5 ms·

It depends on the field. As far as I can tell, some undergraduate degrees are traditionally so watered down that most graduates simply haven't had the opportuni

It depends on the field. As far as I can tell, some undergraduate degrees are traditionally so watered down that most graduates simply haven't had the opportunity to become fit for research. (Chemistry, I'm looking at you.) Other programs do better. (Physics. EE. CS at the more hardcore schools.)

jessriedel 17y ago
I was a physics undergrad at a very hardcore school, and I can tell you that I wasn't even remotely close to being able to do physics research upon graduation. Even after taking two years of full-time grad classes, I considered myself (and my fellow student) somewhat unprepared to choose a research field, much less do independent research. Part of this stems from the fact that US undergrad degrees are much broader than in Europe. My understanding is that European undergrads specialize in a topic day one, whereas US undergrads take at most half of their college classes in their major.
- marshallp 17y ago
  It's more that there is too much hand holding and babying of american students. European students (at the good universities) are expected to thoroughly and independently study for exams that will come two or more years later. American students are driven by weekly assignments and all sorts of midterms and quizzes. When it comes time to do independent research, the american student is thoroughly unprepared compared to the european.
  - jessriedel 17y ago
    In my experience (physics graduate student), American students and European students do not differ significantly based on work ethic, planning, or organization. Certainly, the variance within each group in those categories is much larger than the difference between those groups. The significant difference was that Europeans had completed more math and physics course before they had to choose an advisor and commit to a research topic.
marshallp 17y ago
Or alternatively, most undergraduate degrees are so irrevelant to either research or industry that they are essentially make work.

jessriedel 17y ago

I was a physics undergrad at a very hardcore school, and I can tell you that I wasn't even remotely close to being able to do physics research upon graduation. Even after taking two years of full-time grad classes, I considered myself (and my fellow student) somewhat unprepared to choose a research field, much less do independent research. Part of this stems from the fact that US undergrad degrees are much broader than in Europe. My understanding is that European undergrads specialize in a topic day one, whereas US undergrads take at most half of their college classes in their major.

marshallp 17y ago
It's more that there is too much hand holding and babying of american students. European students (at the good universities) are expected to thoroughly and independently study for exams that will come two or more years later. American students are driven by weekly assignments and all sorts of midterms and quizzes. When it comes time to do independent research, the american student is thoroughly unprepared compared to the european.
- jessriedel 17y ago
  In my experience (physics graduate student), American students and European students do not differ significantly based on work ethic, planning, or organization. Certainly, the variance within each group in those categories is much larger than the difference between those groups. The significant difference was that Europeans had completed more math and physics course before they had to choose an advisor and commit to a research topic.

marshallp 17y ago

Or alternatively, most undergraduate degrees are so irrevelant to either research or industry that they are essentially make work.