The comparison between Chinese and American higher education

Part Two: The comparison between Chinese and American

higher education system.

Both in America and China, the main ordinary higher education refers to junior

college

bachelor

’

s,

master

’

s

and

doctoral

degree

program,

but

there

exists

great

difference

of

higher

education

system

between

China

and

America.

The

basic

education, vocational and polytechnic education, ordinary higher education and adult

education are four major types of education in China. While in United States, there

are

also

four

major

types

of

higher

education

system.

They

are

the

(1)university,

which

may

contain:

（

a

）

several

colleges

for

undergraduate

students

seeking

a

bachelor

’

s(four- year)degree

and(b)one

or

more

the

bachelor

’

s

degree

to

obtain

a

master

’

s

or

a

doctoral

degree;(2)the

four-year

undergraduate

institution- the

college-most of which are not part of a university;(3)the technical training institution,

at

which

high

school

graduates

may

take

courses

ranging

from

six

months

to

four

years in duration and learn a wide variety of technical skills, from hair styling though

business

accounting

to

computer

programming;

and(4)the

two-year,

or

community

colleges

or

universities.

[1]

American

undergraduate

students

receive

generalist

education, and graduate receive professional education.

When they are at the doctor level,

all of them would take

a

comprehensive examination. If they fail to pass the examination, they are

doom

to

be

wiped

out.

According

to

the

research,

there

are

nearly

one- third

students

miss

the

degree.

By

comparing

and

analyzing

their

difference,

we

can

be

aware

of

their

respective merits and drawbacks, and improve our education system at the same time.

2.1

The

contrast

of

students

’

admission

system

between

Chinese

and

American higher education system.

The different students

’

election system decides different students

’

quality.

Each

school

in

United

States

set

their

own

admission

requirements.

The

academic section is generally the most important but not the only deciding factor. On

the

other

way

round,

their

comprehensive

capabilities

play

an

important

role.

Moreover, there is no much restraint of admission system. American college students

are always composed by senior high schools, social workers, unemployed men and so

on as long as they can afford tuitions and hand in required application. Out of more

than

three

million

students

who

graduate

from

high

school

each

year,

about

one

million

go

on

for

higher

education.

A

college

at

a

leading

university

might

receive

applications from 2% of these high school graduates, and then accept only one out of

every ten who apply. The admission process consists of application forms, admission

tests

and

essays.

Universities

make

admission

decisions

based

on

academic

achievement,

test

scores

and

application.

The

successful

applicants

at

colleges

and

universities

are

unusually

chosen

on

the

basis

of

:(a)their

high

school

records;(b)recommendations

from

their

high

school

teachers;(c)the

impression

they

make

during

interviews

at

the

college

or

university

;and(d)their

scores

on

the

Scholastic Aptitude Tests(SATs)

1

.( By these applications, one can exhibit his potential,

communication, individual style and other strong suits, and make colleges get to know

comprehensively of students. Of course, if one have special strong point, he may also

be recruited because you will pay honor to your university or college. For instance, if

one

does

well

in

football

which

can

stirs

up

the

most

national

interest,

he

may

be

enrolled with conditional admission.

A

fact

is

that

one

of

my

friends

who

has

got

American

colleges

’

and

universities

’

offers told me his success owing to his humor, pure-heartedness, and his

prominent

inter-communication.

As

studying

in

an

international

high

school,

my

friend cultivates ability to study on his own, think things out for himself. During his

part time, he had been assuming tutor for foreigners. It

’

s because all his achievements

in

high

school

are

taken

into

account,

so

he

can

got

American

colleges

’

and

universities

’

offers.

On the other hand, in China, after students graduating from nationwide

senior

high

schools,

nearly

all

colleges

and

universities

recruit

students

according

to

corresponding

entrance

examination

marks.

The

entrance

examination

is

usually

organized

on

July

each

year,

and

nearly

all

high

school

students

would

take

the

examination. In their point of views, the chance of becoming members of university is

1

英语国家社会与文化入门

)

totally determined by the entrance examination final marks. Therefore, the annually

entrance

examination

is

usually

regarded

as

an

examination

of

life

even

an

examination of fortune.

