Finding out within the USA – Two (European) Pupil Experiences in Charlotte, North Carolina

Ever considered finding out overseas within the US? INOMICS has had the chance to interview two worldwide college students at two US universities and find out about their experiences doing simply that. For this text, we interviewed Adam at Queens College and Lenka on the College of North Carolina at Charlotte, two college students from the Czech Republic who moved to Charlotte, North Carolina within the US to review their Grasp’s levels. Beneath we’ll share their recommendation for different worldwide college students, experiences about finding out within the US, and extra!

If you wish to know what it’s like to review within the US – when it comes to tutorial construction, tradition, and life on the whole – then learn on.

1) What’s your diploma? Why did you select to review within the US?

Lenka: I’m pursuing a Grasp”s diploma in Information Science and Enterprise Analytics. I at all times needed to review overseas, and the US appeared like an excellent alternative. I made a decision based mostly on language (I needed to go to an English talking nation) and main (I needed to review Information Science; the same program was opened within the Czech Republic at the moment, however I needed to review a program that already had some custom). The College of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) was an excellent match for all my necessities.

Adam: MA in communication – it was not a call about going to the USA or not going to the USA, it was extra about going wherever, about finding out overseas. The USA gained towards different nations due to the student-athlete alternatives, and the work experiences you may get there.

2) What have been the cultural variations you skilled in education? How is schooling completely different within the US vs. again dwelling?

Lenka:
Cultural Variations
College students are usually not serving to one another – within the US they don’t communicate with one another within the courses. I used to be actually stunned by this. One other cultural distinction was in clothes – many college students put on garments just like pajamas at school. Again at dwelling, folks gown extra enterprise informal at universities. Additionally within the USA, college campuses are greater and nicer in comparison with within the Czech Republic and pupil life within the USA is best.

Schooling Variations
Grading is extra strict within the Czech Republic in comparison with the USA (only some college students from courses get an A, and the remaining get B or C). Due to that, no person cares about GPA in Czechia – college students solely attempt to go exams. There we wouldn’t have many assignments in the course of the faculty yr. In that case, we’ve only some. The principle focus is on midterms and the ultimate examination. The ultimate examination is round 80% of the grade, and it covers materials from the entire faculty semester and is closed ebook.

Right here at UNCC, courses are extra sensible, whereas again at dwelling in Czechia, courses are primarily about principle and memorizing. Within the Czech Republic after the common semester ends, we’ve one month of examination interval – it’s as much as college students to decide on when they’ll take exams (college students choose from dates which might be printed by professors). I studied roughly one week for every examination. Now we have to be very respectful in the direction of professors – we CAN NOT say “hello” or “hey” to them. Furthermore, we’ve to make use of their highest achieved title once we deal with them (this can be very tough – some professors have 4 completely different titles, and you need to choose the right one, in any other case, it’s a fake pas. As a fast check for you, that is the instance of the actual professor’s title with titles from my Czech College – prof. RNDr. Ing. Petr Fiala, CSc., MBA. So, how would you deal with him?*

Adam: When talking about education, there are lots of variations – for instance, right here within the US you normally name your trainer by their title and say “hello” not “good day”. Within the Czech Republic, you need to say “Hi there” and at all times say, “ma’am” or “mister”.

I’d say that there are fewer courses within the US, and there are not any oral exams. I additionally suppose that within the US there’s a concentrate on making use of what you might have realized to your real-life eventualities. Again within the Czech Republic, the education is extra about theories, diving deep into the “tutorial” area, and understanding the subject from the tutorial perspective. Right here within the US, the stress is on making use of some basic data, and typically not understanding the “behind scenes” of it.

3) What was the method for making use of and shifting over like? Was it troublesome to pay for tuition or different essential faculty bills?

Lenka: The method of making use of was disturbing. To start with, I chosen a couple of universities based mostly on my necessities, tuition, and so forth. Then I began the appliance course of – I wanted 3 suggestions, a GRE rating, an English examination rating (TOEFL, Duolingo), a motivation letter, GPA (in Czech we’ve the alternative scale to the USA, 1 is one of the best and 4 the worst), a transcript of all programs taken, and a CV. The worst factor was that I used to be getting all these essential papers in the course of the covid time. All establishments had delays or have been canceling appointments. Or I used to be in lockdown in my metropolis.

