When I-House residents from other countries tell me about their experiences at SJSU, I understand what they are going through; having studied at a foreign university myself. I know how frightening it is when you have to do a class presentation in front of native speakers, and how exhausting text books can be, when you've read the same passage twice or five times to get the meaning. I also know how refreshing the new system can be- there are ideas and methods of teaching that you have never seen at home.

In Germany, you only study your major and university is free. Germans do an extra year of high school, and that is considered their General Education. The university courses are usually only once a week, mostly in the form of 1.5 to 3 hour lecture, and attendance is not taken. There is one test at the end of the semester for some lectures, or you have a test on many different lectures around the same time after 1 or 2 years!  It is not like the American system, where in each course you have to take 3 or 4 quizzes and possibly write a couple essays. The amount of independence in Germany was a little overwhelming. Since there was no constant barrage of quizzes and papers, and I only had to go to each class once a week, I had an amazing amount of free time. In Germany you are responsible for knowing the material and learning it. The professor points you in the right direction, but he will not help you as much as American professors do.

I did miss the American professors, with their availability during office hours and helpful guidance. In Germany, the professors have only an hour or two every week, for which they are paid.  And usually these hours so full of students that you have to make an appointment for your little 10 minute conference.

   (Olivia in Tuebingen, Germany – Spring 2004)

But German universities put the learning in your hands. It is assumed that you are there because you want to learn. And that you will study on your own on a regular

basis, until the test comes a year later. It is a wonderful system if you are passionate about your major and like to study it for fun. But it is difficult for those students that just do the work because they have to, and they tend to fall between the cracks because there is no professor constantly jumping on their back to get them to study.  In the American university, the professors help push those unmotivated students along and they receive a lot of second chances.