By Ken Stewart

Classes Dorm life Food Social life Extra activities and clubs Part-time work

Kinds of classes Lecture

Recitation Seminar Lab

Workload Homework Tests

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

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’

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

Hands on classes for science or engineering majors

Complete an experiment and write a report

Often experiments take several hours to complete

Longest class

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

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

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.

Types of Dorm rooms: Standard (double) Suites Single

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

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)

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

On-Campus Off-campus Eating in the Dorm Student health

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

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.

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

“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

Meeting new people University events Student parties Greek life

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

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

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

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

Clubs: Sports clubs Special Interest Clubs Major-related Clubs Ethnic 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)

People who have a special interest or hobby form clubs

Great place to meet interesting people and become more well-rounded

For example: horror movie club, juggling club, Medieval reenactment club

Clubs for people of the same major to get together and enhance their learning

Great to meet people who have similar interests to you

For example: French Club, Engineering Club, Math Club

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

Finding a job Kinds of jobs for students

On-campus jobs Off-campus jobs

Availability for foreign students

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

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

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

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

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!