2.2 The contrast of semester arrangement between Chinese and American

higher education system.

Undergraduate

education

in

United

States

and

China

set

four

years

for

undergraduate

students

to

study,

but

American

have

different

semester

arrangement

with Chinese. Some colleges and universities have two semesters a year, while others

have four semesters a year. Usually, the length of a semester may last 10 to 16 weeks.

As

to

four

semesters

system,

each

semester

is

called

Quarter

with

approximate

ten

weeks. Therefore, the circle of students educated time is shortened, besides, there are

enough time provided for students to choose curricula they interest. While, nearly all

undergraduate education in China has quadrennium

2

for university life. Still, there are

some special, such as many medical academies and some scientific academies arrange

five or six years for undergraduate education. I n China, an academic year have two

semesters which are divided with spring and

autumn

. Thereby,

students will spend

large

number

of

time

on

schooling

and

less

time

allowing

them

choose

what

they

interest, saying nothing of practice.

2.3 The contrast of curricular and specialty between Chinese and American

higher education system.

Different curricular and specialty offered bring different consequences. Taking

the case of American universities and colleges, no matter public or private, they offer

a

vast

array

of

specialties

for

students.

Broad

field

specialties

are

organized

give

students a broad overview of field, give students general introduction to the theories,

research,

and findings.

After all, the more specialties mean there are more kinds of

curricular

students

can

elect,

more

comprehensive

knowledge

students

attain.

In

United

States,

students

just

can

apply

for

admission

of

university

but

not

the

major(the

field

in

which

they

want

to

their

degree).At

the

undergraduate

level,

Students in United States must abide instructions to complete basis curricular during

2

Quadrennium:four years.

the first two years, such as world history, math, writhing or research.

During, and the

next

years

,

they

start

to

choose

majors

according

to

their

interests

and

strong

suits.

The National Institute of Education, a government agency, reports that a total of more

than 1000 majors

are offered in

America

’

s

colleges and universities. The combined

electives

available

in

these

schools

probably

amount

to

a

number

in

the

tens

of

thousands

3

.Thereby, if they feel the curricular the core course they are studying has

not appreciated them, they can also choose to transfer to another major. Besides, time

permitting,

students

can

choose

sub- majoring

at

the

same

time.

Some

universities

frequently

held

plenty

of

academic

forums,

and

the

reports

are

always

lectured

by

some

academia

prominent

experts

in

United

States.

At

the

graduate

student

level,

students

’

writing

skills

are

important

because

they

may

be

required

to

write

large

number of articles. Generally, they may be required at least 5pages to 10pages paper

after completing reading materials every week. Science and engineer students should

spend

much

time

on

laboratory

and

accomplish

their

experiment

report.

Higher

education in

America

has

always

stressed character training or social

skills training

though extracurricular activities, including organized sports and performing arts. The

broad

range

of

extra

curricular

includes

such

as

cycling,

mountain

climbing,

horse

riding, and chess playing. At many schools, there are interesting communities which

bring universities plenty of vigor and vitality. Among the activities are newspapers,

musical organizations, dramatic, swimming club, radio stations, and some volunteer

groups.

Some

of

these

have

their

own

meeting

place

in

which

services

and

social

activities be held. Students are frequently seen working as volunteers in hospitals and

homes for the-elderly, or other public-service work. Long summer holiday in the eyes

of students is not just rest or recreation time, but some summer training schools are

prepared

for

students

’

participation.

As

a

rule,

summer

training

schools

also

have

rigorous disciplines. What students

’

actions in summer training schools are playing a

significant

role

in

their

future

development.

The

aim

of

the

system

is

to

cultivate

well-developed

talents.

Maybe

this

system

will

lead

most

students

choosing

most

popular speciality, leaving less faculty for fun. In order to keep away from this trouble,

3

American Education,

American and British Culture