Tips for Success in American Universities

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Tips for Success in American Universities

• Masayasu AOTANI
• Associate Professor
• The International Center
• Kyoto University

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Getting the most out of your stay in the United
States

• -- dos, donts, and much more --

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An Overview of This Presentation

• Academics
• US v.s. Japan - different people and systems
• About English
• Getting Help
• Financing Your Graduate Education
• Miscellaneous
• About Myself

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Academics - 1

• Know before you enroll what is expected of you
  and what you can expect from the course and the
  instructor.
• Read the course syllabus thoroughly.
  (prerequisite, grading policy, examinations and
  papers)
• Take your classes very seriously, or you can
  flunk out before you know it.

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Academics - 2

• American universities are like Japanese high
  schools.
• Attend the classes regularly.
• Do the homework, and turn in your assignments in
  time.

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Academics - 3

• Never fall behind.
• Watch your GPA.
• Go to professors office hours.
• Get to know the teaching assistants.
• Study day and night.

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NEXT

• Academics
• US v.s. Japan
• different people and systems
• About English
• Getting Help
• Financing Your Graduate Education
• Miscellaneous
• About Myself

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An American Professor - a researcher and a
teacher -
A professors informal attire or speech must not
be taken to mean that he or she has a relaxed
attitude toward assignments, class attendance, or
the quality of students work.

• students customers or consumers
• welcomes students participation and tries to
  encourage discussion
• under tremendous pressure to generate results and
  get grants
• graduate students advisees and employees

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Comparing Professors
USA Japan

• Individuals
• 9-month employment
• Tenure decision
• Regular employees
• Research and teaching
• Sabbatical year

• Pyramid
• 12-month employment
• Lifetime employment
• Managers
• Nonacademic duties
• No sabbatical year

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American Students

• One cannot really generalize.
• students customers or consumers ? express
  dissatisfaction without hesitation
• want practical courses with direct relevance to
  their daily life
• think classes should be useful, interesting, and
  clear
• Many try hard to maintain a high GPA.
• graduate assistants employees
• Try to initiate/join a discussion in the class.

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Americans

• Individualism and Privacy
• Freedom and Independence
• Self-reliance
• Equality
• Informality
• Action and Achievement
• Materialism (but Religious as well)
• Direct, Assertive, Expressive, Pushy, and
  Aggressive

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Teaching and Learning - one
USA Japan

• Interested professors
• Friendly professors
• Interesting lectures
• Regular office hours
• Complete syllabus

• Indifferent professors
• Authoritative professors
• Uninteresting lectures
• No set office hours
• No syllabus

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Teaching and Learning - two
USA Japan

• Weekly homework
• Discussion sessions
• Hour-long lectures
• Extra resources

• No regular homework
• No discussion sessions
• 90-minute lectures
• No such resources

Students evaluations are taken very seriously by
the professor.
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Extra Resources

• Graders and teaching assistants help professors.
• The United States has the best library in the
  world. They are often open 24 hours a day during
  the examination period. - Electronic Library
• Numerous computer laboratories on campus stay
  open until late at night or even all night long.

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Teaching and Learning Summary
Students expect more from the school and the
professors. In return, the school and the
professors expect more from students.
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Research
USA Japan

• Individuals
• Get a grant or else
• Blind funding decision
• Salary from grants
• Research assistants
• Postdoctoral fellows

• Research groups
• Some automatic funding
• Name and connection
• Fixed salary
• Graduate students
• Free labor

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Other Learning Opportunities

• Internships
• Work-study
• Your Japanese skill is marketable.
• Invited speech

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NEXT

• Academics
• US v.s. Japan - different people and systems
• About English
• Getting Help
• Financing Your Graduate Education
• Miscellaneous
• About Myself

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About English - 1

• Most of you will always have a problem.
• Just living in the US is never ever enough.
• Try to improve your English 25 hours a day 367
  days a year.
• Admit your problem up front.
• Know that Americans are quite used to poor
  English.

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About English - 2

• Some professors are very accommodating.
• Ask a native speaker to proofread your papers.
  (Dont if they require complete rewriting. You
  have to pay then.)
• Pick courses carefully at least in the beginning.
  (Mathematics courses are highly recommended.)
• Ignore those idiots who think poor English is a
  sign of low intelligence.

