races.</p>

<p>AU Lost chick, perhaps its just my beliefs, but a black person CANNOT be "mixed race" socially speaking, no matter how their genes stack up. There is no connection between blacks and whites that allows for that, and I find it a gross misrepresentation that somehow suggests a commonality between blacks and whites. </p>

<p>I know I am going to catch hell for that comment. The truth, however, is that "mixed" people are faced with a dilemma: you are black or white. Pliead should know this.</p>

<p>About racism: like I said before, I know it probably exists, but I've never experienced it. Admittedly, I was raised in a society in which I never had to interact with white people, but even in college i've not seen racism. Yes, you have your occasional Jena, but the public reception to a Jena-like society is outrage.</p>

<p>You may begin the flame war.</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone :)
That's cleared up quite a bit.</p>

<p>Erm, thank you too rl.hill although honestly speaking your response makes me more apprehensive than any of the others. You say that you don't mix with white people, and you only ever date people of your own race?
Is that of your own choice or is it something imposed on you by society? That's exactly what I'm talking about. It's the idea of 'race conciousness' maybe rather than racism. I've never thought of myself as 'black' but then again I don't think of myself as 'white' either, if I'm ever officially asked to classify it I'm mixed race black african and white european. I'm proud of my heritage but that's as far as any feelings about it go. My mother was telling me about the self imposed segregation in American society and it's just seems pathetic. I choose my friends based on chemistry between us, not what bloody colour they are. I happen not to have any black friends, but that's a coincidence not something I chose. At the same time people aren't scared to say 'yeah well your black' as a comeback made in jest, I've never had to worry that they might actually be serious. </p>

<p>Sorry about that long rant.</p>

<p>quitejaded: I'm probably one of the most un-nigerian, nigerians you'll encounter. I'm a lot more in tune with my German and British sides. I spent about half a year there and I just couldn't make myself feel at ease... I was always the 'english girl' which was funny at first but got a bit tedious</p>

<p>I guess the only issue left is the american sense of humour :P but I'm sure that can be worked on.</p>

<p>Oh actually one more thing, from the looks of things here kids (and their parents!) seem pretty obsessive about getting into top schools. I would have to apply, study for the SAT's which I haven't a clue about and study for my A-levels all at the same time. Also I have next to NO extracurriculars. Would I be at a really big disadvantage? Would Uni's take into account the amount of work that A-levels are when they view my application?</p>

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<p>Come To America! It's Amazing!!!!!!!!!!</p>

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<p>Pleiad, be careful about being sucked into the blackhole of panic that is CC around admissions time. On these boards is one of the smallest cross-sections of the student population here in the US and other nations. NOT ONE of my friends knows about this website. Maybe it's easier to find now, but a couple years ago it took my special brand of anxiety about my test scores to even find it. All across the US you will find students who couldn't care less if they only went to Ivy Tech (local community colleges) for four years, even if they were high-achieving in high school. The best advice anyone could give you is to go where you fit in best. I turned down Notre Dame and am attending Purdue for that exact reason...oh, and the price tag.</p>

<p>I am sorry you are still uneasy about the race issue. Consciousness is certainly the best way to put it. I was raised not be conscious of race (that doesn't mean I don't notice), and I do not select my friends based upon that. It honestly all comes down to where you are. Anything I could say would still be a gross generalization. There is a self-imposed segregation in the US; it's less because of racism and more because of racial consciousness and culture differences. I don't mean culture as in "so-and-so's from this country;" I mean it in the sense of cliques at school. If you are a prep or a jock, you probably would spend too much of your time with the punks or the goths because they do different things for leisure, have different ideas about what is funny, and prefer another genre of music. Again, that is a generalization, and it varies from person to person. When it comes to dating, a lot people are limited by their parents' (or their own) beliefs, but many others would just as soon date a person similar to them as a person who is dissimilar. My sister married a man from South America, and since they divorced has been dating a man from Guiana. If anything, bring on the new genetics, and a person with a different world view!</p>

<p>What are your extracurriculars? For all we know, you could be out there putting light into the lives of a lot people. Colleges love that, and it means that you are a good person, besides :) Just about any college here will require that you take either the SAT or the ACT. How many years from college are you? You might have time to take the test once for practice and then study before taking it again. Most colleges here are competing against one another to increase the overall percentage of their student bodies composed of international students, so you are most likely in luck there. You will probably have the opportunity to explain your educational background to admissions and you could most certainly write an essay about your life and be honest about your ideas or concerns regarding attending college in the US.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
AU Lost chick, perhaps its just my beliefs, but a black person CANNOT be "mixed race" socially speaking, no matter how their genes stack up. There is no connection between blacks and whites that allows for that, and I find it a gross misrepresentation that somehow suggests a commonality between blacks and whites.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm not sure I quite understand what you're saying. A person can't have a black parent and a white parent?</p>

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<p>socially, not biologically speaking.</p>

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<p>That still doesn't make sense...</p>

<p>Are you saying that the cultures are too different to really be considered both?</p>