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Understand The Assumptions Behind The System
From your past experience in other educational systems, you have developed certain assumptions about the nature and purposes of education, and about the way your field of interest should be studied. For example, you may have been taught to view education as a process of absorbing information and ideas from scholars who know a great deal about a body of knowledge that exists in the world.
In the U.S. educational system you will find that education is viewed as an effort to acquire more information about, and a greater understanding of things that are not necessarily known or understood.
In the U.S. you may find that memorizing material is less important than being able to both synthesize (i.e. bring together in a new way) material from many sources and develop your own ideas. U.S. faculty members tend to agree that learning how to approach studies independently and to develop unique approaches and ideas is the most difficult task facing new international students, especially at the graduate level.
Understand the Academic System
The University catalogue http://www.ulv.edu/catalog/ is your guide to education at ULV. You will benefit if you read the helpful sections in the catalogue. The catalogue describes your academic rights and responsibilities.
The following are areas that are not covered by the catalog:
Classroom Behavior
Some international students are surprised at the informal relationships between students and teachers in the university. When a professor enters a classroom, students will not stand or bow. Students are only expected to be silent and attentive. The proper form of address is: "Doctor" for a holder of a Ph.D. degree and "Professor" for other degree holders. Some Professors encourage students to call them by their first name, particularly in cases where students work closely with the instructor.
The best way to determine the limits of informality is by carefully observing how American students act and then finding behavior that is comfortable and that fits into the customary American pattern.
Gift Giving
In some cultures it is proper to give a gift to your teacher. In this culture it is not customarily done. However, if you would like to express your appreciation to a teacher or advisor who has been particularly helpful, the best time to give a gift is at the end of the semester. The best time is after all grades have been submitted so that there is no possibility the teacher will misunderstand your act of giving.
Study Skills
The U.S. educational system rewards students who can:
- study a large amount of material, covering a broad range of subjects
- synthesize material concerning a broad range of information from many sources
- Take examinations effectively.
For ideas or assistance with "study skills," contact The Student Resource Center, where you can receive free tutoring.
