In connection with a significant interest in the topic of the characteristics of life abroad after my first and second part of the topic, an idea arose to run a blog, in which not only IT topics will be described, but also simply vital ones. Besides what to say to the world, I have something to show him, so if this topic is of interest, then please inform me about it. And now, I suggest you read the third and final part of the article on education in America, where I hope all the remaining questions will be revealed.

Pro equipment, infrastructure and computers

In the last part, I talked about the high cost of education, which, as it turns out, did not appear from scratch. I recently found out that the state only pays eight percent of the budget of my university, all the rest comes from students and a small part from various organizations and companies (for example, one of the computer labs is sponsored by Steve Wozniak). What is the money going to? Let me explain to the people what a university in America is. A university is a whole complex of buildings, dormitories, cafes, sports centers, libraries, laboratories and shops that are connected together with a powerful infrastructure. The entire campus occupies a very decent area and on its territory there are several bus routes, there is even one “night express”, which helps drunk students who are unable to drive a car from parties. By the way, almost all buses and some other vehicles in the state are free for students. To maintain such a powerful system you need a lot of money that comes in the ways indicated just above. I mostly spend all my time in the engineering complex, where people are engaged in designing a huge number of things in various specialties, programming and research. There are several computer labs with the usual PiSyuki and Macs. There are also closed laboratories that are available only to future computer specialists; Entry there is carried out only by magnetic cards. One of the items I’m taking right now is called data structures and laboratory work takes place in a room in a closed lab where Linux is installed on computers. Computers here are not only in laboratories, but also in corridors, halls and other most unexpected places. And finally, fast wi-fi internet is available throughout the campus, which is also free for students. In general, there are absolutely no problems with computers, no sites are blocked, unlike schools, where they skillfully make sure that computers are used only for educational purposes.

People do homework here either in laboratories or in the lobby with their laptops. A lot of people use Macs, thirty percent, if you think about it. This is what concerns the engineering complex. An interesting point is that almost all courses, whether math, physics, biology or German, have their own buildings, where lectures take place and where people are engaged. The long distances that have to be overcome if the next class is at the other end of the campus are usually not a problem: as I said, they use either buses or bicycles, of which there are a lot of them, or they walk. For example, I try to walk to be in adequate physical shape. The libraries here are also luxurious: the main one has four floors, several rooms with computers and a cafe. In addition to books, there are CDs and tapes with various films and educational materials. To summarize, we can say that everything is there for learning. We now turn to the description, in fact, of the training itself.
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Study, exams, admission

The people, as well as in the school itself, choose classes that are not included in the basic course of the specialty, which they will attend. These classes include the humanities and natural sciences. In the humanities, the choice is incredibly wide - you can do everything from the history of science to the economy. With the natural sciences a little more complicated. At the beginning, each engineer must take a course in integral mechanics, after which he is free to choose the so-called “path”, which defines all the subjects in the natural sciences in subsequent years. For example, you can do physics, geology or astrophysics. There are a lot of these ways, there are plenty to choose from.

Required subjects include almost all subjects in computer science and mathematics. At the beginning, the basic course of matan is taken, which is designed for two semesters. Ends in it with power series and polar coordinates. In the first semester, they are mainly taught to skillfully take integrals. In the second, use these integrals to find the area, volume, and center of mass. After that, they present more powerful methods for integrating the type of trigonometric replacement and separation of variables. After this, there is a light excursion into differential equations, well, and then the fun begins - sequences and rows. There is the third semester of matan, in which they go into three dimensions, but it is not necessary to take it. After that, subjects that are more focused on integration into, in fact, programming, for example, linear algebra in computer science and statistics, are taken. But no one forbids doing more mathematics than expected, if you want. It is possible even with a great deal of skill and desire to graduate from a university with a double bachelor's degree in mathematics and computer science.

Beg a small digression. There are several degrees that can be earned: a graduate who you need to study for only two years (for programmers, for obvious reasons, there is no such possibility), a bachelor’s is four years, a master’s is two years after bachelor’s, and finally Doctor, which is similar to a professor in Russia. But back to the description of the items.