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NEXT

• Course Work
• US v.s. Japan - different people and systems
• About English
• Getting Help
• Financing Your Graduate Education
• Miscellaneous
• About Myself

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Getting Help - 0
First and foremost, you have to take the
initiative, speak up, and let people know you
need help.
American universities have much more resources to
help students than their Japanese counterparts.
It is up to you to take advantage of them.
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Getting Help - 1

• Meet your academic and other advisors on arrival.
• Go to office hours, but be prepared.
• Tap into the knowledge base of the foreign
  student adviser.
• The International Student Office is like heaven.
• Ask your friends, but be selective in following
  their advice.

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Getting Help - 2

• Academic advisor
• general academic problems
• curriculum requirements
• problem with professors
• trouble with your English
• The professor teaching the course
• details about the course
• deadline extensions
• can not follow a lecture

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Getting Help - 3

• International student advisor
• community activities
• employment and other visa related issues
• Housing office
• Student health service
• Campus newspaper
• College catalog
• Financial aid office

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NEXT

• Academics
• US v.s. Japan - different people and systems
• About English
• Getting Help
• Financing
• Your Graduate Education
• Miscellaneous
• About Myself

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Financing your graduate education

• Teaching assistantship a great experience and
  often required
• Research assistantship widely available in
  experimental and/or applied sciences
• Your tuition is often waived if you have an
  assistantship.

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NEXT

• Academics
• US v.s. Japan - different people and systems
• About English
• Getting Help
• Financing Your Graduate Education
• Miscellaneous
• About Myself

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Housing and Food

• Residence halls are not necessarily cheap.
• International houses are good places to start.
• Private apartments are better for privacy.
• Consider signing up for a student meal plan if
  you do not wish to cook yourself. (All you can
  eat!)
• Choose your roommate(s) and housemate(s) very
  carefully.

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Using Computers

• Get a student account on arrival.
• Learn to use the computing facilities on campus.
• A laptop or a notebook is not a luxury any more.
• It will definitely help you in your job hunt.

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Tailoring a degree to your needs

• There are so many possible majors for you.
• You can even create your own.
• Interdisciplinary majors are all over the place,
  reflecting their diversity as a nation. (MSG,
  MAM, MPPPM, MSCDIS, MSESM)

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Youth is power!

• Academic difficulties are nothing in comparison
  to many other problems in life.
• Culture shock is a misnomer. The correct term is
  cultural adaptation process.
• Eat well, stay healthy, and be ambitious. Youth
  is power!
• If nothing else works, try skateboarding!

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Top ten reasons for studying in the US - one

• 10. Multidimensional approach will always help
  you.
• 9. The confidence you gain by holding your own in
  a different country is priceless.
• 8. You will be a great asset to Japan and to the
  world in the coming century.
• 7. Your contribution of enhancing cultural
  awareness among Americans is very valuable.
• 6. You can meet people from all over the world
  and learn to appreciate different cultures.

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Top ten reasons for studying in the US - two

• 5. Best scholars in the world!
• 4. Best junk food in the world!
• 3. Japan may disappear into the ocean any day.
• 2. Great slopes for skateboarding!
• 1. No one wants you in Japan. Get out of here!

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NEXT

• Academics
• US v.s. Japan - different people and systems
• About English
• Getting Help
• Financing Your Education
• Miscellaneous
• About Myself

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About Myself for your fan mail
Masayasu AOTANI Ryugakusei Center Kyoto
University Kyoto, 606-8501 Japan aotani_at_cfse.ryug
aku.kyoto-u.ac.jp http//cfse.ryugaku.kyoto-u.ac.j
p/aotani.html TEL [phone] FAX [phone]
Send your contributions(??) to
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Your Contribution from Across the Pacific

• Subscribe to America.
• Subscribe to Friends.

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Gifts! Gifts!

• A man with plenty of heart will spare some for
  you.
• Naked women, noodles, and much more.
• Aotani the lucky charm - ??????

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Summary - seven commandments

• Take the classes very seriously.
• Know bad English would not kill anyone.
• Take full advantage of campus resources.
• No sweat! Enjoy the culture shock.
• Become a master juggler. Try many things.
• Be confident. Good fortune is coming your way.
• Didnt you see me on skateboard?
• Eat well. Welcome to the junk food capital of the
  world!

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• Thank you for listening!

Applause!