Academic Differences

□ ACADEMIC DIFFERENCES: How does the academic system in the host country compares to MC? Specifically, how are the following things different:

o Workload (# of tests/assignments/outside of class work) 

South Korea has a system of diagnostic assessments called the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA). Each year, achievement tests in two subjects are administered to all students in each of the grades six, nine and ten. These tests serve a purely informational purpose and are not reported by individual student.

Homework is little, but what is required, is important, and is done with much diligence.        

o classroom culture, 
Making mistakes when you answer a question is generally frowned upon.

In high school students clean up after the end of the day and then go home.

o flow of the semester

You earn one or two subjects at a time, but you learn massive bits of information in each lecture. Homework is m inimum, but tests are tough.

Following senior high school, students who want to continue to university must take a College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which does have a major impact on their higher education prospects. Leading up to this test, most South Korean students will engage in some form of directed study outside of school, ranging from classes at hagwons, or cram schools, to private tutoring sessions. There is a culture of “examination hell” in South Korea, and students often feel incredible amounts of pressure about their performance on the CSAT.

o expectations of students

That students “get it” and move up as fast as possible.
In high school and onward, Korean is based on cramming and memorization. School from six to fifteen is free. Afterwards, you must pay.

o faculty/student relationships

College classes are run as lectures, with little teacher student relationships.

However as a foreigner, I will try my best to stay in contact with my teachers.

The American education system teaches students to raise questions, discuss and argue extensively before accepting any statement, assumption or premise.