This morning I met with Carol for my fourth conversation
partner breakfast. Since it has been two
weeks since we last saw each other, we started out by discussing how much
colder the weather has gotten, something that neither of us likes very
much. Carol especially does not like the
cold since it never snows or gets very cold in Brazil where she is from.
After this,
Carol and I spent most of the rest of our breakfast discussing college and how
the American system differs from the Brazilian system. Carol is interested in going into psychology
to work as a counselor with teenagers.
She explained to me that the process is different there than the four years
of undergraduate followed by two years of master that we do here. In Brazil, students go straight into a
five-year program for psychology and then can do additional years to get a
masters degree, which is needed in order to specialize, as Carol wants to
do. Unlike here where it is quite easy
to change your major as often as you want during the first couple years of
college, in Brazil it is not common for people to change their minds because
they would have to start over from the beginning in a different degree
program. Carol was interested to hear
that the Brazilian college process was somewhat familiar to me because I have a
friend who goes to medical school in England where the process sounds extremely
similar.
I think
there are advantages and disadvantages to having a set-up like that of Brazil
and England. For students like me who
have always known what career path they want to pursue, this is a good process
because it cuts down on the amount of time students have to spend in college
(eight years for a medical degree there vs. five years for a medical degree
there). However, a huge percentage of
American college students change their majors several times before deciding
what they want to do. For these people,
the American system is more effective because it allows for this indecision. Another advantage I see in the American
college system is that our education is more well rounded. In Brazil and many other countries, college
students only study material directly related to their majors. Contrastingly, most American colleges have a
core curriculum, which requires students to take classes in a variety of
subject areas better preparing them for a multitude of situations and interactions
with many types of people. Overall, I see
the advantages and disadvantages to both systems. It is interesting to here about the different
processes we use to achieve the same end result of education.
I have never really looked at the complexities of the Brazilian education system before, so it is really interesting that their education has a lot less flexibility and a longer time commitment. Personally, I have never changed my major, so I haven’t completely benefited from that aspect of the American education system. Even though I’ve had a passion for all things business for years, not all of my friends at TCU are that way. One of my friends, for example, has changed her major back and forth three different times. I can’t even imagine what she would do if she was in Brazil. It’s interesting to consider that the focus Brazil puts on studying topics related to one’s intended career path may make those students more qualified once they join the work force; this could be because students in the U.S., while well-rounded, are putting less attention towards their major and career path. There obviously is no way of figuring that out for sure since there are so many variables, but it’s still pretty interesting to think about.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that you had the chance to learn more about how the Brazilian school systems work. I also think it was neat that you got to teach her about the American school/college system since she is right in the middle of it all. I'm sure entering a system so different from Brazil is scary and confusing, and I'm glad she has you to help clarify some of the confusion. What are the chances you would have a connection like that? I bet she was glad to speak with someone who understood the system that she was trying to describe. I think there are good and bad things about both systems, and I think it is cool that your conversation with Carol sparked some of those questions and got you thinking about why we do what we do in America.
ReplyDeleteThank the lord for our education system! Since I started here at TCU, I have had five majors. If I had been in another country, I probably would have been in school until Im 40. I think it is so important to talk to our partners about these core differences because it is amazing to hear how they see their own and our system. While I do see disadvantages, I personally think that it is valuable to have a core education. While we do not master other materials, being conversational in multiple areas of study may prove valuable in the future. I will bring this up with my partner next time we meet and see what he thinks. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteI often take our education for granted and I shouldn't. I think it is really neat that you got the opportunity to learn about their school system. I love learning about different countries and cultures so it is cool to read about what you learned through your conversation partner. Going into college I was angered by our Liberal Arts Education because I wanted to focus more on my major. Now that I have had the opportunity to learn about an assortment of things such as Environmental Science, Astronomy, and Philosophy, my mind has changed. Knowledge is power and by making one more knowledgeable you are helping that person for the better. Thank you for letting me know about the differences between the two school systems and making me in turn, more knowledgeable!
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