An American Education

This week, I'm posting a 2-for-1 special! In class, there were two distinct discussions: 1) the online GLC (prompting post #1 for this week) and 2) international universities and education. Both of these topics got me thinking (and journaling). I assumed there would be differences in the actual administrations, classroom dynamics, application processes, and assessment pieces to international universities as compared to the U.S. system, but I did not realize just how DIFFERENT the college/university experience is abroad.

Even in the most urban of universities in the U.S. (NYU, BU, Pitt, etc.) you still find campus life (re: dorms, greek system, residential life, intramural sports, college athletics, leadership, community service, etc. etc. etc.). Even at the community college level there is a large focus on university life aside from academics and coursework. In fact, I'd say my life outside of academics not only influenced where I chose to go school, but also was what I take away most from my university experience. When I applied to school, I only applied to two schools: 1. the University of Florida and 2. Georgia Tech. I got into Georgia Tech first (they have a rolling admission while Florida does it in the spring) and was adamant about going there. After all, they are one of the top engineering schools in the country. Then, I started researching the "outside of academic" side of Georgia Tech. My whole family has been greek at school. Georgia Tech only had 2 sororities. While GT football is a division 1 school, their athletics is small compared to UF. I was raised on college football with alumnae from the University of Miami, UF, and Florida State all in my family. I am the fifth generation (at least... our records only go back to Russia where they were subsequently burned in the revolution) to go to higher education. College and collegiate life is in our blood. All of this "other" stuff was in UF's favor. Not to mention in-state tuition, an equally as good engineering school, and Florida Bright Futures (thank you, lottery, for paying for my tuition). Had my decision been on school ranking alone, I might have chose different.

My collegiate experienced was loaded with extra-curriculars. From treasurer in my sorority to chair of the board of managers for the student union, director of speech and debate tournaments to civil engineering clubs and everything in between. There were intramural sports, residential life (I lived in the dorms for two years and my sorority house for another two), football, basketball, softball, gymnastics, and every other sport you could imagine, and of course, hours upon hours of community service. This, on top of a full course load. Oh, and if time allowed, there was studying to do.

When I think back on my college experience its the non-academics I remember with vivid clarity. It is sorority recruitment, late-night ice cream parties in the dorm, 32-hours on my feet at Dance Marathon for the Childrens' Miracle Network, waiting on baited breath to see if I was tapped into Florida Blue Key, and building a concrete canoe with my engineering friends. College did more than prepare me for a career as an engineer. It built character. It connected me to a network of lifelong friends. It prepared me for life.

Maybe this is a very "American" view of college, but I am glad that I had the opportunities to experience it this way.