6 ms·

I think you are confusing "universities" with "USA universities", specially when it comes to debt and GPA.

iridium 11y ago
I'll agree on the debt side. The grade issue is infinitely worse in a lot of competitive cultures. Even if you take the money factor away, Have non-US universities really figured out higher education? Most of them tend to either be a lot more rigid in structure, or they copy from the US system.
- arethuza 11y ago
  Personally, I'm much happier I went to a UK university where the final degree "class" was based almost entirely on what you did in the final year (I think it was 80% fourth year and 20% third) as I was a terrible student in the first year, average in the second and did really well in the final two years and got a first. Not saying that this approach is "better" - just that it suited me!
nailer 11y ago
Most USA-people do this, and they're aware of it: when they talk about 'universities', or '[some class of] people', or 'VC' or whatever else. I think the reasons they do it are a combination of efficiency and a feeling that the rest of the world isn't always necessary to the discussion. Those of us outside the US may feel it's naive, but it's unlikely they'll change. The simplest thing for us to do is to assume they always mean USA-[topic].
- ajcarpy2005 11y ago
  US citizens may be less cultured.
  - virmundi 11y ago
    Define cultured? Say you're an average European. Hop into your (rented) car and drive 4 hours in any linear direction? Who are you going to see? Chances are someone from a different culture and history and probably one who once warred with you. I jump in my car and drive 4 hours, I'm at my state capital. I drive another 4 hours, I'm in Georgia. America is a huge country. We were the EU before unioning was cool. The "countries" (states) we interact with are all the same. Nothing but Sun Glass Huts and McDonalds coast to coast. Does that make us uncultured? No, it makes us so cultured that we can get along with 25% of the worlds economy. Just some historical things to think about.
    - CWuestefeld 11y ago
      I take your point. Last fall we drove for 8 hours, from Austin, TX to Big Bend National Park. We'd have to drive several more hours before leaving the state. On the other hand, there are many subcultures in America. Just going from an urban environment to the countryside will yield a big difference in the perspective of those living there. And having just recently moved to TX from the East Coast, I also now realize a marked tendency of those on the coast to ignore the fact that the country covers 4 time zones. Today I'm booked in meetings from 12-2, as east coasters overlook the fact that my lunch schedule is an hour off their own.
    - lfowles 11y ago
      > probably one who once warred with you On the other hand, in the US if I drive 4 hours south, I'm firmly in Confederate states.
      - virmundi 11y ago
        You are, but you're still fundamentally in the US. The system of government is the same, the general ideas are the same. Heck, most of the people that fought in the South weren't really pro-slavery as anti-federalist. Anti-federalist isn't original to the those states, Jefferson, the 3rd president, was anti-federalist. Even more to the point it was a civil war. Most Brits can drive around and find that. Heck, they might just have to cross the street for that.
    - 11y ago
- jklein11 11y ago
  Are you implying that there is anywhere other than the USA?
rmc 11y ago
Or even "one can take any courses they want"
dunmalg 11y ago
>I think you are confusing "universities" with "USA universities" When the thread topic title starts with "Texas College Professor" on a US hosted web site, in English, not appending "in the USA" to every single assertion is not unreasonable.

I'll agree on the debt side. The grade issue is infinitely worse in a lot of competitive cultures. Even if you take the money factor away, Have non-US universities really figured out higher education? Most of them tend to either be a lot more rigid in structure, or they copy from the US system.

arethuza 11y ago
Personally, I'm much happier I went to a UK university where the final degree "class" was based almost entirely on what you did in the final year (I think it was 80% fourth year and 20% third) as I was a terrible student in the first year, average in the second and did really well in the final two years and got a first. Not saying that this approach is "better" - just that it suited me!

nailer 11y ago

Most USA-people do this, and they're aware of it: when they talk about 'universities', or '[some class of] people', or 'VC' or whatever else. I think the reasons they do it are a combination of efficiency and a feeling that the rest of the world isn't always necessary to the discussion. Those of us outside the US may feel it's naive, but it's unlikely they'll change. The simplest thing for us to do is to assume they always mean USA-[topic].

ajcarpy2005 11y ago
US citizens may be less cultured.
- virmundi 11y ago
  Define cultured? Say you're an average European. Hop into your (rented) car and drive 4 hours in any linear direction? Who are you going to see? Chances are someone from a different culture and history and probably one who once warred with you. I jump in my car and drive 4 hours, I'm at my state capital. I drive another 4 hours, I'm in Georgia. America is a huge country. We were the EU before unioning was cool. The "countries" (states) we interact with are all the same. Nothing but Sun Glass Huts and McDonalds coast to coast. Does that make us uncultured? No, it makes us so cultured that we can get along with 25% of the worlds economy. Just some historical things to think about.
  - CWuestefeld 11y ago
    I take your point. Last fall we drove for 8 hours, from Austin, TX to Big Bend National Park. We'd have to drive several more hours before leaving the state. On the other hand, there are many subcultures in America. Just going from an urban environment to the countryside will yield a big difference in the perspective of those living there. And having just recently moved to TX from the East Coast, I also now realize a marked tendency of those on the coast to ignore the fact that the country covers 4 time zones. Today I'm booked in meetings from 12-2, as east coasters overlook the fact that my lunch schedule is an hour off their own.
  - lfowles 11y ago
    > probably one who once warred with you On the other hand, in the US if I drive 4 hours south, I'm firmly in Confederate states.
    - virmundi 11y ago
      You are, but you're still fundamentally in the US. The system of government is the same, the general ideas are the same. Heck, most of the people that fought in the South weren't really pro-slavery as anti-federalist. Anti-federalist isn't original to the those states, Jefferson, the 3rd president, was anti-federalist. Even more to the point it was a civil war. Most Brits can drive around and find that. Heck, they might just have to cross the street for that.
  - 11y ago
jklein11 11y ago
Are you implying that there is anywhere other than the USA?

rmc 11y ago

Or even "one can take any courses they want"

dunmalg 11y ago

>I think you are confusing "universities" with "USA universities" When the thread topic title starts with "Texas College Professor" on a US hosted web site, in English, not appending "in the USA" to every single assertion is not unreasonable.