The appliance price was not that dangerous, although the tutoring is basically excessive. As a global pupil, I’m paying twice greater than native USA college students (plus I can’t apply for FAFSA, and UNCC is providing just one scholarship for worldwide graduate college students). On-campus job alternatives are serving to me cut back faculty bills (I’m able to get again ⅓ of tuition per semester).

Adam: I despatched round 150 emails for scholarships – I obtained 15 responses, 5 constructive, and 10 adverse. After that, it was straightforward to select from these faculties. The excessive tuition was anticipated, nevertheless, the insurance coverage I’ve to pay at Queens College is the largest expense – the largest concern I’d say.

4) Had been you stunned by something? What was sudden about finding out within the US?

Lenka: I didn’t count on that I’d be very busy in the course of the semester. Usually, I feel that it’s higher to observe to have extra assignments (repeatedly studying) in comparison with a one-month examination interval (one second of memorizing). Additionally, I used to be stunned by the variety of rules for worldwide college students.

Adam: I feel I used to be stunned with how few courses you must take – in my program at Queens they suggest that you simply take 2 courses per semester. Again dwelling, you possibly can take 8, 9 and even 12 courses in order for you.

5) What have been the principle cultural variations you skilled in non-academic life?

Lenka:

Automobile tradition (with out a automobile you’re no person within the USA)
Very poor recycling data; no person recycles! And in the event you actually wish to, you wouldn’t have a spot to go do it.
Inadequate public transportation, at the very least in Charlotte!
The “How are you doing” query (initially, I believed that individuals cared how I used to be feeling!).
Tipping so much.
Working tradition (you might have to spend so much of time at work).
College tradition – how you’re a part of the college, they usually have sports activities groups, golf equipment, and so forth. that you could be part of…..I like this about US universities.
Networking – I hate this, however you will need to community and have contacts right here.

Adam: Tipping within the eating places, and mainly in every single place.

6) Is there something you would like you had identified about finding out within the US, or the US on the whole, earlier than you bought there?

Lenka: I’d have appreciated any steerage about shopping for a automobile! Extra significantly… if US college students are describing what they’ve achieved – it nearly at all times sounds higher than it’s. In the event you notice this, you wouldn’t have to really feel responsible that you’re not sufficient. Plus, you need to communicate extremely about your self. In any other case, you’re going to get nowhere. And at last: you need to watch out with choosing teammates in group initiatives.

Adam: That not every little thing is at all times as folks promise or say, and that you need to actually combat for the belongings you need. For instance: if somebody guarantees that you could have an internship, ask them a couple of extra instances and inform all of them the details about your standing within the US, in any other case, you possibly can find yourself like me with out a possibility to work outdoors the campus.

7) What different recommendation do you might have for European college students seeking to examine within the US?

Lenka: Do your analysis correctly (primarily with immigration stuff)! A lot data is described on the net pages, dialogue boards, blogs… Be ready that issues for immigrants are more durable. However, do not forget that the USA is a rustic of alternatives and you may obtain your goals. Life within the USA is costlier than in Europe. And the final beneficial message is that individuals listed here are very pleasant – method them and grow to be pals with them!

Adam: Electronic mail all universities by your self, e mail everybody, after which select the best choice. Don’t shut your doorways by saying “I’ll go solely to California” – in Europe we learn about New York, California, and so forth. Nonetheless, the US is greater and there are lots of nice alternatives. You will get a greater scholarship and higher work alternatives (for instance) whenever you go to a smaller metropolis like Charlotte.

*The right reply to Lenka’s “quiz”: prof. Petr Fiala. However, this could get very difficult in a short time when the very best title is not apparent!

This interview was carried out remotely by Sean McClung for INOMICS in October 2022.

All image credit: Lenka and Adam.

Are you a pupil of economics, econometrics, or associated fields, or have you ever studied overseas for at the very least one yr? Would you prefer to share your recommendation with different curious college students? You possibly can contact us at [email protected] and we might be able to interview you as properly.