Here are some of the things why I think the USA is a better environment for studying in university as compared to a Belgian one. I’ve done some thinking on this for a while, so I thought I might share it with you

Things that are better:

1. Classes are smaller (on this campus).
2. There is a lot more to do on campus
3. You can pick your own classes instead of a defined set of classes, where 30% is a time filler.
4. Classes don’t take 24 hours a week (they do take that much in total).

Let me elaborate on that:

1. Classes are a lot more expensive over here, so only the really interested students are in class over here. Complaining that people with less money can’t send their kids to school are pointless, since the really good students get scholarships. So if they are really interested they will get their tuition paid.
2. Campus over here is a life on it’s own. A lot of students live on campus, there is always something to do (and I don’t mean partying by that).
3. You have to take a big % on your major, and a small % on your minors. So you still can choose what you like, while that is a lot more limited in Belgium.
4. You talk in class about a subject, you don’t do tasks in class, you do the task at home.

And extra note on number 1.: I know a lot of people in Belgium (and over here too) think that everybody should get the possibility to study. Well imagine a class full of students, where the first 2 rows wants to BE in that class, the third row just choose Computer Science because it’s the future, and the last row just playing Counter-Strike.

Since it’s that cheap to do the year again they don’t care (and thus ruining the class for everybody). Been there, done that, never got the T-shirt. The American system IS better.

And after all there are downsides, one of ‘m is (it actually depends on the teacher over here):

1. You don’t get 2nd changes if you fail an exam. While the Belgians get that.