In a little more than a month, I will start my second year at Mount Holyoke College. I have learned a lot in the past year, both about how to succeed in the U.S. education system and about what I want out of my education. Here the five biggest lessons I’m taking away from my experience so far.

1. Talk, but only if you have something to say.

In Russian, there is a popular expression лить воду (literally, “to pour water”), which means saying or writing about something that does not add anything new, but keeps the conversation going or fills in the space on paper.

Students often use this technique when they want to make the impression on the professor that they are involved in a class discussion but when in fact they don’t understand the material or don’t care about the topic. Professors, for their part, try to spot students using the technique and discourage them from doing it.

In my first semester in the US, in one of my 300-level seminars, I found some topics very challenging, but since a big percentage of the grade depended on class participation, I still made attempts to speak by “pouring water.”

But what happened in this situation was that other students would challenge my statements.  I was forced to explain my statements or defend them with further evidence, and I soon realized that pouring water would not get me through one of these discussions.
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I smile wryly as I go through my freshman photos. It is hard to believe that just 2 years ago, I arrived in the United States, fresh-faced and starry eyed; weighed down by suitcases, expectations and an overwhelming fear of the unknown. In my head, as well as in my diary and journal, was a clear strategy of how I would ‘attain greatness’.

It amazes me to look back and realize how drastically my interests have changed, how dramatically my intellectual aspirations have evolved and how even my fears are not the same anymore.  The certainty I once had about what I wanted to see and achieve is gone, the answers replaced by more and more questions about myself and my path.

After the snow

Prior to my arrival in the States, I had only seen snow on television. It was with great anticipation and excitement that I waited for the first snowy day.  I vividly recall my first encounter with snow: It was one of those mornings when I would steal glances at the rising sun from behind my computer while frantically working to finish a paper. From my common room window, I noticed the ice crystals slowly dropping to the ground.

The sight was breathtaking.  I dropped all my work, raced to the window; and saw that Yale’s courtyard had been transformed into a picturesque scene from a Disney movie. The beauty of what I was seeing almost moved me to tears.

Of course, the novelty has long since worn off. With snow comes the obligation to wear layers of coats, all of which have to be removed upon entering a building.  There is also the hassle of having to trudge to class in ridiculous snow boots. And after a snow comes the ‘freezing rain,’ which covers the roads with ice, turning the simple task of walking into a Hunger Games-esque challenge.
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This week in our events list we’ve got an MBA-themed webinar, plus a TOEFL webinar for Spanish speakers that we found in a tweet from the Educational Testing Service.

As always, if you attend any of these events, report back and let us know what you learned! (Use the comments, the Facebook page or just email me – jstahl@voanews.com). And please share any online events you’ve found that we haven’t.

Coming up next week:

July 31

ETS: TOEFL Webinar (language: Spanish)
10am US eastern time
More details: http://twitter.com/ETSGlobal/statuses/228489990424907777 

MBA Watch: Tips for Starting Your MBA Application – Live Q&A with an Admissions Officer
More details: http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/events 
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Guillermo wrote in a while ago (sorry for the delay!) to ask our Glossary of Confusing Words about the word “high school.”

“How many years?” he asked, wanting to know if a U.S. high school degree is equivalent to his Colombian ”bachillerato” degree.  It was the perfect opportunity to do something we’ve been wanting to do for a while: publish a definitive list of all the levels of a U.S. education.

So here it is; every school you would attend in America, from the age of 2 until you retire.

1) Nursery School - Optional

Typical ages:
2-5

Might also be called:
Preschool
Pre-K
Montessori

Photo: James Fleeting

2) Kindergarten - Optional

Typical ages:
5-6

Photo: MaST Charter

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The road to medical school is muddy, and one often stops to clean off the threatening mud.

In my last post, I highlighted the difficulty in getting into med school as an international student, and how hard I know I will have to work to make it happen. I have spent the last year meeting medical school deans, chief medical directors and chief of departments, volunteering at the hospital and shadowing a physician.

[Read more about getting into medical school as an international student]

In all my meetings with these people, there has been one thing each of them emphasized: hard work. They said I will have to work twice as hard as an American applicant to get into medical school. I don’t doubt that. Already it has been predictably rough to follow this dream.

I try not to stress myself too much over that, but I also know that stress is an intrinsic part of the process that no one can avoid, including U.S. citizens. Even doctors are stressed so there is no need looking for the easy way out. In the long run, one can only hope the hard work pays off.

The right scores

Something everyone emphasizes to me as vital for getting into medical school is high academic performance. Most med schools accept students with an average GPA of somewhere around 3.7. For an international student, a 3.9 would be helpful. Medical schools often say that test scores won’t make or break your application, but everyone I’ve asked has advised me to get a 30 or more on my MCAT.
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The New York Times took an interesting look this week at the question of when to greet an American with a kiss. The answer: it’s VERY confusing.  According to the article, it depends on everything from how well you know the person to where they’re from to their individual personality.  Our advice: be safe and stick with a handshake unless you’re sure they’re up for it.