As a matter of fact, programming here is the first, as far as I remember, for three years, you need to register for items that are part of the basis proposed by the dean's office. In the first semester, they simply learn to program: to translate into code the algorithms that the student invents. This subject is quite complicated, because every week you need to write a large program. In the first part of the semester, Python is used, and then C ++. Programs are asked to do something like this: a labyrinth that is read from a text file, the user should have the opportunity to go through it, and also the opportunity to press a button so that this labyrinth goes through a simple artificial intelligence, or, another one: there are several hundreds of different, small images fifty-fifty pixels, a large photo is given at the entrance; you need to make a mosaic of small images so that it looks like a large, original photo. In short, the tasks are not entirely trivial, especially given the fact that one week is given for each program, and there are at least three more subjects for which homework needs to be done.

Again distract a little, tell you how this is with the sequence of homework and exams. In general, for all non-humanitarian subjects (although there are exceptions, for example, economics) there are two types of classes: lectures and so-called “recitations”, which can also be lab work and seminars. At almost all of these implementations of student meetings with teachers you need to bring homework done. That is, in fact, you do them every day. I think this is quite effective, because he is excellent at training skills and one can get answers to difficult questions not one day before exams. Examinations here usually take place several semester. Almost all technical subjects have exactly four of them. The final exam either concentrates on the latest topic in the course, or covers all topics for the semester. Also, sometimes there is an opportunity not to pass the exam, if the grade in a subject is very high, you can do a project on the subject in return.

If a student does not study well, he is not expelled immediately. There is such a thing as “average score”, which plays a big role in the search for scholarships, recruitment and self-affirmation. If the average score for two semesters in a row is below three, which is equivalent to the Russian assessment from a banana to a three, then the student is given a trial period for another semester, if the third semester in a row does not make any noticeable changes, then the student can be excluded. I consider this system rather soft, because in two semesters it is possible to completely reconsider one’s attitude towards studies and education. The average ball can drop so much if a banana was obtained on the subject. Through this, you again have to take the lined subject for the next semester.

I will reveal, finally, the last topic - admission to the university. The admission system is rather unusual: at the beginning of the last year at school, the applicant's family decides which universities will apply for, then the search for requirements and other things begins. The requirements are most often asked to provide the average school grade, which must be at least three or three and a half, then if the student enters within his state, the AST result is needed. AST is a test of skills in arithmetic, logical thinking, basic knowledge of science, reading and grammar.

I must note that this test is not as simple as it seems: there are more than fifty tasks in each section, and only forty minutes are given for each part of the test. For me, the most difficult was reading, because there they give pieces from very complex works, where so many words are rare and, more often than not, a person from another country simply does not know them. Then questions are asked about this text, and if the text is not understood, then it will not be particularly possible to answer questions. This test is made on the principle of "multi-choice", which many consider inadequate, including me. At the university, however, most of the exams imply the usual, familiar for Russians format - to write the solution by hand and enclose the answer in a frame. Solutions, of course, are checked at the university. That is just the answer, even if it is correct, they will not be credited.

If a student enters a different state, then the SAT test is taken, which, in principle, is similar to AST. Then letters of recommendation are required, best from the teachers, in which it is written that the student represents himself. Here they take this very seriously, they just won't recommend you anywhere, unless you have distinguished yourself in anything. And finally, the entrant is asked to write an essay on the proposed topic. Most often it focuses on personal interests, goals in life and worldview, which helps university staff to understand how a student will apply his knowledge and, in general, whether he will become a “good citizen.” The whole thing is sent to different universities and the answers come around the beginning of the second school semester. That is, the applicant knows whether he acted somewhere or not by March.

Here, finally, and all, I hope. Summarizing the final result, I will say that they teach here violently, while giving all the opportunities for learning and self-realization. In addition to studying, there are interest organizations, for example, for programmers. Here and free conferences and presentations of new games and just an interesting conversation. For example, recently I went to Google’s office, on a small tour, which was organized by our organization, which includes communication with employees and a short tour. If anyone is interested, I can write as it was. So to say, a view from the inside.

If there are additional questions, then ask - I will answer.