The beginnings and endings of meetings with clients are sometimes excruciating, as we wait for someone to set the terms of salutations between individuals who are eager to display their camaraderie but who probably don’t know one another terribly well. To run into someone from work at a party or restaurant is to be suddenly forced to assign status to someone who may exist in your mind only as Guy Who Knows How to Replace the Xerox Machine’s Toner. Head nod? Cheek kiss? Vigorous pelvic wallop?

Read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/fashion/social-kissing-welcome-or-not.html

You might also remember we talked about the complicated issue of greetings for one of our favorite finds on this blog, a hilarious video about “how to give an American hug.”

A few months ago we published an article called, “Can International Students Attend American Medical School?,”  in which we learned how difficult it can be for international students to get admitted to American medical schools – and how many international students are determined to try for those few available spots.  Our blogger Promise is one of those determined to keep working towards that goal.  Commenter Sisi is another.

Sisi started in the U.S. as an intensive English student, then entered community college and is now getting ready to finish a Bachelor’s degree.  Studying pre-med.  Here’s the story Sisi told to us about that journey.

First, I took one semester learning English to familiarize with the new life style, choose which university or college to attend, and of course, improve my English. In the English program, I met people who were at the same boat as me; they all just came from a different country, and they don’t know yet how things work here. In addition, I had the opportunity to meet new friends from around the globe.

I had no idea what my major would be! I attended the community college which later became a state college; the community/ state college is less expensive than the university, has small classes, and also easier to enroll. Unlike the university, I did not have to take TOEFL or SAT. I only took the college test, passed it, and got in.

I took general classes which all majors should take like English and Math. Later, I knew that I wanted to be a pediatrician after I talked to my advisor and professors who suggested that I should volunteer in a hospital. If someone is undecided about his/her major try to do volunteer work in the area that interests you. The college advisor will help you choose the classes you need for your major.
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We’re back with our weekly list of upcoming events of interest to those who want to study in the U.S.  This week we’ve got some webinars for prospective business students, and a big virtual fair for prospective public health students.

As always, if you attend any of these events, report back and let us know what you learned! (Use the comments, the Facebook page or just email me – jstahl@voanews.com). And please share any online events you’ve found that we haven’t.

Coming up next week:

July 23

SOPHAS: Schools of Public Health Virtual Fair
More details: http://sophas.careereco.net/students-alumni/virtual-fair-registration/

MBA Watch: This Year’s Application Cycle – Live Q+A With Admissions Officer
More details: http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/events 
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“From the Great Lakes going down through Chicago, it seems to me that if you want to find America, that’s where it is.”
– American actor William H. Macy.

Macy was talking about his leading role in the Oscar-winning comedy/thriller Fargo, which takes place in the Midwest states of North Dakota and Minnesota.

Fargo, the biggest city in North Dakota and the film’s namesake, was the very place where I studied as an international exchange student for the past year. I used to complain about it being remote and boring, and it is, but now that I’m back at home, watching the movie Fargo makes me nostalgic for the city’s incomparable goodness.

If you’ve never seen the movie, it’s pretty dark, and often disturbing. But it also shows the love for this region by the filmmakers (Joel and Ethan Coen, who grew up in Minnesota) and the actors.  Both William H. Macy and I know the real Fargo that ever brightened our heart.

In this last post for the Student Union, I’d like to share some pictures with my dedicated audience to present my Fargo – a marvelous land that most travelers to America will never know.

Landscape

Fargo, like other parts of Midwest, has very huge plains all the way down to the skyline. And in the winter, these plains turn into sheets of snow and ice.

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While we’ve been on vacation, you guys have been busy commenting and weighing in on our anonymous survey revealing the truth about how American students feel towards their international classmates.

Take a look:

Part 1: The Truth – Americans Reveal What They Really Think of International Students

Part 2: Why Aren’t Americans and International Students Becoming Friends?

We found that Americans generally like having international students on campus, but that there is a separation when it comes to forming friendships between the two groups. But is this unique to the United States?

Our intrepid readers from around the world weighed in to share what relations are like between international and domestic students where THEY are, and it sounds like crossing the culture boundaries is tough no matter where you study.  Here’s what you had to say about forming friendships around the world (all quotes are posted as written).

Finland

Linza: I’m an American student in Finland, so I’m the other side of the coin. It’s very similar here; international programs are taught in English, and regular programs are taught in Finnish. Many Finnish students understand a lot of English, but don’t speak it very well, whereas many international students don’t know very much Finnish (at least, not enough to have a long conversation, and certainly not in their first year). It’s a major barrier. At least American students seem to have a more positive view.

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